UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - The American Heart Association has declared Wednesday as "National Start Walking Day," and the sun was shining on a couple dozen people who turned out for an event at Utica City Hall.

The Heart Association says inactivity doubles the risk of heart disease - a problem you can fix by walking 30 minutes a day.

Unless walking is automatically built into your work day, you probably spend much of your time sitting behind a desk. That's why the American Heart Association is encouraging all employees to shove themselves away from the computer for 30 minutes on Wednesday, and go for a walk.

"Walking is one of the easiest things that one can do and it is the activity that has the lowest drop-out rate," said Tom Patton of Philips Electronics North America.

His company has gone out of its way to encourage employees to get moving.

"We have sporting facilities outdoors, we have trails, we have basketball courts," he said.

Studies show walking just half an hour a day can lower the risk for heart disease, which is the nation's number one killer.