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"Blood Pressure Challenge": Miss America 2013 Visits Pittsford Wegmans

WXXI News

Whether or not you're a fan of math, there's one fraction that's good for your health.

It's 120 over 80, a healthy blood pressure reading.

Miss America 2013, Mallory Hagan, showed her support Wednesday for the Rochester and Finger Lakes Community Blood Pressure Challenge - which started a month ago - to raise awareness about the dangers of high blood pressure.
During Hagan's stop at the Pittsford Wegmans, she used the store's blood pressure machine to check her numbers, which were within the ideal range.

Hagan says community members should check their blood pressure, using area kiosks, at least once - to make sure it's healthy.

"Especially with the younger community," Hagan says. "You want to make sure they're giving themselves the option to check their blood pressure and make sure everything is healthy and the way it should be. I think providing a machine like that, where they can do it for free, is a great way to keep the community healthy and motivated."

One in 3 adults in the Greater Rochester area has high blood pressure, which is linked to serious illnesses such as a stroke, heart and kidney disease.

Hagan says food markets, like Wegmans, can help in making healthier food selections.

The aim of the "Blood Pressure Challenge" is to have 100,000  people get their blood pressure checked and register on the Eat Well Live Well website. So far, 13,000 people have registered on the site.

Wegmans, the Rochester Business Alliance and the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency are leading the "Blood Pressure" charge.

The campaign ends on May 18th.