2011 Winner Announced!

We are delighted to announce that the winner of this year's Bloomberg Manulife Prize is Dr. Steven Blair, a leading exercise scientist who has proven that all it takes to live longer and healthier is 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day.

Widely regarded as the creator of a new area of epidemiological research linking physical activity, decreased mortality, and health benefits, Dr. Blair is a professor of exercise science at the Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina. Seen as an academic leader in his field, he has advised governments and health organisations, has published over 500 scientific papers and book chapters, and is one of a handful of people outside the U.S. Public Health Service to be awarded the Surgeon General’s Medallion.

The work that won him the inaugural Bloomberg Manulife Prize is based partly on a 40-year study involving more than 80,000 individuals. His research has some fascinating conclusions, most notably, that overweight individuals who are nevertheless fit have a much lower mortality rate than slimmer individuals who are inactive.

Today, he devotes much of his time to public health issues, promoting the importance of physical activity to lay and scientific audiences around the world. He has also been influential in helping policy makers craft physical activity guidelines that promote the conclusions of his research.

To read more about Dr. Blair and the prize, check out our website: http://www.mcgill.ca/bloomberg-manulife/