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PRESIDENT’S
COUNCIL ON PHYSICAL FITNESS AND SPORTS (PCPFS)
FACT SHEET
- Purpose:
the purpose of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports is to serve as a federal advisory committee.
- Advises
the President through the Secretary of Health and Human
Services about physical activity, fitness, and sports
in America
-
Recommends programs to promote the health, fitness and
well being of the nation through the President’s
HealthierUS initiative.
- History:
the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
was established as the President’s Council on Youth
Fitness, on July 16, 1956, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
-
Council formed after the President learned the results
of a report indicating that American children were less
fit than European youth.
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The first Council, chaired by Vice President Richard
Nixon, included the Cabinet Secretaries as members.
-
In 1963, President John F. Kennedy changed the name
of the Council to the President’s Council on
Physical Fitness, expanded the mandate to all Americans
as well as youth, and clarified the purpose and function
of the Council.
-
In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson broadened the
Council’s mission to include sports and changed
the name to the President’s Council on Physical
Fitness and Sports.
-
In 1982, President Ronald Reagan expanded the Council’s
role to include responsibilities for research, amateur
sports, and sports medicine.
-
In 2002, President George W. Bush called for a reinvigorated
Council to provide national leadership in promoting
his health initiative, HealthierUS.
- Structure:
the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
consists of twenty members.
-
Members are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of
the President. The President may appoint a chair, co-chairs
and/or a vice chair from the twenty-member body.
-
Current chairman is Lynn Swann, former Pittsburgh
Steeler wide receiver, now ABC sports announcer.
-
Current Vice Chair is Dr. Dot Richardson, former softball
Olympian, now an orthopedic surgeon.
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Members are leaders in fields of athletics, physical
fitness, medicine, education, business and corporate
philanthropy.
-
Each member serves a two-year term and may continue to
serve after the term expires until the appointment of
a replacement.
- Administration
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A program office to support activities of the Council
is located within the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, Office of Public Health and Science, in Washington,
DC.
-
Management of the program and staff operations is provided
by the Executive Director.
-
Current Executive Director is Melissa Johnson.
- Meetings:
a minimum of one meeting is held each year.
-
Meeting is called by the Council chair and/or co-chair,
with advance approval of a government official, who approves
the agenda.
- Council
meetings are advertised in the Federal Register and are
open to the public.
- Compensation
- Members
receive no compensation from the U.S. government for serving
on the Council
-
Members are reimbursed for expenses incurred while on
official travel for the Council, in accordance with Federal
Travel Regulations.
- Programs
- The
President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
conducts programs, projects and campaigns, which emphasize
the importance of regular physical activity, fitness and
sports participation for children, adults (including seniors),
and persons with disabilities.
-
The Council collaborates with public and private sector
sponsors to conduct its programs and to produce public
information materials.
- Healthier
US
- The
President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
supports this national disease prevention and health promotion
initiative of President George W. Bush.
-
Four pillars have been identified as vital to improving
the health and fitness of Americans.
-
Be physically active every day;
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Eat a nutritious diet;
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Get preventive screenings;
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Make healthy choices/Avoid risky behaviors.
- Obesity
Epidemic
- Poor
diet and sedentary lifestyles kill 400,000 Americans a year
and may soon overtake tobacco (435,000) as the leading cause
of preventable death (CDC, March 2004)
- U.S.
deaths from poor diet and physical inactivity account for
17% of total deaths in the U.S.
- Almost
2/3 (64%) of American adults are overweight or obese (123
million people).
- 15%
of American youth are overweight.
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Minority youth (African American, Hispanic, Native American:
20% overweight.
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Children ages 2 to 5: 10%
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25% of U.S. children spend 4 or more hours a week watching
television
- Physical
Inactivity among American adults
- At
least 50% of U.S. adults do not get enough physical activity
for health benefits (at least 30 minutes a day on 5 or
more days a week)
-
47% of adults ages 65 to 74 are inactive
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51% of people with a disability are inactive
- Health
Consequences of Poor Diet and Physical Inactivity
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Lead to chronic disease and health conditions
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Heart disease
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High blood pressure
- Type
2 diabetes
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Some cancers, including colon cancer
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Stroke
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Chronic pulmonary disease (bronchitis, emphysema,
asthma)
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Anxiety and depression
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Economic costs: 75% (estimated) of the $1.4 trillion U.S.
health care budget is directly linked to treating chronic
diseases, many related to physical inactivity and poor
nutrition.
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Annual cost of obesity: $117 billion
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Annual cost of type 2 diabetes: $132 billion.
- Work
of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
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The Council works with public and private sector partners
and co-sponsors to stress the importance of regular physical
activity, including sports participation, for Americans
of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
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Through programs, activities, partnerships, publications,
and web sites, the Council promotes moderate daily physical
activity for disease prevention and health, vigorous physical
activity for fitness and added health benefits, and sports
participation, including the values of sportsmanship.
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The President’s Challenge Physical Activity
and Fitness Awards program (the “President’s
Challenge”).
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The President’s Challenge is the cornerstone
and longest running program of the Council. The
President’s Challenge began as a fitness
recognition program for school-aged children administered
by teachers and others who work with youth (e.g.
scouts, boys and girls clubs, YMCA/YWCA).
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The program now recognizes adults as well as children
for physical activity through the Presidential
Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) and the Presidential
Champions award. An interactive Web site (www.presidentschallenge.org)
allows participants to log and track their physical
activities while working towards Presidential
awards.
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Promotes recommended 30-60 minutes a day on
5 or more days a week for adults.
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Promotes recommended 60 minutes or more a
day of activity for children ages 6-17.
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Has established partnerships with over forty
organizations, corporations, educational and
medical institutions to promote active lifestyles
for children, teens, adults at home and in
the workplace and seniors.
- Kids
in Action.” A partnership to promote physical
activity for children birth to age 5: children should
not be restrained for more than 60 minutes at a time.
Caregivers should provide a safe environment for children
to crawl, walk, run, and play.
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Web site www.fitness.gov is a gateway web site to
access the programs and publications of the President’s
Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. From the web
site, the public can also access physical activity
and health information from the agencies of the Department
of Health and Human Services and other federal departments,
resources from non-profit health and fitness organizations,
information on timely topics about physical activity,
fitness, and health.
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National Physical Fitness and Sports Month (“May
Month”), established by the Council in 1983,
is a campaign to promote nationwide physical activity/fitness
and sports participation. The President’s Council
provides materials on its web site during May month
to assist organizations and communities wishing to
increase physical activity/ fitness and health among
their constituencies.
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Publications for publication information, including
PCPFS Research Digest, a quarterly publication, synthesizes
scientific knowledge about topics related to physical
activity/fitness and exercise science. Presented in
layman’s terms, this publication is disseminated
widely to fitness professionals as well as interested
citizens on the Council web site.
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