President Bush today launched a new HealthierUS initiative
to help Americans live longer, better and healthier lives.
The HealthierUS initiative will encourage all Americans to:
Make healthy choices.
A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services
confirms that "virtually all individuals can benefit from regular
physical activity." Unfortunately, the HHS study found that Americans
pay a staggering physical and financial cost for sedentary lifestyles,
including an estimated $117 billion annually in problems associated
with overweight and obesity alone. The study also found that more than
a third of children in grades 9-12 fail to exercise at least 20 minutes
a day, three times a week.
The President's HealthierUS initiative is designed to help
Americans of all ages take steps to improve their personal health and
fitness. As part of the initiative, the President announced two new
Executive Orders that reinvigorate the President's Council on Physical
Fitness and Sports and direct key federal departments and agencies to
develop plans to better promote fitness and health for all Americans.
The President also introduced the new members of the President's
Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, including Chair Lynn Swann and
Vice Chair Dot Richardson. The Council will be charged with
promoting fitness and athletic activities to Americans of all ages.
Background on Today's Presidential Action
Nearly half of American adults report that they do not exercise at
all, and seven out of 10 do so infrequently. Too many of America's
youth do not exercise at all, are overweight, and have poor
dietary habits. Five chronic diseases associated with obesity --
heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (e.g., bronchitis, emphysema, asthma), and diabetes --
account for more than two-thirds of all deaths in the United States.
In addition to claiming more than 1.7 million American lives each
year, these diseases hinder daily living for more than one of every
10 Americans, or 25 million people. More than 100 million Americans
live with chronic disease, and millions of new cases are diagnosed
each year.
Effective measures exist today to prevent or delay much of the
chronic disease burden and curtail its devastating consequences.
Families can take simple, affordable steps to work physical
activity, good nutrition, and behavioral changes into their daily
routine.
President Bush's HealthierUS Initiative is based on the
premise that increasing personal fitness and becoming healthier is
critical to achieving a better and longer life. Extensive research
has shown that making small adjustments and improvements in the
activities of daily life can improve overall health and prevent
disease and premature death. The President's HealthierUS Initiative
uses the resources of the Federal Government to alert Americans
to the vital health benefits of simple and modest improvements
in physical activity, nutrition, and behavior.
People of all ages can benefit from these actions. For the
nation's seniors, poor health should not be a foregone
consequence of aging. Improvements in diet and physical activity can
greatly improve the quality of life at any age. Regular physical
activity also helps older Americans maintain joint strength and
mobility and substantially delays the onset of functional limitations
and loss of independence.
Today, President Bush announced two immediate steps to promote
fitness: