On May 10, fitness industry supporters gathered on Capitol Hill to discuss how Congress, the Administration, industry, nonprofits and others within both the public and private sectors can work together to create a healthier nation, according to a press release from the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (NCPPA).
The NCPPA feels that inspiring physical activity is “a linchpin for a physically, economically and militarily stronger America.”
The event, “Creating an Active America Together,” was held during National Physical Fitness and Sports Month and came on the heels of an all-day workshop at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to address the issue of obesity and overweight individuals in the armed forces.
“The amount of exercise Americans get on a regular basis affects our nation dramatically,” said Ayanna McKnight, coalition manager of NCPPA. “All of us, including our leaders on Capitol Hill, must recognize the critical importance of exercise in ensuring the strength and wellbeing of our nation. And we must work together to create a more active America.”
The event featured experts on physical activity, including:
- Ruth Petersen, MD, MPH, director, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC);
- Captain Daniel B. Bornstein, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Health, Exercise and Sport Science at The Citadell;
- Kelley Vargo, MPH, MS health coach, Faculty Department of Exercise & Nutrition Science, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University;
- Tom McMillen, board treasurer, National Fitness Foundation, President and Chief Executive Officer of the LEAD1 Association, retired professional basketball player and former U.S. Congressman;
- Laurie Whitsel, PhD, FAHA, director of policy research at the American Heart Association and
- Tom Richards, Director of Community Engagement, American Council on Exercise (ACE)
The panelists presented a clear message of the importance of physical activity as a means of addressing a broad range of challenges the nation currently faces, from the burden of chronic disease on the nation’s health and healthcare system to helping ensure military readiness at a time when the lack of physical fitness is becoming a leading problem in recruiting for the armed forces, and is an underlying cause contributing to training-related musculoskeletal injuries among active-duty military personnel.
The event also served as an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of the upcoming release of the new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which originally were released in 2008.
“I urge all members of Congress to recognize the sustaining role that regular physical activity plays in keeping us physically, mentally, militarily and economically strong,” said Helen Durkin, NCPPA president-elect and executive vice president for public policy at the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) in an opinion piece published in Morning Consult the day after the event. “Bring exercise into the conversation as you address the challenges we face. And implement public policies that not only promote exercise, but also make it an easy choice and an achievable way of life for every American.”
