The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) announced the 18th annual National Health Through Fitness Day will be held Wednesday, March 22 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
National Health Through Fitness Day brings together health and fitness leaders, celebrity athletes and experts from around the country to address the U.S. inactivity pandemic. Industry professionals will meet with members of Congress to discuss the importance of the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act. The PHIT Act, if passed, would change current Federal tax law to allow consumers to use pre-tax medical accounts to pay for expenses related to sports, fitness and other qualified physical activities.
“Health and wellness is something that affects us all, now more than ever,” said Tom Cove, president and CEO of SFIA. “For the first time in 20 years, U.S. life expectancy has fallen. Over 35 percent of kids aged 5-17 are overweight or obese, and 30 percent of the population is inactive. Something must be done to promote living an active and healthy lifestyle, and the PHIT Act helps achieve that goal.”
Herschel Walker will serve as Honorary Chairman of National Health through Fitness Day, to be accompanied by a wide variety of professional and Olympic athletes.
“I know the importance of physical fitness and remaining healthy — regardless of age,” says Walker, who has attended National Health Through Fitness Day for 17 consecutive years. “As a nation we must come together to stop sedentary habits and promote lowered fitness costs and eliminating barriers to physical activities. The PHIT Act is poised to positively impact millions of lives.”
A full list of celebrity brand ambassadors participating in National Health Through Fitness Day will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the American College of Sports Medicine, The National Recreation and Parks Association, Pop Warner Football, The American Council for Exercise, The Cooper Institute, The American League of Bicyclists, The Yoga Alliance, the Outdoor Industry Association and the National Council on Youth Sports will be among the organizations participating in National Health Through Fitness Day on March 22nd.
To attend National Health Through Fitness Day 2017, register here. If you are unable to attend, but would like to help pass the PHIT Act, click here to send a letter to your member of Congress. To join the conversation, visit the PHIT Act online hub. Use #PHITDay17 and @TheSFIA on Twitter to show your support for the PHIT Act.
