The United Nations launched the USA UFIT Taskforce as part of a global initiative aiming to ensure that people with disabilities are better included in health and fitness initiatives and anti-obesity efforts. The Taskforce is built from some of the largest leading health and fitness organizations including the US President’s Council on Fitness, Nutrition and Sport and the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
American Council on Exercise says this initiative is of great importance because, “Obesity, and other chronic diseases related to inactivity, cost the United States hundreds of billions of dollars in healthcare costs and lost productivity every year.” Furthermore, people with disabilities are more likely to be impacted by obesity and chronic disease and have unique challenges to physical activity. The new goal is to build a culture of inclusivity, so more people with and without disabilities will be able to get moving more often and lead healthier lives.
On May 16 the USA UFIT Taskforce held a launch event at The American Heart Association’s Washington DC office. American Council on Exercise CEO Scott Goudesone said, “If we are truly going to create a healthier, more active world, then we can’t afford to exclude a single segment of our population…We need to question the way we do everything, and run it through the filter of whether it’s helping the industry become more inclusive.”
