Healthy People 2000 Consortium Meeting
November 7, l997
Summary of Breakout Group Discussion Concerning
Priority Area 1: Physical Activity and Fitness
The wide-ranging discussion centered primarily on the focus area of Physical Activity and covered many of the elements of the format set forth in the Federal Register Notice. A summary of major points follows:
- Entire Framework - While there were no specific recommendations, there seemed to be a general acceptance of the framework for developing the objectives for the year 20l0.
- Vision Statement - An appropriate summation of the objectives.
- Overarching Goals - These were considered descriptive and useful.
- Enabling Goals - The discussants endorsed the statement of enabling goals for grouping of objectives and noted that they are stated as positive action outcomes. However, it was observed that some of the focus areas do not seem to be stated consistently with the goals. For example, included in the goal "to promote healthy behaviors" is the simple heading of "Tobacco" as one of the focus areas. Perhaps this could be better stated as "reduce the use of tobacco."
- Focus Areas - Since this work group dealt with the physical activity area, there was lively discussion of what is now Focus Area #3. The group strongly and unanimously recommends that the Focus Area be called "Physical Activity and Fitness," thus retaining the term as used for Priority #l in the year 2000 objectives. One of the main reasons for this recommendation is that the contributions of regular physical activity to individual well-being and quality of life are being increasingly recognized, and validated through research. Thus fitness is the desired outcome of physical activity. Otherwise, it is physical activity for what?
There was a general consensus that the fan is an ingenious and instructive device for showing the elements and the relationships of the year 20l0 objectives.
- Arrangement of Focus areas - see E, above.
- New Proposals - no new objectives were proposed, but adjustments to current objectives were discussed, with implications for the 20l0 objectives.
Duplicate Objectives. The work group accepts the idea of having one "home" for an objective but realizes that there must be extensive cross referencing to give full recognition to the interrelationships of the focus areas.
Measurable and Developmental Objectives. The use of developmental objectives may be helpful, but these should not be counted against the limited number of measurable objectives for each focus area. Each focus area could have its own separate section for developmental objectives, especially if some will be deleted by 2004 if no baseline data are available.
Discussion of Specific Objectives. In the short time available, several specific current objectives were considered with the following comments or recommendations:
Objective l.3 - Delete the term "light." Adjust the objective to age groups (is 30 minutes/day really adequate for growing children?). The objective as stated includes people aged 6 and older, too large an age span.
Objective l.6 - Consider breaking this into more than one objective - for children (again, age span 6 and older) and also one for strength and muscular endurance, another for flexibility.
Objectives l.8 and l.9 (Daily physical education in schools and increased proportion of time spend in physical activity) - Keep these objectives and intensify efforts to achieve them, even though we seem to be losing ground. Physical education classes provide, at least, a minimum of activity for students, moreover, it is essential that every child have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills, interests and personal fitness that facilitate and ensure participation in healthful and satisfying physical activities throughout life.
Note: Because of misguided emphasis on "the basics," and certain economic factors, among other reasons, we have not made the desired progress on these objectives. However, our continued efforts to achieve these most basic of educational objectives may eventually gain increased public support and, at the least, prevent further erosion of programs. The Surgeon General's Report and CDC Guidelines on Physical Activity and other recent documents provide authoritative support for school physical education programs.
Objective l.ll - Modify the recommended facilities with new data now available. (This may be a better example of a developmental objective.)
Objective l-l2 - Expand the objective to include other responsible care givers in addition to primary care providers. Also note that physicians are reimbursed for exercise prescription rather than physical activity counseling.
General Recommendation. A productive discussion had to be concluded because of time limitation. Also, participants could only work in one focus area. Consideration should be given to having more time for group work in future conferences and for allowing individuals to work in more than one area. This may mean 2 or 3 days for the conference and fewer speeches.
Participants
Christine Spain, Facilitator, President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
Simon A. McNeely, Recorder, Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Gary Abosch, American College of Sports Medicine
Barbara Campaigne, American College of Sports Medicine
Matthew Guidry, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Gregory Heath, American College of Sports Medicine
Shirley C. Laffrey, Association of Community Health Nursing Educators
Idamarie Laquatra, Shape Up America!
Constance McCloy, Physical Therapy Program, Indiana University
Meredith Pope, National Association for Sport and Physical Education
Cindy Porteous, National Association of Governors' Councils on Physical Fitness and Sports
Jayne Snyder, American Physical Therapy Association
Robert A. Vahary, Center for Complementary Medicine and Pain Management
Breakout Session List