President's Council on Physical
Fitness and Sports Launches New Interactive Web Site
The President's Council on Physical
Fitness and Sports announced www.presidentschallenge.org,
a new interactive website to help all Americans build
a regular physical activity routine. Chairman Lynn Swann
launched the new online tool July 18, 2003, in Dallas,
Texas. Swann and other members of the Council demonstrated
the free, easy-to-use website to young Americans attending
summer programs at the Lakewest Family YMCA. Shortly
after the launch and demo, President George W. Bush
arrived by helicopter and toured the facility before
addressing the young people and invited guests.
The new website tracks progress towards
earning Presidential awards for active lifestyles and
physical fitness. Here's how it works: log on to www.presidentschallenge.org,
select an age category - Kids, Teens, Adults or Seniors--and
register free of charge as an individual or part of
a group. Choose from over 100 physical activities and
start tracking daily efforts in a personal lo
To begin an activity program, participants
of all ages can work toward a Presidential Active Lifestyle
award for regular activity five days a week for six
weeks, adults for at least 30 minutes of daily activity,
children for at least 60 minutes a day. Americans who
are already active can maintain and improve their activity
and fitness levels by earning a new award, the Presidential
Champions. Participants sign up individually or as a
group with friends, family and/or co-workers. Points
are earned by logging in each activity. Participants
can work toward a Bronze Award for 20,000 points, a
Silver Award for 45,000 points and a Gold award for
80,000 points.
Use of the website is free. The only
cost is for the array of optional awards available,
including certificates, patches, lapel pins, ribbons,
and medals. If a person stays on the site more than
a few minutes, a message appears to remind the user
log off and start moving.
The new online tool is the Council's
response to recent studies showing that seven out of
ten American adults are not regularly active, 25 percent
are never active, and children are not getting the physical
activity they need to be healthy.
Last summer (June 20, 2002), President
Bush appointed Swann, a sports broadcaster, former Pittsburgh
Steeler and NFL Hall of Fame member, to lead the 20-member
Council. "We are making this powerful new tool
available to all Americans," Swann said. "It
can help people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities
be healthy, active and fit for the rest of their lives.
The interactive Web site is for families, schools, businesses,
organizations and individuals who want to be active
or motivate others to become physically active for health
or attain the highest possible fitness level."
According to the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, physical inactivity contributes
to obesity, one of the most serious chronic health conditions
threatening the nation today. "I congratulate the
members of the President's Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports for their quick response to the President's
call for Americans to be physically active every day,"
said HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson.
Currently 64 percent of the adult
population - or 123 million people - are either overweight
or obese. The rate has doubled in children and tripled
in adolescents since 1980. About 15% of children and
teens are overweight. The problem of overweight/obesity
in America costs $117 billion annually and accounts
for at least 14 percent of deaths in the US, or some
300,000 premature deaths each year. President Bush and
Secretary Thompson initiated the HealthierUS and Steps
to a HealthierUS programs to urge Americans to make
simple changes in behavior to improve health and stress
preventive health care.