Council Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the October 19, 2004 PCPFS Council meeting.

MEETING SUMMARY

Table of Contents

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

1.1. Council members in attendance
1.2. Council members absent
1.3. Other attendees and presenters

2. Opening Comments

3. Welcoming Remarks from the White House

4. Regina Schofield

5. Executive Director’s Report

6. Council Member Updates

6.1. Paul Carrozza
6.2. Katherine Cosgrove
6.3. Denise Austin
6.4. Tedd Mitchell, MD
6.5. Dan Gable
6.6. Pamela Danberg
6.7. John Burke
6.8. Dorothy Richardson, MD
6.9. James N. Baird, Jr., MD
6.10. Lynn Swann

7. Communications Update

8. Programs Update

9. HealthierFeds Challenge

10. Trooper Challenge

11. President’s Challenge Update

12. Science Board Update

13. OPHS and Dietary Guidelines Review

14. Governor’s Challenges and States Discussion

14.1 Region I
14.2 Region II
14.3 Region III
14.4 Region IV
14.5 Region V
14.6 Region VI
14.7 Region VII
14.8 Region VIII
14.9 Region IX
14.10 Region X
14.11 Possible Governor’s Challenge States

15. U.S. Surgeon General

15.1. 50 Schools in 50 States
15.2. Shaping America’s Youth
15.3. Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health

16. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

17. I Can Do It, You Can Do It! Update

18. Science Board Proposal: National Youth Fitness Test

19. Mayor’s Challenges and Councils

20. Action Plan for Remainder of 2004

21. Adjournment

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

Lynn Swann

Mr. Swann welcomed and thanked the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) members for their participation and requested roll call. Ms. Wargo conducted the roll call.

1.1 Council members in attendance

• Lynn C. Swann, Chair
• Dr. Dorothy G. Richardson, Vice Chair
• Denise Austin
• Dr. James N. Baird, Jr.
• John P. Burke
• Paul R. Carrozza
• Katherine S. Cosgrove
• Pamela M. Danberg
• Danny M. Gable
• Dr. Tedd L. Mitchell

1.2 Council members absent

• Amanda C. Cromwell
• Dr. Jaime A. Davidson
• Nomar Garciaparra
• Marion L. Jones
• Ivette M. Lirio
• Nancy Lopez
• Charles M. Moore
• Derek D. Parra
• Emmitt Smith

1.3 Other attendees and presenters

• Dr. Cristina Beato, Acting Assistant Secretary for Health
• Dr. David Beaver, George Mason University
• Dr. Richard Carmona, US Surgeon General
• Dr. Don Franks
• Dr. Margaret Giannini, Director, Office of Disability
• Jim Grossman, Chair, Arizona Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness
• Melissa Johnson, PCPFS Executive Director
• Dr. Robert Karch, President’s Council Science Board
• Laura Keehner, Office of Presidential Personnel, White House
• Mary LoJacono, Fleishman Hillard
• Dr. Michael McGinnis, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Janice Meer
• Regina Schofield, Director, Intergovernmental Affairs Office and DHHS White House Liaison
• Chris Spain
• Jane Wargo
• Michael Willett, Director, President’s Challenge Program

2. Opening Comments

Lynn Swann

Mr. Swann asked for minutes to be approved. Dr. Mitchell motioned to approve the minutes. Ms. Cosgrove seconded the motion and all voted in favor of approving the minutes.

Mr. Swann commented that PCPFS has done a solid job over the last two and a half years and that he would like to focus on what to do in the next three months. Rather than creating new ideas, Mr. Swann would like to focus on existing ideas and programs, including the President’s Challenge and the Governor’s Challenge.

3. Welcoming Remarks from the White House

Laura Keehner

Ms. Keehner noted that President Bush has a strong belief in the power of service and volunteering, and he is grateful for the council’s time and commitment. Ms. Johnson thanked Ms. Keehner for her diligence and attention to the council.

4. Regina Schofield

Ms. Schofield acknowledged the contributions and leadership of Mr. Swann and Ms. Johnson. As the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, she was asked by Ms. Johnson to assist PCPFS in reaching out to the governors. She commented that PCPFS members were the President’s ambassadors and thanked them for their contributions.

Mr. Swann added that when PCPFS first met, it did not want to build a program that was just a façade. It wanted to build a solid foundation that would withstand a change in presidency. The President’s Challenge is a key, fundamental cornerstone for future PCPFS activities.

5. Executive Director's Report

Melissa Johnson

Ms. Johnson began by thanking PCPFS members and staff. She then discussed the agenda. Dr. Beato and Dr. Carmona will give updates on two new reports: Dietary Guidelines and the Surgeon General’s Report on Osteoporosis and Bone Health. Both reports recommend regular physical activity.

Secretary Thompson’s Step Grants were recently awarded. In the first year, 23 communities received grants. This year, additional communities and the YMCA were awarded grants. $44 million was appropriated for the grants this year, and the President is requesting $125 million for next year. These grants build on the HealthierUS initiative and are given to small communities to combat obesity, asthma, and diabetes.

In September, there was a HealthierUS Back to School event. Secretary Thompson went to Philadelphia, the Surgeon General went to Ohio, the Director of CDC went to Georgia, and Secretary Paige and Secretary Veneman went to different states.

The HealthierUS Fitness Festival was held on June 16 to promote the physical activity pillar of the initiative. There were 50 exhibiting organizations and about 1,000 attendees. Eight to ten dignitaries participated, including Secretary Thompson, the Surgeon General, Secretary Paige, and Mayor Anthony Williams. They hope to hold the festival annually in May, National Physical Fitness and Sports Month.

There will be a presentation today on the Governor’s Challenge. By the end of the day, they would like to identify four or five states to introduce the Challenge by the end of 2004.

There will also be a presentation by Fleishman Hillard, the public relations firm selected to promote the HealthierFeds Physical Activity Challenge. This is the first government-wide physical activity challenge, which was built on last year’s DHHS pilot program. To date there are 21,000 registrants from more than 25 different departments.

The Recreation MOU, a partnership of DHHS, the Department of Interior, USDA, and the Army Corp of Engineers, attempts to show the connection between physical activity and public lands. On June 5, “Get Fit With Us” was kicked off in Minnesota, and Ms. Johnson will present in Austin, Texas this Friday on the same topic.

The President’s Challenge Science Board has changed its name to the President’s Council Science Board. This board was formed to make recommendations to PCPFS. Dr. Blair received the Science Honor Award at the ACSM conference in June.

On the international front, Ms. Johnson and Secretary Thompson met with the King of Jordan in June, who is looking at PCPFS as a model for Jordan. They will begin with the youth population and the King is interested in distributing awards (e.g., gold medallions) for the program. USAID is also involved and the kickoff is scheduled for next September. Chile is interested as well.

The Childhood Obesity DVD, presented by Dr. John Whyte at the last meeting, is being distributed through pediatrician offices. It includes a piece on the President’s Challenge, which also has its own DVD.

Ms. Johnson then showed some of the Secretary’s Healthier Campaign Small Steps television advertisements. The ads showed love handles, a “butt,” a double chin, and a belly, all of which were lost during various activities, such as taking the stairs, playing with kids, eating fruits and vegetables, and walking on the beach. These ads are also available in Spanish and are accompanied by radio and print spots.

6. Council Member Updates

6.1 Paul Carrozza

Mr. Carrozza noted that Austin, Texas had a good year. Susan Combs, Agricultural Commissioner, is focused on improving the school lunch and physical activity programs. The Governor’s Conference on Childhood Obesity was recently held in Dallas, and Ms. Combs is writing a report based on that conference.

There is legislation in Texas to change physical activity from an enrichment activity to a foundation. The current legislation calls for 135 minutes of physical education per week, but there is no accountability because it is an enrichment project and lacks adequate funding. A possible solution is to have the Texas Health and Human Services take on more responsibility for physical fitness in schools.

The first Texas Roundup program was in April. The governor was the spokesperson and there were 7,000 participants in the 10K run, most of whom were state employees. In addition, there were 22,000 general participants in the program. Wendy’s was a major sponsor, which promoted the program in its restaurants.

6.2 Katherine Cosgrove

Ms. Cosgrove noted that she continues to go on her typical visits and that the Spanish prescriptions have been helpful in her engagements in the Kansas City area. She has contacted the Kansas HHS, which is involved in its own Governor’s Challenge, and will participate in some of their activities. She also has a column in a women’s magazine, where she promotes the President’s Challenge.

6.3 Denise Austin

Ms. Austin commented that she has been promoting the importance of exercise and physical fitness on talk shows and on her show, which is in its 20 th season. Her goal is to get everyone more physically fit. She has just completed an exercise video, Fit Kids, in Times Square, which will be available in January. The video targets children aged seven through 13 and features hip hop and athletic sports moves, using Janet Jackson’s and Hillary Duff’s choreographer. Her two daughters are in the video and helped select the music.

Mr. Swann added that Fit Kids is an example of how they need to be open-minded about understanding and motivating today’s youth.

6.4 Tedd Mitchell, MD

Dr. Mitchell noted that he has conducted 18 presentations in the Dallas area since May, in which he promotes the President’s Challenge and fitness in general. He also writes for a weekly column in USA Weekend and co-wrote a book, Fit to Lead, on the importance of fitness in the business community. In August, he met with the Governor of Arkansas, who solved all of his numerous health problems with lifestyle changes. He added that his boss, Dr. Kenneth Cooper, has been doing a lot of work with Pepsico and Frito Lay. As a result, they have totally reworked how they produce and market their snack foods. They now have three categories: fun foods, lower saturated fat and sodium foods, and healthy choice foods (juice-oriented and baked options). Finally, the President’s Council Science Board had a phone conference to revisit the entire President’s Challenge test.

6.5 Dan Gable

Mr. Gable commented that he was involved in a conference call with the Minnesota Governor’s Office. He noted that Minnesota and Iowa have concerns with funding the Challenge, while Iowa’s governor recently finished his first marathon and is interested in the President’s Challenge. He has done several speeches, incorporating fitness and PCPFS. He is also associated with the National Wrestling Coaches Association, which has a leadership and a making-weight program. Lastly, he is involved with a research project at the University of Iowa.

6.6 Pamela Danberg

Ms. Danberg noted that she ran the President’s Challenge at another summer camp, in which 25 participants were being tested one week and two weeks after the program. There was improvement in almost all phases in both tests. They have written a paper on this experience and the kids will be tested again in six months to see if they have changed their lifestyle.

The I Can Do It, You Can Do It! kickoff was held in May, with the Office of Disability. More than 50 associations have signed on from the beginning and 11 pilot programs have started. She wrote a proposal to her local park and recreation facility to participate in a pilot program to introduce physical fitness to kids with disabilities. The proposal was accepted and the first meeting was held in October.

6.7 John Burke

Mr. Burke commented that he would be working on next year’s Wisconsin program, in conjunction with the Governor’s Office. They hope to get more businesses involved. He participated in conference calls with the Minnesota Governor’s Office, along with five other states. Everyone was enthusiastic about the program, but no decisions were made.

He added that Trek modified the program for bikes and sent it to 2,000 Trek dealers across the country. The program has been successful.

6.8 Dorothy Richardson, MD

Dr. Richardson noted that she has been on a speaking tour. Her audiences have been the National Recreation and Parks Association and other organizations that promote fitness and sports. Many of these organizations expressed an interest in working with PCPFS. She has also talked to pharmaceutical corporations and other businesses. She has been unable to contact her regional director, but expects to do so soon. She is working on getting healthcare professionals to be more physically active through her sports health and education campus. She also participated in a satellite television program and spoke at the Olympics in Athens.

6.9 James N. Baird, Jr., MD

Dr. Baird noted that the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is focused on signing up one million Ohio residents for the President’s Challenge. They had a kiosk at the Ohio State Fair where people could sign up for the Challenge. He has spoken with five additional governors to enlist them in the Challenge and sent a personal e-mail to every state health officer. He was involved in a 15-minute show on an Ohio news network focused on obesity, physical exercise, and the President’s Challenge. He has also presented at Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation seminars and distributed brochures through the Ohio Department of Administrative Services newsletter. Lastly, he attended the School Health Nurses Conference to promote the President’s Challenge.

6.10 Lynn Swann

Mr. Swann commented that he spoke at the Mayo Clinic, which has a successful employee health program and fitness center which documents its activities and outcomes. He also presented at Union Pacific, a railroad company in Omaha, Nebraska. It has consolidated its St. Louis and Omaha offices into a new office complex and is implementing several programs to promote healthier employees. One of the programs aims to achieve a zero smoking level by July 2005. It has a complete fitness center, open 24 hours a day, seven day a week, for employees and their families. The commissary provides a wide range of foods, along with nutritional information (e.g., calories, carbohydrates, sodium) to accommodate individual diets. The snack foods have been moved from the point of purchase areas and been replaced with fruits and vegetables. As a result, the commissary has doubled its number of customers.

He also testified to the Senate Subcommittee on Childhood Obesity. The solutions to obesity revolve around self-control, personal responsibility, and common sense. Children need to learn how to make better decisions on their own. One senator suggested that kids between 8 and 11 were too young to make those types of decisions. Mr. Swann commented to that senator that his 8-year-old son makes these decisions at school lunch every day.

Ms. Johnson added that Mr. Swann was the keynote speaker at the Time/ABC Obesity Conference in Williamsburg, Virginia.

7. Communications Update

Janice Meer

Ms. Meer provided a global perspective on the speaking engagements. PCPFS has become the chief source for the national media for physical activity and childhood obesity experts. For example, Ms. Johnson has served as a physical activity expert for USA Today and the Washington Post, and participated in live web chats for both publications. Additionally, Mr. Swann conducted a live web chat at the President’s Challenge launch. There are still inquiries about his chat, and the web has become an important and dynamic place for the council’s message. Lastly, Ms. Johnson was recently interviewed by Parade Magazine.

Regarding presentations, Ms. Johnson and Mr. Swann are frequently asked to represent the Secretary and the Surgeon General at international meetings. For example, Mr. Swann went to South Africa on behalf of HHS and to Geneva with the Secretary, and Ms. Johnson is going to Chile to represent the Surgeon General. As a result, the prestige and professional respect of the council has grown.

This year, the presentation CD will contain a set of slides that are to be used to create customized presentations. The set includes slides for children, seniors, aquatic activities, etc.

Concerning publications, Mr. Carrozza’s mother has been distributing Kids in Action at daycare centers in California. Kids in Action targets children from birth to age five. This audience is ready for a physical activity message, but is not currently targeted by the Challenge. Ms. Meer has worked with Dr. Baird’s staff and the Virginia Department of Health to put together a Kids in Action packet for daycare centers in Virginia, which has also been adopted by the state of Washington. Kellogg’s, who produced the publication, provided 30 CDs that contain printer-ready materials. Additionally, she is working with the Science Board to update the publications with the latest information.

Finally, www.fitness.gov is ready and now complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

8. Programs Update

Chris Spain

Ms. Spain began by commenting that the public/private partnerships are growing exponentially. Every participating private company has asked to renew its agreements for additional years. Ms. Spain would like to focus on the public sector and how HealthierUS has enhanced different programs throughout the departments.

First is the National School Lunch Week, held October 10–16, in which USDA launched the HealthierUS Challenge Schools program across the United States. These schools will now focus on nutrition and physical activity. There are stringent criteria that the schools must meet. They have to be a team nutrition school, incorporate physical activity, and provide healthy lunches. This year, they are starting with elementary schools and will move to middle and senior schools next year.

The second initiative is the You Can program, which focuses on seniors. The program is a multi-organization partnership, including PCPFS, NIH, and the Administration on Aging to mobilize communities and increase physical fitness among seniors. There are 971 participating organizations, and more information is available on www.aoa.gov.

The third program is the White House Conference on Aging, scheduled for October 23–26, 2005. This will be a policy-making conference of delegates from all over the country. For the first time, they will have a website (www.whcoa.gov) to provide continuous updates on the progress towards the conference.

There is another aging initiative called Blueprint for Action for Seniors. This program involves policy and environmental issues to look at developing green trails and parks for seniors. There will be awards for organizations and communities that increase senior participation in physical activity.

The last program is through the Snowsports Industries of America. There will be six schools for the pilot program, which will incorporate the President’s Challenge with winter sports. Additionally, the second council clinic will be held on January 8 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to give the public an opportunity to try different winter gear and learn about nutrition.

Ms. Johnson added that there is a criteria list for the General Mills schools in the handouts. General Mills is offering to subsidize the President’s Challenge awards for low SES (social economic status) schools. General Mills has already sponsored over 20 thousand kids in Minnesota and now wishes to go national.

Ms. Spain asked the council members to first work with their regional directors before contacting General Mills.

9. HealthierFeds Challenge

Mary LoJacono

Ms. LoJacono is a Senior Vice President with Fleishman Hillard, which helped to implement the HealthierFeds Physical Activity Challenge. The Challenge is a government-wide program to promote physical activity and active lifestyles among federal employees. It is a Cabinet-level supported initiative, and agency heads have been asked to participate and send out e-mails encouraging participation to demonstrate the high level of support to employees. The Challenge was piloted within DHHS in 2003. Testing and focus groups were held to fine-tune the program before its official launch. The program is intended for all federal employees—those who have never been active before, as well as triathletes.

The HealthierFeds Challenge began on October 4 and the registration deadline was October 29. The end date for the program is December 10. In the HealthierFeds Challenge, participants self-register through the HealthierFeds.gov web portal. They choose from a number of activities, including aerobics, archery, gardening, and home repair. The goal is to be active for 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, for 6 weeks, and they track their activity online.

In developing the look and feel of the campaign, there were three focus groups with a total of 18 participants to explore current attitudes toward and barriers to becoming more active, and to test the design and theme concepts. Key findings from the focus groups included flexibility and support of management. Because of the diverse nature of the federal workforce, a program must have variety and flexibility, as well as appeal to employees at all fitness levels in a variety of settings. It also has to demonstrate management support, down to the supervisor level.

Secretary Thompson opened the morning with a challenge to all employees and shared stories from his personal experiences. He was joined by OPM Director Kay Coles James, who talked about the effects of being unhealthy and unfit. During her speech, she challenged Secretary Thompson to a battle between OPM and DHHS for the most participation. Then Ms. Johnson provided an overview of the program. She introduced Mr. Swann, who motivated the crowd and brought the challenge down to realistic goals.

They are using the President’s Challenge website to register and track activity, and participants are being asked to complete a survey. To date, there are 20,719 registered participants. The highest participation rates came from the Office of Personnel Management (13.69%), the Farm Credit Administration (13.59%), and the National Science Foundation (13.13%). The target goal was 40,000 participants from a base of one million employees.

Regarding next steps, they will continue promoting the Challenge via e-mails to points of contact (POCs), a weekly newsletters, and flyers. There will be a debriefing with the POCs in December.

There has been enthusiastic response to the problem, including:

Please don't stop this program after November 26. It is the best incentive I've ever had to keep fit. I keep trying to do more to keep above the 50th percentile for my age, program, group, state, etc....
-National Weather Service Employee

Just wanted to say this is a terrific idea. I hope it will be continued well past six weeks.
-USDA Employee

[This program] is so positive, supportive, and proactive. My coworkers and I are really enjoying the program.
-IRS Employee

After Dec. 10, they will tally the results, recognize the most active agency, and provide all participants with a certificate. The final week focuses on having participants continue their activity level and making it a part of their regular routine. When the Challenge ends, there will be another voluntary survey of participants to assess any change in activity level and get program feedback. Finally, there will be follow-up surveys six and twelve months after the Challenge to determine the extent to which employees have maintained any gains in their levels of physical activity.

Ms. Johnson added that the program was a partnership with OPM and thanked Jane Wargo and Wilma Peterman, co-project officers, for their contributions.

10. Trooper Challenge

Dr. David Beaver

Dr. Beaver is from George Mason University and the National Center for Public Safety Fitness, which has developed the FireFit and the LawFit programs for firefighters and police officers. At the national level, they have developed the Trooper Challenge. Held on October 1 and 2, 2004, the challenge tested state troopers from across the country. The competition included six fitness tests and a 200-yard pursuit of a suspect. The challenge is in its third year and may be extended to include police and troopers from the armed services. The website for the challenge is www.lawfit.gmu.edu.

11. President's Challenge Update

Michael Willett

Mr. Willett is the Director of the President’s Challenge program and an Associate Chair for the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University. He has been involved with the President’s Challenge for 17 years. For the 2003–04 academic year, the program distributed 2.5 million items (e.g., emblems, certificates, t-shirts, ribbons, medals), which was a 22% increase over the previous year. The program’s website went live in July ’03. There are 158,724 registered participants that are using the website (95,411 Active Lifestyle; 52,679 Presidential Champions; 10,634 Advanced Performance).

The school recognition programs include the State Champions, the Active Lifestyle Model School, and the Demonstration Centers. The State Champions program had 116 winners and distributed approximately 12,000 awards. The Active Lifestyle Model School is based on results from the Active Lifestyle program. In this program, at least 35% must earn the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) two or more times. The Demonstration Centers program has a representative or coordinator in every state and includes schools that clearly emphasize physical activity and fitness, which are listed on the website.

The President’s Challenge DVD was produced in May 2004 and was funded by the Amateur Athletic Union and the Challenge. Of the 85K copies produced, 50K will be included in the 2004–2005 mailing. The DVD is divided into four categories: school, community, office, and home. There has been positive feedback on the DVD from conference exhibiters and participants.

Mr. Willett noted that the website has had an impact with schools, averaging 250 students at each participating school. The work with corporations, other government agencies, and nonprofit organizations has created a completely new arena for the Challenge. Wisconsin is the number one state for usage and points earned, and has shown how the Challenge can be adapted to and marketed at the state level. However, there needs to be more done in the professional ranks and in higher education.

Mr. Willett added that the program has been consistently growing over the last seven years. Registration tends to slow down before and peak after a presidential election.

Dr. Richardson commented that they might want to consider the need for personalized programs. The Challenge might collaborate with an association, exercise specialist, or exercise physiologist to set up programs for Challenge graduates.

Mr. Willett responded that the website provides different levels of achievement. For example, Active Lifestyle graduates can move to the Champions program. For personalized programs, the Challenge website can link to partner sites that offer such programs.

Ms. Spain noted that, as the program continues to be adopted by more organizations, it could potentially lose its identity if the Presidential Certificate is not required.

Mr. Burke asked how the website was doing in schools.

Mr. Willett responded that the website was doing well and that the 7,000 registered schools are taking advantage of the Fitness File tool.

12. Science Board Update

Dr. Don Franks

The members of the Science Board (SB) are:

• Doris Corbett, Ph.D., Howard University
• Charles Corbin, Ph.D., Arizona State University
• Ed Howley, Ph.D., University of Tennessee
• Robert Karch, Ed.D., American University
• Amelia Lee, Ph.D., Louisiana State University
• Tedd Mitchell, M.D., PCPFS
• James Morrow, Ph.D., North Texas State
• Robert Pangrazi, Ph.D., Arizona State University
• Russell Pate, Ph.D., University of South Carolina
• Margaret Safrit, Ph.D., American University
• Deborah Young, Ph.D., University of Maryland

PCPFS advises on and promotes physical activity. The staff develops and implements the programs and projects. SB reviews the scientific basis for the council’s activities.

SB held it first meeting in December 2003 to develop its strategic plan. It determined that it could help the council with clinics, an honor award, partnerships, planning, presentations, the President’s Challenge, programs, publications, the Research Digest, and research gaps. The Research Digest has been highlighted in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health and the Journal of Teaching Elementary Physical Education. Regarding other publications, SB is combining the Fitness Fundamentals and Weight Control flyers into a single pamphlet, which will be published in January 2005. Additionally, SB’s Subcommittee on Presentations is currently reviewing the slide bank.

Regarding partnerships, an agreement with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is currently in discussion. The formal agreement will generate more visibility for both groups and give PCPFS a presence at ACSM conferences. There are also discussions with Fitnessgram, AAHPERD, and Human Kinetics. In terms of clinics and programs, SB members are available as needed. For the President’s Challenge, SB members reviewed the program and its original website. For the Honor Award, SB chose Steve Blair for 2004; the 2005 nominations are now being accepted.

Regarding planning, the SB chair is Dr. Chuck Corbin and the chair-elect is Dr. Jim Morrow. There will be quarterly conference calls and an annual meeting. Starting in 2006, two members will be rotated off SB and replaced by two new members.

13. OPHS and Dietary Guidelines Review

Dr. Cristina Beato

Dr. Beato thanked PCPFS members for raising the national attention of the President’s Challenge and the HealthierUS initiative. To get Americans to think about health in a comprehensive way is a complex process and requires a multiple-prong approach.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines will be released in January ‘05. For this year, the Dietary Guidelines Committee (DGC) started from scratch and looked at the guidelines in terms of biochemistry and the basic law of dynamics (energy in must equal energy out). Based on this framework of science and biochemistry, DGC looked at fats, carbohydrates, proteins, fluid, and salt.

The first assignment was to examine the thermodynamics of energy balance in the nation’s population that is two-thirds overweight. To do this, DGC established the first science subcommittee and submitted its report of nine recommendations on August 23. USDA and DHHS are now working on this report to create a policy document, which becomes the basis for food guidance systems, nutrition programs, and school lunch programs.

Recommendations 2 and 3 deal with energy, calories, and physical activity. The physical activity component addresses the “energy out” part of the equation. In the last 30 years, Americans have been gaining weight. Much of this has to do with calorie consumption, but the majority of it results from less physical activity, especially among kids. Approximately 15% of American children are overweight or obese; 6–7% of those have type 2 diabetes. The Dietary Guidelines will lead to some new FDA labeling, including better serving size labels. The Guidelines will also include, for the first time, an examination of ethnic and racial minorities, including the effects of sodium intake on African Americans.

Mr. Burke asked if there was an examination of putting calories and fat grams on restaurant menus.

Dr. Beato commented that the National Restaurant Association is working with its member restaurants to implement healthier menus. For example, McDonald’s will stop super-sizing next year, various restaurants now have healthy choice menus, and soft drinks are beginning to contain less sugars.

Ms. Austin asked if there was going to be a food pyramid.

Dr. Beato responded that a food pyramid is still being discussed. There are focus groups being held to see how to best translate the information for the public. They are also looking at how to incorporate technology as a tool for the Guidelines.

Mr. Swann added that many Americans do not know how many calories they consume or how many calories physical activity burns. It is important to provide Americans with specific information on the relationship between physical activity and calories.

14. Governor's Challenges and States Discussion

Mr. Swann noted that there are 10 regional directors, which act as PCPFS conduits for reaching governors throughout the country.

14.1 Region I

Brian Cresta, Regional Director

Mr. Cresta noted that Vermont and New Hampshire are possibly ready for a Governor’s Challenge. Governor Douglas of Vermont has been working with youth on physical activity and fitness, and had a large kickoff last year in conjunction with the Surgeon General. Governor Benson of New Hampshire has been working with youth and seniors, including a recent Walk for Obesity program.

14.2 Region II

Deborah Konopko, Regional Director

Ms. Konopko commented that the New York Governor Pataki’s office has received the cost-benefit information and are receptive towards a Governor’s Challenge. Dr. Johnny Rullán, Secretary of Health for Puerto Rico, is also interested in the Challenge, as is the Virgin Islands. New Jersey is on hold at this moment, and New York is currently vetting the Challenge.

14.3 Region III

Bob Zimmerman, Regional Director

Mr. Zimmerman noted that Maryland and Pennsylvania are in the process of restructuring their councils or replacing and filling council positions. Pennsylvania is not ready, but interested, and Maryland is getting ready. Delaware Lt. Governor Carney does a lot of work on fitness, especially with seniors. However, none of the states has committed to a specific event or rollout, but many are working on various programs. For example, Pennsylvania is working on a safe school walking routes program, and Virginia has a major fitness event.

14.4 Region IV

Constantinos Miskis, Regional Director

Mr. Miskis commented that Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama are receptive to the Challenge. The states in this region that are part of the Stroke Belt are also trying to link the Challenge to their stroke efforts.

14.5 Region V

Suzanne Krohn, Regional Director

Ms. Johnson noted that there was a conference call in July with representatives from the Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan Governor’s Offices. In August, the Ohio Governor’s Challenge was approved. There was also a call with Minnesota, which is interested in the Challenge.

Ms. Krohn noted that they have contacted all six regional states about replicating the website. They have been working on the cost information and providing templates for the websites. They also discussed the awards logistic and website maintenance issues. They are also working on reinvigorating the councils in Illinois and Indiana.

Ms. Johnson added that Minnesota was intrigued by the many implementation options of the Challenge. This included the low-cost option of linking the Governor’s Challenge website to the President’s Challenge website.

14.6 Region VI

Linda Penn, Regional Director

Dr. Mitchell noted that Arkansas has started a state program called the Healthy Arkansas Initiative. He added that New Mexico, Louisiana, and Oklahoma are still in the works.

Ms. Penn noted that there have been some scheduling difficulties, but that they are still working with Governor Perry’s Office. She added that New Mexico and Oklahoma are experiencing some reorganizing within the state government, which has prevented further communication.

14.7 Region VII

Fred Schuster, Regional Director

Mr. Schuster commented that they have contacted three ( Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska) of the four governors, each of whom has an interest in the Challenge.

14.8 Region VIII

Joe Nunez, Regional Director

Mr. Nunez noted that he has exchanged emails and phone calls with the six Governor’s Offices. Five of the offices are ready to participate in a conference call. The sixth, South Dakota, has not been confirmed because it does not have a state council. He has asked for the name of a representative for the conference call.

Ms. Johnson added that a state council is not necessary to implement the Challenge.

14.9 Region IX

Calise Munoz, Regional Director

Ms. Munoz commented that Hawaii was most likely to adopt the Challenge. However, California has not adopted the Challenge yet, but will launch its new council in January 2005. She sent her regional health administrator staff to the Pacific Island Health Officers Association (PIHOA) meeting, where he spoke about the Challenge. PIHOA was excited by the Challenge. She added that Nevada might need more encouragement than the other states.

Ms. Johnson added that Arizona would be starting a state prevention plan, which may have a link to the Challenge.

14.10 Region X

Beverly Clarno, Regional Director

Ms. Clarno noted that Idaho might link its IPAN program to the Challenge. They are still working on Alaska and Oregon, which has a new Office of Health Policy.

Next steps for each region:

Regions I & II: Ms. Johnson and Mr. Moore will have a phone call to discuss tactics for follow-up with VT, NH, and NY

Region III: Ms. Austin will continue to help further VA’s efforts. Mr. Swann will talk to Dwight White in the next 2 weeks. PA will be more likely to move forward on any work after the election.

Region IV: Dr. Richardson is meeting with Mr. Miskis on Friday.

Region V: Mr. Burke will follow-up with Ms. Krohn. Collectively, Dr. Baird and Mr. Burke will focus on efforts in Minnesota and in Region VIII (IL and IN)

Region VI: Dr. Mitchell will contact Governor Huckabee’s office and help further efforts in Region IX (OK).

Region VII: Mr. Gable will talk to Mr. Schuster about furthering progress in IA.

14.11 Possible Governor's Challenge States

Mr. Johnson moved the discussion to those states that might adopt the Governor’s Challenge in the upcoming months. These states include: Vermont; New Hampshire; New York; Virginia; Maryland; Florida; Georgia; Ohio; Wisconsin; Minnesota; Illinois; Indiana; Oklahoma; New Mexico; Kansas; Iowa; Missouri; Nebraska; Colorado; Hawaii; and Idaho.

Mr. Swann added that PCPFS should focus on those states that are ready to adopt the Challenge. One way to do this is to share information about the states that have already initiated the program. This includes information on the low cost of the program, potential corporate and local company sponsors, and the relationship between the state program and the federal program. The key is to make implementing the Challenge as easy as possible for the states.

Dr. Baird added that it is helpful to enlist the help of state health officers, which are generally cabinet-level positions and are looking at obesity issues.

15. U.S. Surgeon General

Dr. Richard Carmona

Dr. Carmona thanked PCPFS members for their work and commitment.

15.1. 50 Schools in 50 States

Dr. Carmona noted that in the 50 Schools in 50 States program, he visits one school in each state. Generally, the schools are in underserved communities with significant problems with struggling students. (He commented that he was one of these struggling kids.) During the visits, they discuss health, fitness, healthy lifestyles, and the President’s Challenge. Last year he visited a predominantly Latino Boys and Girls Club in California with Ms. Johnson and Nomar Garciaparra. He has been to 20 states and tries to fit the schools into his travel schedule. He welcomes Mr. Swann and the other PCPFS members to participate in this program.

15.2. Shaping America ’s Youth

Shaping America’s Youth program is a partnership with many organizations, including Johnson and Johnson, Nike, Campbell’s Soup, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is a program looking at how to keep youth active and physically fit. The program uses the President’s Challenge website and works to recruit more youth into the Challenge. The first Shaping America’s Youth town hall meeting will be in Memphis in March.

15.3. Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health

The first Surgeon General’s report on osteoporosis and bone health was recently released. This report dissuades the assumption that osteoporosis is a disease of postmenopausal women. Though this was accepted in the past, science has proven that everyone can stay active for a lifetime and avoid osteoporosis. For example, there were 95-year-old sprinters at a recent Senior Olympics.

16. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Michael McGinnis, MD

Dr. McGinnis noted that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based in Princeton, New Jersey, is the fourth largest foundation and the largest health foundation in the country. It has a budget of $8 to $9 billion and gives $400 to $500 million a year. Half of the foundation focuses on healthcare; the other half focuses on health. Founded in 1972, the foundation initially focused on healthcare activities, such as medical care for underserved populations. Subsequently, the foundation trustees decided five years ago to move beyond these clinics and voted to devote half of the foundation’s resources to the broader health arena, such as the physical environment, social circumstances, behavior, and genetics. Dr. McGinnis was brought to the foundation to lead this new initiative.

The health activities include work in human capital development, including a clinical scholars program that trains doctors in health policy. There are also programs for nurses, community leaders, and others from a variety of disciplines. The foundation also includes programs targeted at vulnerable populations for both health and healthcare activities. Approximately two-thirds of the distributed funds go to targeted initiatives. In health, these initiatives include tobacco, alcohol and drugs, public health, and childhood obesity.

Five years ago, the foundation started an initiative focused on physical activity. At that time, there were not many non-government or government resources to stimulate physical activity. The initiative focused on changing the environment to address the systematic engineering of physical activity out of the environment—the way communities are structured, the way roads are built, and the ways buildings are designed. This engineering has effectively forced people into elevators and cars and away from parks.

The foundation has invested over $60 million to reengineer activity back into the environment. The initiative includes the Active Living by Design program, which is a series of grants to communities for innovative redesign projects (e.g., changing building codes and building walking trails). There is an Active Living Research program, which provides small grants ($10K to $200K) for innovative research efforts in assessing the effectiveness of and establishing targeted metrics for the redesign of communities and other physical activity programs.

There is a similar program called the Substance Abuse Policy Research program. This program provides relatively small grants to researchers to develop innovative approaches to reducing substance abuse. Through this program, they discovered that the demand for tobacco among youths was elastic with respect to price (i.e., as prices go up, youth consumption goes down). This led to the current wave of tobacco taxes across the country.

There is also an Active Living Network, which is a group of individuals from around the country who represent organizations that are not traditionally interested in health (e.g., architects and community planners). In addition, there is the Active Living Resource Center that provides information about these programs.

The foundation is now turning its attention to childhood obesity, which is the highest priority of the foundation’s president and CEO. The total investment in childhood obesity is approximately $100 million. The same amount will be invested for the next six years, with plans to grow beyond that amount. The childhood obesity team members will be providing more information on this program in a future PCPFS meeting.

Dr. McGinnis added that Robert Wood Johnson was the son of the founder of Johnson and Johnson Healthcare Products. He died in 1968 and left $1 billion in Johnson and Johnson stock to create this foundation. The foundation has no formal connection with the company, although 30 to 40 percent of the board members are former Johnson and Johnson executives, and the chairman of the board is the former president of Johnson and Johnson.

17. I Can Do It, You Can Do It! Update

Margaret Giannini, MD

Dr. Giannini noted that I Can Do It, You Can Do It! is a national mentor-mentee program for persons with disabilities. The awards system is through PCPFS, which is representative of the collaboration within the program between the government and private sectors. There are 80 organizations that want to join this program, however the initial launch will involve just ten organizations. This partnership provides most of the volunteers, which allows the program to exist without a large amount of money. As it grows and begins to include more organizations, there will need to be a central body to oversee the program.

All of the program forms have been standardized and provide specific guidelines, such as medical clearance, criminal clearances, and program logistics and instructions. However, volunteers are free to customize the guidelines to fit their individual needs.

The program rollout with Secretary Thompson was on May 26. The rollout included demonstrations of children with disabilities using adaptive equipment to perform a variety of activities, such as climbing a wall, playing golf, and bowling. The goal of the program is to change the behavior of these individuals and make physical activity a routine part of their lives.

18. Science Board Proposal: National Youth Fitness Test

Don Franks, Ph.D.

Dr. Franks suggested that one national youth fitness test be created. Currently, the President’s Challenge has two tests that are conducted in 30,000 schools, and Fitnessgram has its own test and standards, which are used in approximately 18,000 schools. Additionally, many states have their own tests.

Pros and cons of normative data and criterion based data were discussed.

After a lengthy discussion, Mr. Swann concluded that PCPFS recommends that the staff move forward and investigate the process and possibilities of creating a single fitness test.

Additional: Mr. Swann added that several government departments and branches of the military have a medallion program to recognize people for service. A similar medallion has been created for PCPFS. The medallions will be numbered and distributed to each member of the council, who will give them to various governors and others who have supported the council. The first medallion will go to the President of the United States. Coins will also be given to the Vice President, First Lady, Secretary Thompson, the U.S. Surgeon General, and other HHS officials.

19. Mayor's Challenges and Councils

Paul Carrozza

Mr. Carrozza commented that there are several possible problems with creating a program at the state level, including the limited availability of the governor and the high degree of partisanship at that level. As a result, they have started two mayor’s councils, one in Austin and the other in Round Rock.

The Austin council has had its first meeting and will officially launch on November 5. The meeting attendees included the physical education coordinator for the Austin school district, a faith-based leader, a hospital leader, three doctors, the media, a neighborhood association, a health club leader, corporate leaders, organized sports, and representatives from Healthier Austin.

On November 5, they will launch the A Mile a Day program in Austin, where every Austinite is asked to move a mile a day. There are a million people in the Austin area, and the goal is to move a million miles on the first day. The website (www.austininmotion.org) is up, which allows participants to track their miles.

A major focus of the council is the science of change model, which involves doctors and an assessment. At the launch, council members will be responsible for bringing 100 people to five locations in Austin for the 20-minute Walk with Your Mayor event. The local media is helping to promote this event. This will also include an evening walk where participants will be carrying flashlights and candles for an aerial photograph. Once the participants are registered, they will begin working on the science of change. They will assess their current fitness level to determine next steps as part of a two-year plan.

Ms. Johnson added that participants in the Mayor’s Challenge could automatically be a part of the Governor’s Challenge and eventually the President’s Challenge.

Mr. Carrozza noted that localized efforts are more effective, though they have limited resources to build the tools. However, localized efforts would be better at generating interest and collecting data.

Mr. Burke asked if the President’s Challenge, the Governor’s Challenge, and the Mayor’s Challenge were all the same product.

Mr. Carrozza responded that he is not sure, but that the Mayor’s Challenge would benefit from the state and national tools, while the state and national programs would benefit from the localized efforts of the Mayor’s Challenge.

Mr. Burke noted that the Governor’s Challenge uses the President’s Challenge, but with a different homepage. The data from each challenge is stored in the same database. This process could also be extended to the city level.

Mr. Carrozza added the current city programs are different from the Governor’s Challenge. Each city will want a unique program and the challenge is to figure out a way to connect the three levels. At this point, A Mile a Day participants are not registering for the President’s Challenge.

Ms. Johnson noted that the President’s Challenge website can accommodate group registration and participation. For example, the city of Austin could participate as a group.

Mr. Swann commented that there are ways to measure the mile walk that could be used on the President’ Challenge website. The idea of working at the local level is good, but it would need to feed into a single website. If there is a different website, that website would compete with the state and national program.

Mr. Carrozza responded that he would also like a single system. However, mayors can generate more interest than a governor can. He added that he needs PCPFS’s approval to distribute the President’s Challenge through the city programs.

Ms. Spain added that the cost of creating a portal page to the President’s Challenge is $1500.

Mr. Swann noted that the Mayor’s Challenge would have to create this portal to participate in the President’s Challenge. By doing this, Austin would be treated like a participating group in the President’s Challenge. The portal page, as well as individual events, is where the uniqueness of the mayor can be displayed. However, the program itself would be the same and the transition from city, state, and national would be seamless. For example, the results of someone participating in a city challenge would automatically roll up to the state challenge. However, a national participant would not have his results roll down to the city level.

Mr. Burke added that the participant’s registration level would determine who provides the certificate (i.e., an Austin participant would receive a certificate from the mayor of Austin).

20. Action Plan for Remainder of 2004

Melissa Johnson

Ms. Johnson noted that the primary objective for the remainder of 2004 is to focus on promoting the President’s Challenge program to states and Governors.

21. Adjournment

Mr. Swann adjourned the meeting and thanked everyone for attending.

Back to top