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News Release

A NATIONAL NEW YEAR'S MESSAGE FROM THE DEPARTMENTS OF
AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DECEMBER 2002

On behalf of all of the families of our dedicated employees at the Departments of Agriculture, Education, and Health and Human Services, we want to take this opportunity to wish you and all Americans a happy and healthy New Year. We especially want to invite you, along with our Nation's children, youths, families, educators, health practitioners, and faith-based leaders to make healthy new years resolutions along with us.

The beginning of a new year is a traditional time when we make promises anew to ourselves, our families, and especially our children. Preparing to return to school and work from a busy winter break, we often pledge to do something a bit healthier - spend more time with our children and families, read more for ourselves and to our children, finish homework on time, eat more sensibly, exercise more, get more rest, procrastinate less, be in touch with family and friends more often. As we reflect upon 2002, many of us think about what went right over the year especially for our children and in what areas we want to improve. In looking forward to 2003, New Year's Day will be a time to enjoy festivities, football, food, and family fun. It is also a time when we want challenge ourselves to keep our new years resolutions that will help make our lives, and our children's futures brighter to learn, to grow, and to develop their full potential.

In June, President Bush unveiled his HealthierUS Initiative (www.healthierus.gov), a common-sense approach to healthy living designed to raise awareness about the steps individuals can take to improve their overall health and wellness, including healthy eating. The Initiative has identified four keys to a healthier America:

• Be physically active each day;
• Eat a nutritious, balanced diet;
• Get preventive health screenings; and
• Practice healthy behaviors and decision-making.

A good deal of the work we perform at our three departments focuses on achieving the President's goals. We do research to learn more about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, educate families and children on what we have identified as healthy behaviors and help meet the nutritional needs of our citizens -- particularly our young people who will be tomorrow's leaders. We are a nation of abundance and opportunity, and have advantages no other nation or generation has enjoyed. A healthy lifestyle can improve our readiness to learn, our energy to perform day-to-day tasks and promote well-being and prevent disease and disability. All of us can take simple, effective steps to improve our health:

• Take the steps instead of the elevator;
• Bring a piece of fruit along for a snack, instead of stopping for something loaded with calories and little nutritional value;
• Get out and play with your children;
• Read to your children and enjoy a healthy snack;
• Eat only half of your dinner and save the rest for tomorrow's lunch;
• Check with your doctor for health promotion and prevention screening and guidance; and
• Remember to always buckle in, buckle on, and buckle up.

As we look to the new year, we want to encourage our children and young people, in fact all Americans to join us in promoting a healthier lifestyle. We encourage opportunities to engage in healthful eating, exercise and playing together with our children. Let us enjoy the fruits of our harvest albeit in moderation.

We wish you a happy and healthy 2003.

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news.

Last Revised: December 23, 2002