REMARKS BY:	Steven  Galson, Acting Surgeon General
PLACE:	New Orleans, LA
DATE:	Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Remarks at the Launch of "Be a Player" Campaign Materials

 

Remarks as prepared; not a transcript.

RADM Steven K. Galson, M.D., MPH
Acting Surgeon General
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Remarks at the Launch of "Be a Player" Campaign Materials

Tuesday, October 9, 2007
New Orleans, LA

"Get up and Play an Hour a Day"

Thank you, Mike, for that gracious introduction. (Mike Haynes, Vice President of Player and Employee Development, National Football League)

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

It is an honor to be here today. My boss, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, extends his greetings and best wishes.

I was privileged to assume the duties of Acting Surgeon General only last week.

As the Acting Surgeon General, I am now charged with promoting the health and wellness of all Americans.

And promoting health and wellness across America is at the center of all we do at the Department of Health and Human Services

Youth fitness zones, like this one in Lakeview Park, are something which benefits the local community. We're working together to make communities 'healthier'.

And putting 'Play 60' (the NFL's promotional campaign to motivate young people to get the recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise) into practice is similarly valuable.

Everyone - from professional athletes, to parents and teachers, to our youth to NFL fans to seniors – can and should "be a player" in improving public health.

Our message today is about play – playing with your kids is a great way to be active and spend time as a family.

The NFL is a valuable contributor to this effort.

Because sports fans nationwide enjoy football, their participation will substantially enhance our message and its reach.

NFL players are often role models for our children and are therefore the perfect spokespeople for this message.

Physical fitness is an important part of a professional athlete's everyday life.

And we are thrilled that these new ads will be airing in-game this season.

The Ad Council and the NFL share a common goal in addressing youth fitness, and we believe the new Public Service Announcements we will reveal today along with the "Play 60" initiative, will have a significant impact to motivate children.

And will also lead to healthier lifestyles.

The "Be a Player" ads are an extension of our ongoing Obesity Prevention Campaign with the Ad Council, which we launched in 2004.

In the ads we are revealing today, the players show children that you don't need to be an athlete to be physically fit.

Why are we doing this? Why is this so important?

Because physical activity is decreasing.

Obesity is rising.

Food portion sizes have increased, and society has become increasingly sedentary.

And chronic diseases have become a quiet catastrophe.

Perhaps worst of all, our children are growing up with unhealthy lifestyles, the consequences of which could be with them for the rest of their lives.

The trends among America's children are disturbing.

During the last 25 years, the proportion of overweight kids ages 6 through 11 more than doubled, while overweight in adolescents tripled.

Some 18 percent of all school age children are now overweight. As a result, these young people face an increased risk for adult heart disease, diabetes, and other lifelong illnesses.

We must teach our children now about the importance of eating a healthy diet and being physically active.

Physical activity rates among our youth are also disturbing: just 25 percent of high school students were moderately physically active for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

This is half the exercise that our kids should be getting. National Dietary Guidelines recommend children get 60 minutes of daily exercise. This is why it is critical that we urge children to "get up and play an hour a day"

Events like this one are part of our continual effort to educate: to teach children the importance of eating well and being physically active at a young age.

And to use a south Louisiana expression, don't forget to try a little lagniappe (pronounced lon-yap, a Cajun French expression that roughly means, 'for good measure' a little something more): take time to laugh because humor is good for us.

Together, we have an opportunity to dramatically improve the health, happiness, and well-being of ourselves, our children, and our country as a whole.

Let's seize that opportunity today.

Now, it is my pleasure to introduce these exciting new PSAs. They feature players from the New Orleans Saints, the Dallas Cowboys and the San Diego Chargers. (Mention the players who are at the event)

I am proud to be here today to unveil these wonderful new ads that will encourage children to get up and play.

The release of these videos reflects the NFL's awareness of the importance of increasing activity levels among youth and its commitment to doing its part to give youth the tools they need to get active and stay active.

Roll the tape please...

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Last revised: March 23, 2009