President's Council Overview

Overview

The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports advises the President through the Secretary of Health and Human Services about physical activity, fitness, and sports, and recommends programs to promote regular physical activity for the health of all Americans. In making recommendations, the Council supports the health initiative of the President, HealthierUS, the prevention initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services--Steps to a HealthierUS, and the physical activity and fitness objectives of Healthy People 2010, the government's ten year health objectives. The Council's programs, projects and public information materials/campaigns emphasize the importance of regular physical activity, including sports participation, for Americans of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. The Council collaborates with public and private sector sponsors to conduct programs and produce public information materials.

History

The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports was established as the President's Council on Youth Fitness, on July 16, 1956, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower after the President learned the results of a report indicating that American children were less fit than European youth. The first Council, chaired by Vice President Richard Nixon, included the Cabinet Secretaries as members. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy changed the name to the President's Council on Physical Fitness, expanded the mandate to all Americans as well as youth, and clarified the purpose and function of the Council. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson broadened the Council's mission to include sports and changed the name to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13265 on June 6, 2002, announcing a reinvigorated Council, and introduced his Council, under the leadership of Lynn Swann, Chairman, and Dorothy ("Dot") Richardson, Vice Chair. Through its programs, partnerships, publications, and Web sites, the Council promotes daily moderate physical activity for disease prevention and health; vigorous physical activity, stretching, and strength training for fitness and added health benefits; and sports participation, including the values of sportsmanship. The Council collaborates with federal, state, and local agencies and with the private sector and non-profit organizations to achieve mutual goals and objectives.

Authority

The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is an advisory committee governed by the provisions of Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C., Appendix 2), which sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory committees. The authority for the Council is Executive Order 12345, dated February 2, 1982, as amended by Executive Order 12694 and continued by Executive Order 13138, dated September 30, 1999, and Executive Order 13265 dated June 6, 2002. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports has no grant-making or regulatory authority.

Structure

The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports consists of twenty volunteer members, who are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the President. The President may appoint a chair, co-chairs and/or a vice chair from the twenty-member body. Each member serves a two-year term and may continue to serve after expiration of the established term until a successor is appointed. A program office to support activities of the Council is located within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Public Health and Science, in Washington, DC. Management of the program and staff operations is provided by the Executive Director. The current executive director is Melissa Johnson, M.S.

Meetings

A minimum of one meeting is held each year at the call of the Council chair and/or co-chair, with advance approval of a government official, who approves the agenda. Council meetings are advertised in the Federal Register and are open to the public.

Compensation

Members receive no compensation from the U.S. government for serving on the Council; they are reimbursed for expenses incurred while on official travel for the Council, in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations.

Programs

The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports conducts programs and public information campaigns, and collaborates with public and private sector concerns to emphasize the importance of regular physical activity and fitness, including sports participation, for Americans of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.

The President's Challenge. The President's Challenge is a presidential awards program to motivate all Americans to start and maintain a regular physical activity program for health and overall well being. The Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) recognizes both youth and adults for 6 weeks of physical activity on at least 5 days a week: adults are eligible for the PALA if they are active at least 30 minutes a day or if they walk 10,000 steps a day measured by a pedometer; youth ages 6 to 17 are eligible for the PALA if they are active 60 minutes a day or walk 11,000 (girls) to 13,000 (boys) steps a day. A log for the PALA may be downloaded from the program Web site www.presidentschallenge.org. An interactive Web site for the President's Challenge allows participants to work towards the PALA and to become Presidential Champions by accumulating points for participating in a wide range of physical activities.

Since 1966, the President's Challenge has offered a fitness recognition program for school-aged children, administered by teachers and others who work with youth (e.g. scouts, boys and girls clubs, YMCA/YWCA). Currently, over 6 million youth receive Presidential recognition for their accomplishments in the program's three areas: active lifestyle, physical fitness, and health fitness.
- State Champion Award is an annual award program for schools, conducted nationwide in conjunction with state departments of education. Three schools from each state receive the award based on the number of winners of the Presidential Physical Fitness Award, and the school's enrollment. Governors, senators, and representatives of each state receive an announcement of the winners in their states.
- National School Demonstration Program, conducted in coordination with state departments of education and/or a designated state coordinator, recognizes elementary, middle, and secondary schools with the highest quality physical education programs within the state. The schools selected make their programs available to visitors interested in using them as models in developing their own physical education programs.
HealthierUS and Steps to a HealthierUS are prevention initiatives to help Americans live longer, better, and healthier lives. The President announced HealthierUS on June 20, 2002. The four pillars of the initiative are: 1) Be physically active every day; 2) Eat a nutritious Diet; 3) Get Preventive Screenings; 4) Make Healthy Choices/Avoid risky behavior. Steps to a HealthierUS, launched April 15, 2003, is a bold new initiative from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to advance the President's HealthierUS initiative and to reduce the burden of disease (diabetes, obesity, asthma) and address lifestyle choices (poor nutrition and physical inactivity, tobacco use, youth risk taking).
Healthy People 2010 is the national health promotion and disease prevention initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which published national health goals and objectives for the years 2001-2010 and tracks progress in meeting specific objectives. Physical activity and fitness is one of 28 focus areas identified for improving the health and fitness of Americans. Increased participation in physical activity by Americans of all backgrounds and abilities is a major objective.
www.fitness.gov is the Council's gateway Web site to access the programs and publications of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. From the Web site, the public can also access physical activity and health information from the agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services and other federal departments, resources from non-profit health and fitness organizations, information on Popular Topics, and current news about physical activity, fitness, and health.
www.presidentschallenge.org is the interactive physical activity Web site of the President's Challenge awards program. Logs for the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) may be downloaded or obtained in paper form by calling 1-800-258-8146.
"May Month"- National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, established by the Council in 1983, is a campaign to promote nationwide physical activity/fitness and sports participation. The President's Council provides materials on its Web site during May month to assist organizations and communities wishing to increase physical activity/ fitness and health among their constituencies.
PCPFS Research Digest, a quarterly publication, synthesizes scientific knowledge about topics related to physical activity/fitness and exercise science. Presented in layman's terms, this publication is disseminated widely to fitness professionals as well as interested citizens on the Council Web sites.

Partnerships to Promote Physical Activity and Health

The President's Council has a long and productive history of public/private partnerships to encourage physical activity through use of the President's Challenge awards program and to generate public information materials, such as brochures, booklets and public service announcements.

General Mills Foundation annually awards 50 grants at $10,000 each to national, state and local entities who have programs focusing on healthy eating and physical activity participation through the President's Challenge Program. Deadlines for submission are the end of February.
General Mill's Wheaties has a multi-year collaboration with the President's Challenge State Champion Schools. Each year all of the State Champion schools receive a fitness-related premium package consisting of basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, jump ropes and pencils. In addition, State Champion schools can compete to be recognized as a "National Champion" based upon artwork submitted by the schools' students featuring designs to emphasize ways to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. Three winning designs from each of the three categories of State Champion schools are then the feature banners for the following year and each of the 3 national champion schools receive a $5,000 grant for their physical education department.
The PCPFS, along with NASPE, is collaborating with the "Coke Step With It Program" encouraging students to use their stepometers for at least 6 weeks and earn the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award subsidized by Coca Cola bottlers.
Bally Corporation is celebrating National Physical Fitness and Sports Month ("May Month") by opening Bally's for six consecutive Saturdays to families to experience dancing, exercising, and the fun of movement through a campaign entitled "Fitness Runs in Families." Those who attend all six weeks will receive a PALA award, complements of Bally's.
All 2000 Trek dealers across the US will sponsor the Presidential Bicycling Challenge where young people can do the PALA, with special emphasis on biking and once they've completed 6 weeks of activity, Trek dealers will sponsor the awards.
The "Got Milk?" Campaign is holding 3x3 Soccer Shootouts in 50 cities throughout the country from April to August. In addition, young people will have an opportunity to nominate a super soccer mom and participate in a mini 3 item fitness assessment. A take home passport book encourages ongoing commitment to healthy eating and active lifestyle.
WalkingWorks is a partnership of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and the Council to produce and distribute a walking guide and encourage health through walking and use of pedometers.
Kids in Action is a partnership of Kelloggs, the National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), and the Council to produce and distribute a guide to parents to help young children (birth to age 5) be physically active.
Exercise, A Guide from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), a partnership of NIA and the Council to distribute information on physical activity for older Americans.
The American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), the Cooper Institute ("Fitnessgram/Activitygram") and the President's Challenge, a partnership to incorporate the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) into the organizations' programs and educational resources.

Public and Private Sector concerns wishing to explore partnerships with the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports should contact:

Melissa Johnson
Executive Director
President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
Room 738 H, Humphrey Building
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20201
(202) 690-5187; FAX (202) 690-5211
E-mail: Melissa.Johnson@hhs.gov

To explore partnerships using the President's Challenge awards program and/or design and implement physical activity/fitness and sports initiatives for all Americans in diverse venues, contact:

Christine Spain
Director, Research, Planning, and Special Projects
President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
Room 738 H, Humphrey Building
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20201
(202) 690-5148; FAX (202) 690-5211
E-mail: Christine.Spain@hhs.gov

For media inquiries or to explore partnerships to publish public information materials or to conduct a communications/media campaign, contact:

Joey King
Public Affairs Specialist
President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
Room 738 H, Humphrey Building
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20201
(202) 690-5181; FAX (202) 690-5211
E-mail: Russell.King@hhs.gov