The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) invites you to be part of a nationwide effort to get America moving!  We launched the National President’s Challenge on March 20th.  We encourage you to answer the President’s Call to Action to participate in six weeks of physical activity as a commitment to healthy living. You can sign up as an individual or get a few co-workers, friends, or family members to join with you.  Everything you need to promote or participate in the program can be found online @ www.presidentschallenge.org, including a partner toolkit, fact sheets, posters*, web buttons and motivational tips from our council members. You can also find a map to see how your state compares to others. This is a fun way to track your state’s participation. The top five governors with the highest participation rates will be acknowledged at the end of the National Challenge, so be sure to participate and help your state! There is a list of over 100 activities that count for this Challenge. We guarantee there is an activity for everybody. There are no more excuses to put off being active another day!

In addition to the National President’s Challenge, PCPFS is actively involved in the process of developing the inaugural Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The Department of Health and Human Services is taking the lead on this historic initiative as part of Secretary Leavitt’s Prevention priority. The process is being coordinated by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.  PCPFS is honored to be part of the HHS team working on this monumental undertaking. We hope these guidelines will help more Americans understand the importance and benefits of physical activity as part of an overall healthy lifestyle. All three federal advisory committee meetings have been completed, which were chaired by Dr. William Haskell. The Guidelines will be released this Fall. For more information, please visit www.health.gov/paguidelines  or send any inquiries to PA.guidelines@hhs.gov. 

Please enjoy this issue’s interview with Council member Dr. Catherine Baase who shares her insights on corporate health promotion, an area that PCPFS continues to highlight.  I also welcome you to read PCPFS Science Board member Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko’s co-authored article on Qi Gong and Tai Chi, two physical activities that are low-impact and ideal for older adults. Tai Chi is included on our President’s Challenge list and is an activity you can enjoy across your life span.

On a final note, Council member Tedd Mitchell, M.D. and I serve on the Exercise is Medicine (EIM) task force, an initiative spearheaded by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and American Medical Association (AMA).  The EIM vision is to make physical activity a standard part of a disease prevention and treatment medical paradigm in the U.S. and for physical activity to be considered by all healthcare providers as a vital sign in every patient visit. Please visit www.exerciseismedicine.org for resources and tools available to a variety of sectors, including physicians, health & fitness professionals, and the public. I commend ACSM President Bob Sallis, M.D. and AMA President Ron Davis, M.D. for their commitment to making this vision a reality. The President’s Council is honored to serve as a supporting organization.

I want to thank all the President’s Council members for their phenomenal energy and dedication to improving the health and well-being of all Americans. We have a great team! We encourage you to participate in the National President’s Challenge.  Our motto is -  A Healthier Nation: It’s Everyone’s Challenge! Join us!

Melissa Johnson, M.S.
Executive Director

*(Click poster below to view full-sized image.)