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
