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NEWS RELEASE

Wednesday, April 9, 2003
For immediate release

Contact:
Christa Dickey
cdickey@acsm.org

LYNN SWANN CALLS ON AMERICANS TO BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE EVERY DAY
Opening Keynote at American College of Sports Medicine "Summit" Urges Public to Move For Health

RENO, NV - Lynn Swann, Chairman of the President's Council on The Physical Fitness and Sports, sent a message to health and fitness professionals today at seventh-annual American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition: Help Americans of all ages be physically active every day.

The NFL Hall of Famer, former Pittsburgh Steeler, and television sportscaster spoke about the importance of becoming and staying physically active for a lifetime. "I had no idea what I was capable of until I participated in physical activity. Not everyone is an athlete, but people will be surprised at what they can achieve through a commitment to a healthier lifestyle and a regular activity routine," Swann said.

Swann also noted the importance of health and fitness organizations and professionals working together to create a healthy, active America. Trends now indicate Americans are adopting sedentary lifestyles and poor eating habits, and statistics show seven in 10 adults are not regularly active and nearly one-third of U.S. adults are now classified as obese. Rates of youth obesity continue to rise, as do unhealthy behaviors that have led to an increased prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes. Overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes combined cost the nation $250 billion annually. Swann said now is the time to motivate the public to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

According to Swann, both President George W. Bush and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson have identified prevention as the key to reversing our nation's escalating obesity epidemic. Swann was named Council chair in June 2002, when the President asked the Council to focus on preventing obesity through his "HealthierUS" prevention initiative.

In his remarks, Swann offered a tool to build a regular activity routine to help prevent chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes and obesity. Through the Council's new motivational program, the Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards, American adults can join children and teens participating in the Council's longstanding youth physical fitness program, the President's Challenge. Though that award has been offered to school age children since 1966, the Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards offer the first opportunity for adults to participate in the program. This may be an important step in creating the synergy to inspire the public to move for health.

The Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards are tools to help Americans of all ages commit to being active for life. By engaging in regular physical activity for six weeks on five days a week, participants can earn an award patch. There are no fitness requirements or tests. Adults must complete at least 30 minutes a day of physical activity five days a week, and children, 60 minutes. The award is for any kind of movement, such as walking, sweeping the floor, taking the stairs instead of elevators, using a pedometer to accumulate steps or active play. Adults are encouraged to earn the award with their children and teens to encourage family fitness.

In the future, Swann said, Americans will be able to track their activities on a new President's Challenge Web site, now under development. The Web site will be free, interactive, and available to employee fitness programs, schools, health and wellness centers, gyms, hospitals, health care providers-any individual, business or organization that wants to promote the active lifestyle.

In the meantime, individuals can start earning an award using an activity log available through the Council. Participation is free though there is a nominal fee for the award itself, an embroidered Presidential patch and certificate. Activity logs for the Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards may be requested from the Council by telephone (202) 690-9000 or downloaded from www.presidentschallenge.org and www.fitness.gov, the official Web site of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

ACSM's Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition in cooperation with the American Council on Exercise is going on now at the Reno Hilton. For more information on the event, or to speak with staff in the on-site press office, please call (775) 785-5065.

The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 20,000 International, National and Regional members are dedicated to promoting and integrating scientific research, education and practical applications of sports medicine and exercise science to maintain and enhance physical performance, fitness, health and quality of life.

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The American College of Sports Medicine gratefully acknowledges the following Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition supporters: Life Fitness (Premier Sponsor), Gatorade and Gatorade Sports Science Institute, Reebok (Educational Partner), Amino Vital (Pre-Conference Official Sponsor), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, EAS (Experimental and Applied Sciences), Thera-Band, and Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins.