HHS
Secretary Leavitt Kicks Off National Physical Fitness and Sports Month With
HealthierUS Fitness Festival on National Mall WASHINGTON,
May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt, with U.S. Surgeon General
Richard H. Carmona and Lynn Swann, Chairman of the President's Council on
Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS), celebrate May as National Physical Fitness
and Sports Month by hosting the HealthierUS Fitness Festival on Monday on the
National Mall. The Fitness Festival is a free public event that encourages
healthful physical activity. "Americans
must continue to take steps towards better health by building physical activity
into their day," Secretary Leavitt said. "Thirty minutes of moderate
activity on most days of the week can improve people's quality of life and
reduce the chance of chronic illness." The
HealthierUS Fitness Festival is a daylong event aimed at promoting physical
activity through sports and games in a fun and encouraging environment. Special
guests at this year's festival are basketball's Harlem Globetrotters. The
festival also features sports and fitness experts from over 80 organizations,
with exhibits and demonstrations of fitness dancing, football, soccer, bicycling
and other activities. "Unfortunately,
physical activity often competes with television and video games for time in the
lives of Americans. So it's important that we find creative and constructive
ways for exercise to become a part of our daily lives," said U.S. Surgeon
General Richard H. Carmona. "Too many children and adults are suffering
from the diseases that are caused by overweight and obesity. Our growing
national tendency towards physical complacency is already affecting our
individual quality of life." President
George W. Bush's HealthierUS initiative is designed to help Americans live
longer, healthier lives. The President's HealthierUS initiative gives Americans
guidance on how to improve personal health and fitness. It encourages Americans
to be physically active every day; eat a nutritious diet; get preventive
screenings and make healthy choices that avoid risky behaviors such as smoking. Founded
by the PCPFS and originally proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983,
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month provides an impetus to communities,
organizations, groups and individuals nationwide to join to promote the benefits
of active living. The PCPFS promotes and supports the observance by providing
guidance and ideas for planning events such as fitness festivals; fun runs;
fitness walks; health fairs; and physical fitness and sports awards ceremonies. "The
HealthierUS Fitness Festival showcases the many ways Americans of all ages can
enjoy an active lifestyle while improving their health -- from competitive
sports to bicycling, walking, yoga, and Tai Chi," said PCPFS Chairman Lynn
Swann. A
Noon ceremony features Secretary Leavitt; Surgeon General Carmona; PCPFS
Chairman Lynn Swann; PCPFS members Denise Austin, Paul Carrozza, Amanda
Cromwell, Pam Danberg and Danny Gable; and gymnast Kerri Strug, as well as a
special demonstration by the Globetrotters. President
George W. Bush has issued a proclamation designating May 2005 as National
Physical Fitness and Sports Month. For
information about the festival and the President's Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports, visit http://www.fitness.gov Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services |