Active physicians make a difference!

When I joined the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports as Executive Director last fall, I made a commitment to "walk the talk"--to encourage Americans to get moving and to lead by example. I want to thank and commend you, the running docs of the American Medical Athletic Association, for helping me begin to realize my vision: a healthy America, one whose citizens are regularly active and fit.

My background includes both policy analysis and competitive sport (ice skating) as well as experience in the health/fitness world. Like all of you, I am trying to "walk the talk". I see the AMAA as a "seed group" to showcase what we as a nation need to do for preventive health. Your members can play a pivotal role in promoting public awareness of the importance of an active lifestyle for overall good health. AMAA members can be effective not only as role models but also as missionaries. If we are going to make a difference, we need the assistance of the health care community in articulating our core message.

We want Americans to understand that they don't have to be competitive athletes, run a marathon, or sweat for hours in a gym to be active for overall good health. The Surgeon General of the United States and other medical experts in both government and academia recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week (middle school and older) , 60 minutes daily for children. Thirty minutes a day of continuous movement in moderate physical activities--walking, raking leaves, cleaning the house, climbing stairs--is preferable and can produce significant health benefits. Intermittent physical activity also increases caloric expenditure and may be important for those who cannot fit 30 minutes of sustained activity into their daily schedules. Of course, there are even greater health benefits associated with more vigorous workouts and exercise regimes, but the health benefits of regular moderate physical activity are significant.

Even though there is no proven single antidote to sedentary living, research shows that advice from doctors and other health professionals can make a great difference in promoting the integration of physical activity and other healthy behaviors, such as sound eating habits, into the daily lives of patients. That's why we need your help.

As you know, overweight and obesity constitute a growing national epidemic. This is particularly tragic for children, who are now being regularly diagnosed with Type II diabetes and hypertension. One of the most important ways parents, teachers, and health care providers can work to improve the health and wellness of our children and youth is to personally model the behavior we are asking the young people to adopt. As you demonstrate the importance of regular physical activity in your own lives, I ask you to encourage your patients as parents to be aware of how their own behavior influences the health of their children.

I believe I am in the right place at the right time to make a difference. In my first months on the job, I revised and streamlined our Presidential mandate to make it more meaningful and relevant for today's health issues and target populations. I have also been working on our strategic plan, a map for our work over the next few years. In the future, all of our efforts must fall within a concept I call F-A-S-T. Our projects and programs must Facilitate awareness of the importance of physical activity/fitness; Activate and Support Americans in their attempts to get and stay fit; and help Transform the lives of our citizens through a permanent commitment to regular physical activity including but not limited to sports participation. I ask for your support in motivating Americans to embrace an active and healthy lifestyle.

To assist you, the President's Council offers several educational and motivational resources:

PCPFS Research Digests. These quarterly publications provide up-to-date summaries in lay language of the current research findings about physical activity related to various fitness and health concerns, including cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes, immune system disorders, obesity, and osteoporosis, as well as summaries of Healthy People 2010 (federal government's physical activity and fitness objectives) and the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health.

The PCPFS Research Digests can also help you counsel patients by providing guidelines for physical activity for children, youth, and adults (e.g. definitions, guidelines for children and youth; personalized exercise prescriptions for adults). The Digests are available from the web site www.fitness.gov. Also, our office will be happy to send you multiple copies of past issues free of charge.

The Presidential Sports Award is a motivational program offered by the President's Council to help participants establish and maintain a commitment to regular physical activity. Anyone age six and above can earn Presidential recognition by filling out a log recording their participation in any one of 65 physical activities and sports over a period of a few months.

The President's Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program offers a range of awards for children and youth. This program is offered to schools, clubs, scout troops and other youth-oriented organizations. Students can receive awards for being active (60 min./day, 5 days/week over a 6-week period) or for achieving certain levels on a fitness and health-related battery of tests.

For information about these programs as well as other physical activity/fitness publications and resources, go to the web site www.fitness.gov or call 202-690-9000 for free copies.

The potential impact of our joint efforts on the nation's health is enormous. We hope that you, the running docs, will help us bring our core message and programs to your patients, staff, colleagues, medical students, and communities. Together, I know we can make a difference as we work toward increasing the quality of life and health of Americans.

Sincerely,

Lisa E. Oliphant

Executive Director