Boy Scouts of America Encourages Activity During National Physical Fitness and Sports Month; Nation's Largest Youth Service Organization Combats Obesity with Education.

IRVING, Texas -- Today's youth are considered the most inactive generation in history, leading to increasing rates of childhood obesity(1). As part of its ongoing Good Turn for America initiative, the Boy Scouts of America, one of the nation's leading youth organizations, is recognizing National Physical Fitness and Sports Month by educating youth on fitness through initiatives like the BSA Physical Fitness Award. The award is a national program of emphasis designed to heighten fitness awareness and to help change the lifestyles of American youth regarding exercise and healthy diet.

For nearly a century, the BSA has been known for fostering an environment of physical fitness for American youth. All Boy Scouts take an oath that "On my honor I will ... keep myself physically strong." The BSA Physical Fitness Award was developed to encourage the development of attitudes, knowledge, and skills that promote fitness and safe conduct; lay a skill, knowledge, and attitude foundation of the seven major components of fitness; and improve health, fitness, and quality of life through daily physical activity.

"From reduced school recesses and physical education classes to computers, television and video games, today's youth face several obstacles when it comes to incorporating physical activity into their daily lives," said Nathan Rosenberg, vice president of the Western Region of the BSA. "For 96 years the BSA has encouraged youth to make physical fitness a vital component of an overall healthy lifestyle, and National Physical Fitness and Sports Month gives us an excellent opportunity to reinforce that commitment."

Through the Good Turn for America initiative, the BSA encourages youth to recognize National Physical Fitness and Sports Month by going to www.scouting.org and taking the BSA Physical Fitness Award fitness test based on the seven components of fitness: posture, accuracy, strength, agility, speed, balance, and endurance.

Serving nearly 4.5 million young people between 7 and 20 years of age with more than 300 councils throughout the United States and its territories, the Boy Scouts of America is the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. For more information on the BSA, please visit www.scouting.org.

(1) American Obesity Association