Exercise is a national, bipartisan issue

When you consider the facts, the need for such a resolution becomes clear. As underscored in the Resolution itself, 400,000 people in the United States die each year due to poor diet and physical inactivity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 68 percent of America’s adults and 16.9 percent of our country’s children are obese or overweight, according to the Department of Health and Human Services; approximately half of the direct medical costs associated with diseases that stem from obesity and inactivity are paid for by the government and U.S. taxpayers through federally funded programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare; and the potential savings in direct medical costs if all inactive American adults engaged in regular physical activity could be as high as $80 trillion.

But it’s not only Congress that needs to be committed to increasing physical activity in this country, nor simply the first lady. It’s each of us individually and collectively. Individuals, parents, families, educators, communities, doctors, health professionals, businesses, and industry — each of us must take action.

Last week, thousands of people, and more than 100 speakers, gathered at the 30th Anniversary International Convention & Trade Show of the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). Appropriately, many sessions and individual conversations were devoted to the discussion of America’s health and the role regular exercise has in primary prevention — that is, the prevention of disease before it occurs. Notably, the event culminated on Saturday with a presentation by the U.S. Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Regina M. Benjamin, MD, MBA, during which she shared her vision for a healthier and fit nation.

The positive response to the Surgeon General’s vision and the level of commitment to improving America’s health that I witnessed were heartening. Most gratifying, however, was the shared recognition that our country’s leaders now fully recognize the importance of exercise to our nation and its people. I applaud the Senate of our 112th Congress. In passing this recent Resolution, they’ve moved us a giant leap forward.

Joe Moore is president and CEO of the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA).