May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
According to Melissa Johnson, executive director of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, which started National Physical Activity and Sports Month in 1983, “Americans of all ages need to incorporate more movement in their daily lives. Adults need at least 30 minutes of activity 5 days each week. This can be done by choosing to bike or walk instead of driving, taking stairs instead of elevators, or pushing a lawnmower instead of riding one. Children need at least 60 minutes of active play daily. They need to run, climb, jump, and just get up and move around, away from their desks, the television and computer games.”
Twenty minutes of vigorous physical activity three times a week, such as sports, aerobics, working out in the gym, and running, have added health benefits. Johnson says, “But it’s important to understand that you don’t need to sweat in a gym or run a marathon to reap the health benefits of daily physical activity. Even 30 minutes a day, broken up into shorter increments of ten or fifteen minutes, can greatly improve your health.”
For information about the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, go to www.fitness.gov . To start a physical activity and fitness program, log on to www.presidentschallenge.org and sign up to take the President’s Challenge.
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Physical Activity Resources for Health Professionals Key reference documents, data and surveillance resources and information to assist you with program planning and evaluation, community development and promotion of physical activity programs. more |
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State Nutrition and Physical Activity Legislative Database This state-based searchable database provides legislation information pertaining to nutrition, physical activity and obesity. It provides bill numbers, year, congressional sponsor; a short summary of the legislation; and its current status. more |
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State Physical Activity Directory Provides information about current physical activity programs taking place in the state health departments. Use this site to research programs, gather ideas, and share information. more |
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