|
||||||||
| |||||||||
|
President Bush and Secretary Thompson to promote healthy living in events this week June 17, 2002 - This week, Secretary Thompson will join President Bush in announcing a comprehensive fitness agenda that will raise awareness among Americans on the importance of eating healthy foods and staying physically active year round. “President Bush and I are committed to preventive health,” Secretary Thompson said. “We lose hundreds of thousands of people and spend billions of dollars on health care, simply because people don’t take care of themselves. I’m proud that President Bush and we at the Department of Health and Human Services are using our position to promote the message of healthful living.” Each year, there are more than 300,000 obesity-related deaths. In addition, five chronic diseases associated with obesity - heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes - claim more than 1.7 million American lives each year, accounting for more than two-thirds of all U.S. deaths. Over the past year, Secretary Thompson has traveled the nation urging Americans to get fit and eat well. In a speech in April, he outlined three ways for Americans to live more healthfully:
As part of what's being called the Healthier U.S. Initiative, Secretary Thompson will work with President Bush to promote healthier living. To kick-off the Healthier U.S. Initiative, President Bush has announced four days of events. On Thursday, June 30th, the Secretary will join the President as he hosts a fitness expo on the South Lawn of the White House. At the fitness expo, the President will introduce new members of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and will discuss more details of his fitness initiative. There will be screening booths available where people can assess the state of their health and fitness. On Friday, June 21st, the President will travel to Orlando, Florida, where he will visit with seniors at a local senior center to discuss the administration’s fitness initiative and the value of age-appropriate physical activity to promote healthy aging. On Saturday, June 22nd, the President and the First Lady will host the President's Fitness Challenge at Fort McNair, for White House staff and Cabinet. At the Fitness Challenge, the President will lead runners in a three-mile run, and the First Lady will lead walkers in a 1.5 mile walk.
|
