[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 12, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S2000]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. HARKIN (for himself and Mr. Brownback):
  S. 2748. A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to publish physical activity guidelines for the general public, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, some time back, a principal of a school in 
Atlanta, GA, explained why his school had eliminated recess from its 
school day, and why new elementary schools in Atlanta were being built 
without playgrounds: He told The New York Times: ``We are intent on 
improving academic performance. You don't do that by having kids 
hanging on the monkey bars.''
  Now, there is no reason to pick on Atlanta alone. Nationwide, only 8 
percent of elementary schools provide daily physical education or its 
equivalent for all students.
  We are building schools without playgrounds, subdivisions without 
sidewalks, roads without bicycle lanes. The average American spends 
more than 4 hours each day sitting passively in front of the TV set--
that is equal to 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year.
  Then we are shocked, shocked to find that rates of overweight, 
obesity and diabetes are skyrocketing, and cardiovascular disease 
remains the No. 1 cause of death in our country. Among children, we 
have what the Centers for Disease Control describes as an ``epidemic'' 
of obesity and juvenile diabetes.
  The shame is that so much of this is entirely preventable. Americans 
are suffering from a range of diseases and conditions--obesity, heart 
disease, diabetes, stress, and depression. All of these are largely 
preventable by changes in diet and lifestyle; specifically, by 
increasing the amount of physical activity in our lives.
  I am a firm believer that people want to stay healthy, and that 
Government can help out by giving Americans the tools they need to take 
charge of their own health.
  But, right now, individuals do not know how much physical activity 
they should be getting daily. They don't have a target to shoot for.
  That is why, today, I am joining with Senator Sam Brownback, 
Congressman Mark Udall, and Congressman Zach Wamp to introduce the 
Physical Activities Guidelines for Americans Act of 2008.
  Our bill would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to 
prepare and promote science-based physical activity guidelines for 
Americans, similar to the dietary and nutritional guidelines, commonly 
known as the Food Pyramid. Our bill also would require that the 
guidelines be updated every 5 years.
  I believe that the Physical Activity Guidelines will assist many 
Americans in living longer, healthier, and more active lives.
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