[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 43 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E408]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS ACT OF 
                                  2008

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 2008

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam Speaker, today, along with my colleague 
and co-chair of the Congressional Fitness Caucus, Representative Zach 
Wamp, I am introducing the ``Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 
Act of 2008.'' If enacted, this bill will make important improvements 
in the way that we measure and promote health and fitness in our 
communities.
  Health care has become one of the most prominent issues of our time, 
and coming up with solutions to curb rising costs and address the 
growing numbers of uninsured Americans will take a great deal of hard 
work and debate. Whatever our disagreements about the best ways to fix 
these problems, there are simple principles upon which we can all 
agree. This bill focuses on one of those simple principles: that 
exercise makes Americans healthier.
  Many of us are familiar with Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a 
report released every five years by the Department of Health and Human 
Services and the Department of Agriculture. These are recommendations 
that help guide the way that physicians and nutritionists talk to their 
patients and clients about their diets and how to think of healthy food 
as a way of life. Similarly, HHS also releases a report entitled 
Physical Activity Guidelines, which summarizes current knowledge about 
the relationship between exercise and fitness.
  I would argue that these publications are of equal importance, as 
diet and exercise are the pillars of a healthy lifestyle. There is one 
difference, though, that I believe by fixing we can further promote 
healthy living for Americans. The difference is this: where Dietary 
Guidelines is mandated to be updated every five years. Physical 
Activity Guidelines has no such requirement. Fixing this difference 
will ensure that Americans have the most up- to-date information about 
the role and importance of exercise in their lives, just as they do now 
for their diets.
  This bill seeks to accomplish that fix. It would equalize the way 
that the federal government dispenses information about diet and 
exercise, and it would benefit ordinary people by giving them relevant 
information about how to become healthier. As I said. curing all of our 
health care ills will require a great deal of work. thought. and 
debate, but I believe that we can get off to a good start simply by 
helping Americans exercise more and, by staying healthy, go to the 
doctor a little less. Madam Speaker. I hope my colleagues will join me 
in supporting this simple measure to help achieve that simple goal.

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