[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 25 (Monday, June 24, 2002)]
[Pages 1055-1057]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the White House Fitness Expo

June 20, 2002

    Please be seated--except for those of you behind me. [Laughter] 
Welcome to the White House, and thanks for joining us as we launch a new 
national initiative designed to help the American people live longer, 
live healthier, and live better lives.
    Better health is an individual responsibility, and it is an 
important national goal. We're making great progress in preventing and 
detecting and treating many chronic diseases, and that's good for 
America. We're doing a better job with heart disease and cancer and 
diabetes. We're living longer than any generation in history. Yet we can 
still improve, and we can do more. And it's not all that difficult to 
do. When it comes to your health, even little steps can make a big 
difference.
    I really appreciate the First Lady for joining us. She is--she's a 
regular exerciser. I appreciate Tommy Thompson, the Secretary of the 
Department of Health and Human Services, for being here. Tommy told me 
the other day, even at his advanced age he's thinking about running a 
marathon. [Laughter] I appreciate very much Gale Norton, who's the 
Secretary of the Interior, for being here as well, Gale. Thank you both 
for coming.
    I want to thank all the athletes who are here, and physical fitness 
experts and Olympians and Paralympians and President's Council on 
Physical Fitness are joining us today. I'm honored you're here.
    This is an important message that we're sending to America. When 
America and Americans are healthier, our whole society benefits. And 
that's important to know. If you're interested in improving America, you 
can do so by taking care of your own body.
    This year, heart disease will cost our country at least $183 
billion. If just 10 percent of adults began walking regularly, we could 
save billions in dollars in costs related to heart disease. Research 
suggests that we can reduce cancer deaths in America by one-third simply 
by changing our diets and getting more exercise. The evidence is clear: 
A healthier America is a stronger America.
    And today I'm taking two actions to put a new emphasis on health and 
fitness in America. First, I'm appointing the men and women you see 
behind me to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. 
These are professional athletes, trainers, U.S. Olympians, executives 
from the public and private sector, and physicians. Lynn Swann, a friend 
and a football legend--not necessarily a friend to Cowboy fans, I might

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add--[laughter]--will be the Chairman of this Council. I named him 
Chairman because, after a discussion with him and with his friends, he 
is committed to using the platform that he now has to make America a 
healthier place by encouraging individual responsibility. I appreciate 
so very much his Vice Chairman, Dot Richardson, an Olympic gold medalist 
in softball and an orthopedic surgeon, for joining us as well.
    These fine Americans will serve as role models and will join me in 
working with Americans to encourage exercise and healthy choices in 
life. Together, we're going to educate our country. We can do so by 
adopting four guideposts in a new initiative called Healthier US. First, 
Americans should be physically active every day. Second, develop good 
eating habits. Third, take advantage of preventative screenings. And 
fourth, don't smoke, don't do drugs, and don't drink excessively. These 
four simple measures will help our country a lot, by helping our fellow 
Americans a lot.
    First, let me talk about physical fitness. People ought to work out 
every day, one way or another. A report released today by the Department 
of Health and Human Services confirms that virtually all individuals can 
benefit from regular physical activity. Yet more than a third of our 
children, 9th through 12th grades, failed to exercise at least 20 
minutes a day, 3 times a week. More than a third of our children don't 
get an hour's worth of exercise a week. Secondly, 60 percent of American 
adults do not get enough exercise to improve their health.
    With this initiative, we propose simple solutions. How about just 
walking 30 minutes a day? That's pretty simple. It's easy to do. It will 
make you feel a lot better, by the way. How about parents just playing a 
game with children in their backyard for 30 minutes or an hour? It would 
be good for the child; it would be good for the parent; and it's good 
for the family.
    Regular hiking through a park can add years to a person's life. To 
honor that commitment, I want to thank Secretary Norton for waiving all 
entrance fees this weekend to national parks and Federal lands. If 
you're interested in doing something about your health, go to one of our 
parks and take a hike. [Laughter]
    Second, eat a nutritious diet. That means at least five fruits or 
vegetables a day. I've got a little work in my family. We've been 
working on the old--well, been working on ``Number 41'' to eat broccoli 
for all these years. [Laughter] But it's good advice. If you're 
interested in your health, cut out fatty foods; watch what you're 
eating. And by the way, when you eat better food, it will give you more 
energy for your 30-minute walk.
    Third, get preventative screenings. These are simple tests that can 
save your life. Screenings available through your doctor may tell you if 
you're prone to developing certain diseases, such as diabetes or cancer 
or heart disease. By acting on information, you can help prevent a 
potentially life-threatening illness.
    And fourth, cut out tobacco, drugs, and excessive drinking. Tobacco 
use is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in 
America. Drug and alcohol abuse destroys our families and lives and 
hopes of our fellow Americans. Our message is clear: Avoiding tobacco, 
drugs, and excessive alcohol can save your life.
    This initiative is part of this administration's ongoing commitment 
to raising awareness about the benefits of exercise and healthy choices. 
Exercise is a part of my daily life. It kind of helps me deal with the 
stress a little better. After I get a good run in, I even like the press 
corps a lot better. [Laughter] I don't know if they like me a lot better 
after my run. But I value exercise. It's an important part of a balanced 
life.
    I've urged the folks at work inside the White House to exercise on a 
daily basis. As an employer, I insist that they take time off, out of 
their daily grind, to get some exercise. I found them to be better able 
to communicate and happier on their job when they take some time, and it 
doesn't matter to me when they do it. They can do it any time of the 
day, so long as they get it done.
    Today I'm going to sign an Executive order directing Federal 
agencies to work together to develop new policies to promote fitness. 
And at the White House, Federal agencies and businesses and professional 
sport leagues

[[Page 1057]]

have set up activities, as you can see, to educate people about better 
eating, preventative screenings, and the danger of substance abuse.
    On Saturday, members of my staff will join the First Lady and me in 
a fitness challenge to serve as an example to get people running and 
exercising and walking. And throughout this year and so long as we're 
here in Washington, we will do everything we can, as we travel around 
the country, to demonstrate ways to help keep America fit.
    It is important for all of us to be responsible for the decisions we 
make in life. It's important for us to be responsible for taking care of 
our own health. And as we do so, not only will we each have a more 
fulfilling life, collectively we'll make a great contribution to the 
country we love.
    I want to thank you for coming. I want to thank you for your 
commitment to making America the greatest place it can possibly be. Take 
a small step for America by exercising on a daily basis.
    God bless you all, and God bless the country.

Note: The President spoke at 8 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White 
House.