Breaking Health Club News:......Fitness Industry Gathers on Capitol Hill

Posted May 8, 2011 9:37 pm by admin

The health and fitness industry, led by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), is gathering on Capitol Hill on May 4th and 5th to urge Members of Congress to support cost-saving primary prevention policies and legislation. This 9th Annual Summit for a Healthier America is part of the national movement to promote a healthier, more prosperous America through physical activity and healthy lifestyles.Primary prevention refers to the deterrence of disease before it occurs by engaging in beneficial lifestyle behaviors, such as regular exercise, healthy eating, avoidance of tobacco and other controlled substances, stress management, and routine medical exams.
“The widespread practice of primary prevention is critical to public health and our country’s future economic competitiveness,” says Joe Moore, IHRSA President and CEO. “By enacting policies and legislation that support primary prevention and personal responsibility—and that remove barriers to healthy lifestyle choices—we can affect societal changes toward a healthier, more prosperous America.”
Fitness industry leaders will be discussing specific pieces of legislation with Members of Congress, including the Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act (FIT Kids Act) (S.576/H.R. 1057); the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP); the Personal Health Investment Today Act (PHIT) (H.R. 2105 in the 111th Congress), which IHRSA expects to be introduced in the 112th Congress; the Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act (H.R. 2106, S. 913 in the 111th Congress), which IHRSA also expects to be introduced in the 112th Congress; and the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Act, which was introduced in the 111th Congress and is expected to be introduced in the 112th.
They also will be discussing the importance of Senate Resolution 97 and their hope that the House of Representatives will introduce a similar resolution affirming the importance of exercise and physical activity as key components of a healthy lifestyle to combat obesity, reduce chronic disease, and lower health care costs.
WHAT: International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association’s 9th Annual Summit for a Healthier America
WHO: Leaders from the health and fitness industry are available for interviews, including:
WHEN: Wednesday, May 4 and Thursday, May 5, 2011, in person or by telephone by appointment.
WHERE: Capitol Hill, Washington, DC