Dave Landa, our senior director of strategic business development, talks about how ACTIVE is helping America get PHIT. Not only is America the most obese nation in the world, but a recent 2012 Physical Activity Council study has found that Americans are the most sedentary as well, with 24 percent of Americans having done no form of exercise in the past 12 months.The consequences of this are shocking.However, regular physical activity can help reduce diabetes, anxiety and Alzheimer's by nearly 50 percent, help increase academic performance and more. Just $1 invested in physical activity can bring $3.20 in savings in direct medical costs, not to mention the other societal benefits, says the World Health Organization.With that, I'm excited and proud that ACTIVE has stepped up and committed to spearhead the PHIT America Campaign, A Movement for a Fit and Healthy America, to address these issues by:
- educating Americans on the crisis,
- providing resources to find local ways to participate in physical activity,
- prompting Americans to advocate on behalf of federal legislation (like the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) bill, which will allow the use of pre-tax health plan dollars on expenses related to physical activity) to encourage more activity, and
- supporting local grassroots efforts to get more kids playing sports and activities.
Together, with other founding members such as Dick's Sporting Goods, Sears, United States Tennis Association, 100+ Alliance members, associations, sporting goods manufacturers and retailers, we launched the PHITAmerica.org website (developed by our own ACTIVE Digital), to encourage Americans to Advocate, Donate (through our Giving platform) and Participate (via our Asset Service tools) to combat this national crisis.I encourage you to learn more and take action by visiting PHITAmerica.org.
