don's report archive
Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)
Sunday April 6, 2008
The committees and sub-committees of the House of Representatives and the US Senate are infested with lobbyists and special interest groups. These forces employ massive amounts of money to influence politicians on issues related to the environment (e.g., Green Peace), race (e.g., the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), religion (e.g., Christian Coalition), age (e.g., AARP), guns, labor, tobacco, films, drugs and all manner of additional issues.
The amounts of money spent for influence are astounding. For instance, the pharmaceutical lobby spent $26 million to advance its interests last year while the NRA spent $4 million protecting the rights of every man, woman and child to defend their persons with sub-machine guns. The labor and legal lobbies invested $90 million and $112 million, respectively, to safeguard their interests in 2007 with the American Congress. (Source: The Outlaw, May 29, 2006.)
Bribes? Of course not. It's all done quite subtly, artfully and in a prim and proper manner designed to assure you that nobody is being influenced to act in a way that might not be in the public interest. It's all smoke and mirrors; the only interest the special interests really care about is their own. It's the American way. Always been like that and, as far as I can tell, always will be.
But, wouldn't it be nice to have a special interest group doing SOMETHING that benefits the commons, that is, the mass of the people who are NOT represented by influential lobbyists with large sums to dole out as donations for political contributions? The answer, I believe, is "Yes, that would be very nice."
Well, guess what? One special interest group is promoting an issue that really would benefit the public interest, as well as advance its own agenda, which in no way is at odds with the general good. Let me summarize the role being played by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) to improve public health by promoting legislation that would almost surely lead to increases in physical activity. The ACSM has convened a large group of influential politicians in the Congress to support legislation called "The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Act." This Act would provide for guidelines to be crafted and promoted that would be similar to the popular dietary guidelines. Physical activity standards would be promoted at all levels, evaluated regularly and updated at least every five years, based on results. In addition to promotions to the general public, the guidelines would be structured for implementation by the scientific and medical communities, health and fitness professionals, the media and other broad interests.
Since more than half of Americans do not get enough daily exercise to maintain proper health, who would oppose such a low cost, vital initiative? Hopefully, not many organized forces. The physical activities guidelines would be shaped and promoted for children, adults, seniors and people with disabilities, all to ensure that Americans understand how much exercise they should be getting.
Of course, if the ACSM and the 25 organizations supporting the guidelines legislation really want fast action, they will make some kind of deals. And who better to work with than the heavy-hitter lobbyists mentioned in the beginning of this essay? After all, these are the interest groups with the big bucks, the great connections and the enormous influence.
Unfortunately, it may be a challenge to convince most of them that healthier lifestyles will obtain to the benefit of their particular interests. However, in most cases, more physical activity by Americans would not be a direct threat to the profits of the groups whose interests they protect.
A wide range of key legislators have issued statements about the importance of physical activity for everyone, particularly our young folks. Among the more interesting of the commentaries, delivered at a series of press conferences and news releases, was that of the president-elect of the ACSM, Mindy Millard-Stafford, Ph.D. Dr. Stafford had this observation to offer: "An overwhelming amount of research clearly demonstrates the importance of physical activity in preventing disease and lowering death rates. In fact, approximately 250,000 premature deaths each year can be attributed to lifestyles that lack physical activity. As a mother, I find it appalling that we are facing the possibility that my daughter's generation may be the first not to outlive their parents, in part, due to lower physical activity in our kids."
Well, that ought to get everyone's attention. We certainly don't want to outlive our children, especially if we last into super old age and they only get to standard old age. They were enough trouble as kids; imagine what interminable butt-pains they are going to be as doddering old geezers. Let's support this legislation in every way imaginable.
(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the PHYSICAL DOMAIN under the skill area of exercise and fitness. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)
(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)
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