Fitness is Fun!
February 2005

FDA's Weight Management Web site
A new Web site by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gives consumers valuable tools for healthy weight loss and maintenance. The site features several links to reputable organizations, including the National Institute of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Health and Human Services, each offers tips on how to lose and manage weight. The NIH offers a menu planner that you can use to calculate daily calorie intake. The FDA presents recommendations on how to live a heart-healthy lifestyle. For this, and more information, visit http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/obesity.html.

Congress Enacts Law for School's Wellness Policy
Recognizing that schools play a critical role in developing healthy lifestyles of its students, Congress has passed a law requiring each local educational agency participating in USDA's school meals programs to establish a local wellness policy by the beginning of School Year 2006-2007. Schools must set goals for school nutrition, physical activity and other student wellness programs. For more information, go to http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/wellnesspolicy.html.

All Children Exercise Simultaneously Day May 4^th, 2005
The first Wednesday in May has been set aside for Project ACES, encouraging all children to be physically active that day. This has labelled as "the world's largest exercise class." May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month and as part of this month, students are taught proper health and fitness habits. Since the start of the program in 1989 by Len Saunders of New Jersey, millions of children worldwide have participated. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sport is encouraging all physical educators to take part. For more information to share with your school visithttp://www.projectaces.com/.

February is National Heart Month
Red was the color of the day on February 4th. Landmarks nationwide turned red for the day to raise awareness to women about heart disease, the nation's number one killer of women. Niagara Falls, Graceland and the Macy's Jumbotron in Times Square are just some of the national landmarks that took part. Businesses also participated by donating proceeds from sales of various products to heart disease research and education. On the American Heart Association's Web site you can find information regarding healthy numbers for your heart, tips for a healthy lifestyle and information to help you discuss your risks with your doctor. To learn more on what you can do throughout the year and get ready for Go Red for Women next year visit http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3017091.

Economics and Obesity
Though obesity in America may seem to be a recent problem, it certainly didn't occur overnight. Explanations of the cause of the epidemic have come from many fields of study, including genetics, physiology, psychology, and sociology. A recent article from Amber Waves entitled The Price is Right: Economics and the Rise in Obesity examines obesity from an economic standpoint.

A major factor in the rise of obesity has been the gradual decline of the price of food. The writer of the article, Jayachandran N. Variyam, states that technology has been the prime mover of the price of food. Innovations "including vacuum packing, improved preservatives, deep freezing, artificial flavours, and microwaves have enabled food manufacturers" to produce and ship food to consumers rapidly, and consumers no longer need to spend a great deal of time preparing food.

While the price of food has fallen, the price of physical activity has risen. Here Variyam refers to the opportunity cost of being active. Decades ago, when most people were employed in agricultural or industrial jobs, energy expenditure came with the work. Now, as most are employed in service industries, people must pay to, and budget time for, exercise. Advances in technological entertainment also makes passive leisure activities much more appealing than physical activity.

At the conclusion of the article, Variyam asks whether government interventions, such as taxes or subsidies, are appropriate solutions to combat the rise of obesity. To read the entire article, please visit http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/February05/Features/ThePriceIsRight.htm.

Fitness File
Fitness File is a free tool available to those administering the President's Challenge Physical or Health Fitness testing. This tool allows instructors to track student's progress, calculate awards, print out reports and make recommendations. To get started a coordinator needs to register and input instructors and students. Instructors will be emailed their instructor code, school code and a temporary password.

Once logged in as the instructor, a new test will need to be created and student's assigned to the test. There are spreadsheets available to download for both coordinators and instructors to make entering student's information and test scores easier. After test scores have been entered the student's award will be calculated and reports will be available to be sent home.

To get help with Fitness File questions please contact customer service 1-800-258-8146 or email preschal@indiana.edu

Fitness Question
"Snow shovelling is a vigorous activity and I get a good workout every time I get a few inches of snow. Why isn't it on your list of activities?"

The President's Challenge has recently added snow shovelling to our list of activities due to numerous participant requests. Thank you for your suggestions!