The Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Education can facilitate progress in efforts to promote youth physical activity by providing annual reports to the President on actions taken to implement the strategies identified in this report. Development or expansion of a broad, national coalition to promote better health through physical activity and sports is an important first step toward collaboration and coordination. An effective national coalition will draw public attention to the need for action, educate the public and policymakers about the strategies recommended in this report, and develop coordinated initiatives to implement the strategies. Among the organizations that should be added to such a national coalition are the USOC and the professional sports leagues. A foundation to support promotion of physical activity could complement the work of the coalition and play a critical role in obtaining the resources needed to help our young people become physically active and fit.
Physical activity is crucial to our health, happiness, and well-being.
We now have the opportunity to reshape our sedentary society into one that facilitates and promotes participation in physical activity during childhood, throughout adolescence, and into adulthood. The 10 strategies and the process for facilitating their implementation described in this report provide the foundation for our children to rediscover the joys of physical activity and to incorporate physical activity as a fundamental building-block of their present and future lives.