EVENT: Inactivity in America

Charting the Science of Physical Activity and Health to Drive Action

Event Agenda

1:30 PM – Setting the Stage

Anita Manning, Contributor to USA Today and Panel Moderator

1:45 PM – Media Coverage of the Health Benefits of Exercise

Robert Lichter, PhD, Director, Center for Media and Public Affairs, George Mason University

2:00 PM – Panel #1: Activity in America

Speaker #1 (10 Minutes)- Russell Pate, PhD, Professor and Director, Children's Physical Activity Research Group, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina.

Topic: The pandemic of inactivity and what the country is supposed to be doing about it (National Activity Guidelines and Plan). Why aren’t we moving? Exercise as nature’s medicine for the body and mind.

Speaker #2 (10 Minutes)- Colonel Theresa Gonzales, Office of the Surgeon General of the Army

Topic: America the unready? On the frontlines of the inactivity pandemic in the U.S. military: Can we make the idea of activity and fitness an issue of national service – you owe it to your country to move?

Distinguished Discussant: Coy Wire: A nine-year veteran of NFL, recipient of the NFL’s Ed Block Courage Award and author of the book, Change Your Mind: Ten Unconventional Secrets to Retrain Your Brain. Wire is a graduate of Stanford University and is on the Board of Directors for Make A Wish. (7 minutes)

Audience Q&A for PANEL #1 (10 minutes)

2:40 PM – Panel #2: The State of Play and Energy Balance

Speaker #1 (10 Minutes)- Lisa Witherspoon, PhD, Associate Professor, University of South Florida, School of Physical Education and Exercise Science

Topic: Play means moving - inactivity as a special problem for children. The state of play in schools and at home, the impact of screen time, what will happen to our kids if current trends continue?

Speaker #2 (10 Minutes)- James Hill, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Executive Director: Anschutz Health and Wellness Center; Director, Colorado Nutrition Obesity Research Center

Topic: Energy balance –why this is the answer

Distinguished Discussant: Steven Blair, PED, Professor, Departments of Exercise and Epidemiology/Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of South Carolina. (7 minutes)

Audience Q&A for PANEL #2: (10 minutes)

3:20 PM – Congressional Viewpoint (10 minutes)-

Speaker- Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA), former athlete and health care executive, member of the House subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions (HELP)

Topic: Time for Action: Driving Physical Activity Policies for the Health of the Nation.

3:30 PM – Where do we go from here. What is the “Action Plan?” (15 Minutes)

Speaker- Jim Whitehead, Executive V.P./CEO, American College of Sports Medicine .

3:45 PM – Final thoughts and Recommendations – Full Panel (15 minutes)

All speakers quickly come up to dais. Final audience questions for full panel.

4:00 PM – Program Concludes Individual interviews with speakers/invited guests as requested