Jim Hite
EXERCISE IS STILL GOOD MEDICINE
By Jim Hite

I find it interesting how, over the past several years, more and more of what I write and say begins with something akin to "Back in my youth, . . ." or "Back in those ancient days of . . ." I would like to say that I can't understand why that is, but when I am announced as the oldest runner at a race, I can definitely understand!

So I begin, again. Back in those ancient days of my college career, President Eisenhower was shocked into action when he was provided studies showing that American school kids lagged far behind Europeans in the area of fitness. Now this was the 1950s, folks!!

Under his and Vice-President Nixon's direction, the President's Council of Youth Fitness was formed, later to be named the President's Council of Physical Fitness and Sports. One outgrowth of this was the development of the Presidential Physical Fitness Award, which was given to those who could do a minimum number (according to age) of push-ups, sit-ups, and pullups (each within a minute), as well as a mile run and a shuttle run, also within a set time according to age.

This program was inserted into PE programs in schools across the country, and students were provided the opportunity to earn the blue patch with an eagle on it. Thousands did.

During the summers of that time, I was in charge of activities and recreation at a camp in the mountains of western North Carolina. Although the high schoolers were at the camp only a short time, I was able to adapt ideas offered by the President's Council to provide a pre-test, a program of exercise, and a post-test. While most did not like it, they did it, and practically without exception, the post-test showed they had become more fit.

All this background is leading to a recent article about the President's Council. It seems that over the last couple of decades, the Council has been modifying (read: watering down) the regimens aimed at both kids and adults. Some recommended activities: the usual of running, cycling and the like, but also darts, cleaning the house, working in the garden, even Nintendo Wii!!

Is this desperation, a surrender to a national inertia that has led to an adult obesity rate of 30 percent (up from 15 percent in 1980), a rise in excess body weight, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease? Is 30 minutes of walking a dog, dusting, or virtual activity with Wii enough to make for a healthy heart and set of lungs?

As noted in a column of a few months ago, we have magazine and TV ads and billboards begging kids to get outside and play. And while we are fortunate to have gyms and health clubs available as well as streets and sidewalks for running and vigorous walking, if one does not get out of the easy chair or away from the computer screen and out the door, they do no good.

President Eisenhower's Council has had its ups and downs over the decades since the 1950s. As best I remember, the programs suggested were still used in schools when I began teaching in the 1970s. Then they seemed to disappear. When Arnold Schwarzenegger was appointed head, there was a short revival of interest. And some of the programs may still be used in many schools. But they do not seem to have any wide effect among the general population, young or old.

Inactivity continues to take its toll. Just as smoking has a direct relation to the incidence of lung cancer within a population, so inactivity has a direct relation to the incidence of obesity, extra weight, Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease.

As the Center for Disease Control has stated over and over, these diseases are avoidable. They do not have to exist.

For the most part, they are the inevitable result of personal choice.