Madam Speaker. I rise today in support of worksite physical activity. On Wednesday, April 23rd, I had the distinct honor of opening a session on Capitol Hill that focused on the importance of…
Madam Speaker. I rise today in support of worksite physical activity. On Wednesday, April 23rd, I had the distinct honor of opening a session on Capitol Hill that focused on the importance of worksite physical activity and how such activity benefits individuals, society, our economy and our government. There were a number of congressional offices in attendance, but the session covered such an important topic I wanted to share a bit of it with my colleagues here today.
The session, organized by the non-profit group, Partnership for Prevention, featured speakers from the Center for Disease Control, the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity, the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association and Erickson Communities.
The reason for the session was simple--obesity in this country is rising with nearly 67 percent of all American adults being classified as obese. Health care costs associated with diseases in which obesity is a contributing factor are rising, with costs increasing over the thirteen-year period from 1987 to 2000 by between 16 and 30 percent for such diseases as diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, cancer and heart problems. Obesity costs employers more than $117 billion annually in sick leave, medical costs, lost productivity and labor replacement costs. And the government spends more combating these diseases through our federal medical programs.
Given how widespread and deeply disturbing this issue is, all of us have a role in combating obesity. Individuals need to exercise more. Companies need to provide more help for workplace fitness and we in government ought to both promote physical activity and eliminate any barriers that might exist that prevent that at the federal level.
The speakers addressed each of these issues, with many interesting and important facts, but the one that stuck out in my mind was a simple one. For every $ that a company invests in a workplace fitness program, it gets back $3.48 in reduced health care costs, lower worker absenteeism and increased productivity. That is a great return on investment. It is why so many companies have invested heavily in workplace fitness.
Sadly, we in Congress have not yet done our part. There are still too many barriers within the federal legal code to the promotion of workplace physical activity. Two pieces of legislation currently pending before the House, H.R. 1748, the Workforce Health Improvement Program Act, and H.R. 245, the Personal Health Investment Today Act. would eliminate federal tax barriers to the active promotion of physical activity. I and a number of my colleagues in the House, from both sides of the aisle, support these bills and we are working to get them enacted. Just as companies and organizations like the ones at the briefing have stepped up, I hope Congress will do the same.
