Policymakers, Experts, Public Agree: Physical Activity Plan Needed

More stupidity in problem-solving from a confederacy of dunces.

"Dozens of the nation's leading organizations in health care, science, medicine and public health are meeting in Washington, D.C., this week with one goal in mind: to develop a national physical activity plan that will make America healthier. Congressional leaders and members of the public both agree that emphasizing disease prevention measures, such as increasing physical activity, is essential to combating chronic diseases, which account for 70 percent of all deaths in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The preventive power of physical activity has been noted by lawmakers. During mark-up of the Affordable Health Choices Act in the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) said: "'he one overarching goal of health care reform is to recreate America as a genuine wellness society - one that emphasizes wellness, fitness, good nutrition, and disease prevention. Consider this: Right now, some 75 percent of health care costs are accounted for by heart disease, diabetes, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and obesity. What these five diseases and conditions have in common is that they are largely preventable and even reversible by changes in nutrition, physical activity, and lifestyle.'...

The plan will focus on eight key sectors that have heavy influence on physical activity: business and industry, the nonprofit sector, health care, transportation, education, mass media, parks and recreation, and public health."

Doomed to fail.

The only approach that will work is cutting these fat people loose from the sick care system by making them pay more for the greater resources they hog and levying fat taxes on their fat selves.

Any other approach, such as those advocated by policymakers and experts will not succeed.