This afternoon, Health & Fitness Association (HFA) President and CEO Liz Clark was in the East Room of the White House for the release of the “Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment,” part of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. President Trump, senior Cabinet officials, and national health leaders gathered to unveil the assessment, which outlines the alarming rise in childhood chronic disease and highlights physical inactivity as a leading driver of poor health outcomes. Other drivers cited were poor diet, accumulation of environmental toxins, chronic stress, and overmedicalization.
HFA’s Liz Clark Joins President and Cabinet at the White House for Release of MAHA Report Highlighting Physical Inactivity Crisis
The presentation comes on the same day that the US House passed its reconciliation bill, which included provisions from the PHIT Act, which aims to increase access to physical activity to Americans and has been advocated for the HFA.
HFA President and CEO Liz Clark shook hands with US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. after the presentation of the report and posed in the East Room of the White House prior to the presentation.
According to the report, over 70% of US children and 85% of teens are not meeting national physical activity guidelines, contributing to increased rates of obesity, diabetes, and mental health challenges. In fact, one in five American children over the age of six are obese, which is a 270% increase from the 1970s, according to the report.
The MAHA commission now has 82 days to produce the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy based on the findings from the assessment, according to the White House.
The release of this report comes just hours after a major advocacy milestone: The Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act was included in the House-passed tax reconciliation package. PHIT would allow Americans to use pre-tax dollars on fitness expenses like gym memberships, youth sports fees, and exercise programs.
HFA President and CEO Liz Clark takes a photo alongside the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Mehmet Oz.
“The MAHA report reinforces what we’ve long known—physical inactivity is fueling a national health crisis,” Clark said. “The Senate now has the chance to meet the moment by passing the reconciliation package with PHIT included. PHIT is a smart, proven way to make movement more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans.”
Recent findings from HFA’s recent research report, “Reversing the Physical Inactivity Crisis: Fitness Affordability as Strategic Policy,” show the potential impact of PHIT:
- A 10% reduction in cost of gym memberships could motivate up to 17 million more Americans to access fitness.
- Americans using structured exercise are about 50% more likely to meet Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization physical activity guidelines.
- 58% of Americans cite cost as a primary barrier to using fitness facilities.
- PHIT could help prevent up to 500,000 chronic disease cases annually and save $12.2 billion in healthcare costs.
- Expanded fitness access could result in 230,000 new jobs and $12.3 billion in consumer spending.
With more than 85% of Americans across party lines supporting the expansion of pre-tax accounts for fitness, momentum is growing for final passage.
HFA will continue engaging with Senate leaders to ensure PHIT remains in the final package and reaches the president’s desk. The time to invest in prevention is now.
For more information, visit healthandfitness.org/advocacy.
Mike Goscinski is HFA’s vice president of government affairs. He leads advocacy for the health and fitness industry in Washington, D.C., and throughout the states, and spends his days communicating issue priorities to policymakers and influencers. Outside of work, Mike enjoys a mix of physical activities including weight training, HIIT programs, and walks with his best dog, Duncan.