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Healthy Futures Quarter   Printer Friendly

WHEREAS, Alaska’s citizens are facing an epidemic of chronic disease due in large part to sedentary lifestyles and poor diets; and

WHEREAS, based on data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27.2 percent of Alaska residents are clinically obese. Among in-state children, 33.9 percent weighed-in as either overweight or obese, which is the 12th highest rate in the United States; and

WHEREAS, one third - 33.6 percent - of American children and adolescents are at risk for becoming overweight, and the number is growing; and

WHEREAS, regular physical activity is essential for the health and well-being of people of all ages, and the benefits include reduced risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and several types of cancer. Physical activity helps weight maintenance, helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints, and helps to relieve the pain of arthritis; and WHEREAS, for children, regular physical activity and healthy diets are linked to stronger academic achievement, increased concentration, and improved math, reading, and writing scores; and

WHEREAS, students participating in regular physical activity tend to have better attendance, a more positive attitude, better self-esteem, less anxiety and stress, improved behavior, and superior academic performance; and WHEREAS, experts recommend that youth should participate in a minimum of 60 minutes of vigorous physical activity each day. With physical inactivity having many negative effects and being a risk factor for many diseases and conditions, setting aside at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity as part of daily life is critical; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sean Parnell, Governor of the State of Alaska, do hereby proclaim October, November, and December 2009 as:

Healthy Futures Quarter in Alaska, and call upon Alaska’s schools and educators to participate in the Healthy Futures program with a goal of leading more physically active lives by incorporating at least 30 minutes of vigorous physical activity, three times per week for the last three months of 2009. Together, we can build habits of daily physical activity and, ultimately, healthy futures.

Dated: September 30, 2009

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