George Bush: be physically active every day and eat a nutritious diet

From the weekly radio address by the President of the United States

Earlier today, the First Lady and I joined the White House staff for the inaugural President's Fitness Challenge Run and Walk. The title of our new health and fitness initiative says it all: Healthier US. It is based on four guideposts to good health.

First: be physically active every day. A report released this week by the Department of Health & Human Services confirms that almost 40 per cent of adults get no leisure-time physical activity. This lack of activity can lead to poor health and higher health-care costs. Americans who are obese spend approximately 36 per cent more on health-care services than the general population does.

Here are some simple suggestions to help Americans get active. Walking 30 minutes a day can improve your health. Playing a game in the backyard will help parents and children get fit and spend some quality time with each other. And regularly hiking through a park can add years to your life. This weekend, the federal government is waiving all entrance fees to national parks and other federal lands, so you can exercise while exploring America's natural beauty. Exercise is a daily part of my life, and I urge all Americans to make it an important part of your lives.

Second: eat a nutritious diet. That means eating fruits and vegetables and cutting back on fatty foods. If you try your best to achieve these goals, you will be on the road to healthier living, and you'll have a lot more energy for your 30-minute walk.

Third: get preventative screenings, simple tests that can tell you if you're prone to developing certain diseases such as diabetes and cancer and heart disease.

Fourth: cut out drugs, tobacco and excessive drinking. Tobacco is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in America. Drug and alcohol abuse destroys lives, families and communities. Avoiding tobacco, drugs and excessive alcohol can help save your life.