PRINTER'S NO. 3015
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
194
Session of
2022
INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, HILL-EVANS, MADDEN, LONGIETTI, FREEMAN,
GUENST, CONKLIN, MILLARD, SANCHEZ, DALEY, KINSEY, HOWARD,
STRUZZI AND GILLEN, APRIL 25, 2022
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, APRIL 25, 2022
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of May 2022 as "National Physical Fitness
and Sports Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, As of January 2022, more than 25% of American adults
are physically inactive and do not participate in any physical
activity or exercises such as running, walking, swimming,
gardening or golf; and
WHEREAS, More than 20% of Pennsylvanians have identified as
being "physically inactive" outside of their regular job,
ranking Pennsylvania 27
th
in the United States with the highest
prevalence of physical inactivity; and
WHEREAS, Research has proven consistently that physical
inactivity promotes the development of conditions such as high
blood pressure and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke
and cancer, diseases which were among the top five leading
causes of death in Pennsylvania in 2017; and
WHEREAS, It is paramount that the residents of Pennsylvania
and all Americans understand the benefits of physical activity,
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with one benefit being that life expectancy increases for a
person when they routinely exercise, regardless of their age;
and
WHEREAS, Increasing physical activity can take many forms,
from small choices, like taking the stairs instead of the
elevator at work, to implementing low-impact exercises that burn
calories without jarring the body and offer a lower risk of
injury; and
WHEREAS, Walking and cycling, two low-impact exercises that
are easily accessible, have been known to ease joint pain, boost
immune systems, increase a person's energy, positively impact a
person's mental health and mood, help maintain and reduce
weight, as well as increase muscle strength and flexibility,
among other health benefits; and
WHEREAS, Individuals can utilize tools and resources
currently available to them to assist in increasing their
physical activity such as the United States Department of Health
and Human Services' Move Your Way Activity Planner, a planner
designed to help set goals, choose physical activities to engage
in and provide tips for individuals to stay motivated; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has supported measures to increase
the physical activity of residents with programs such as
WalkWorks, an initiative between the Pennsylvania Downtown
Center and the Pennsylvania Department of Health that supports
the development and adoption of active transportation plans to
increase access and opportunities for physical activities such
as walking, biking, wheeling and using public transit; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is home to 18 unique State Forest
Hiking Trails, as well as more than 100 different Rail Trails
that cover more than 1,000 miles, maintained by the Department
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of Conservation and Natural Resources, which allow residents to
capture the beauty of Pennsylvania while offering more
opportunities for physical activity; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
is dedicated to increasing access to Rail Trails by ensuring the
trail system network is within 15 miles of every person in this
Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth's history of supporting measures to
increase physical activity should be continued in order to
address health inequities across Pennsylvania; therefore be it
RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
recognize May 2022 as "National Physical Fitness and Sports
Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
encourage all residents of Pennsylvania and all Americans to
utilize the United States Department of Health and Human
Services' Move Your Way Activity Planner when seeking to
increase their physical activity; and be it further
RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
continue to explore new and improved ways to increase
opportunities for residents of this Commonwealth to be
physically active.
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