Legislative Effort to Lower Cost of Activity-Related Expenses Introduced in House
Representatives re-introduce PHIT Act with strong bipartisan support in support of a healthier America
Contact:
Alli Schulman
aschulman@sfia.org
301.495.6321
SILVER SPRING, MD (May 13, 2021) - Yesterday, the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act was re-introduced in the House of Representatives as H.R. 3109. The PHIT Act aims to help Americans save money on activity-related expenses (i.e. gym membership, sports league fees, equipment, fitness classes, etc.) to lower the financial barrier that stands between many Americans and a healthy, active lifestyle. SFIA commends Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) for his leadership on PHIT and applauds fellow Ways & Means members, Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Darrin LaHood (R-IL) for joining Congressman Kind as original cosponsors.
"Staying active is the best preventative medicine, and it's especially important for kids and teens as they build healthy habits," said Rep. Ron Kind. "Unfortunately, for many families, cost can be a barrier to participating in physical activities and youth sports. The PHIT Act is a commonsense way to invest in a healthy future for our children by making it more affordable for families to ensure physical activity is a regular part of their lives."
COVID has had a major impact on activity as many youth sports were cancelled and health clubs have largely been shuttered during the pandemic. Ironically, the less active you are, the likelihood of experiencing more severe COVID outcome is greater, should you contract the disease. This is not surprising, as sedentary people have a higher incidence of the underlying conditions that contributed to hospitalizations, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
It's clear that active people are healthier, and the pandemic highlighted the threat posed by the inactive population. In order to lower healthcare spending, we must get more people active in the U.S. and the PHIT Act will provide an incentive to get kids back on the field, court or rink and adults into gyms and fitness classes. The financial burden of participation is rests heavy on many families across the country. The PHIT Act is the right approach to help America recover physically and mentally, not only as we emerge from the pandemic, but for better health for generations to come.
"Activity in America has suffered during COVID and we have seen an increase in both physical and mental health issues because of it," said SFIA CEO & President, Tom Cove. "Poor health in the sedentary population is not news but the pandemic has emphasized the importance of activity in a healthy lifestyle as inactive people had far worse outcomes and put more strain on our healthcare system. We commend Congressmen Kind, Sewell, Kelly and LaHood for their leadership on the PHIT Act, to promote health by lowering the cost of activity."
For more information on the PHIT Act, please visit www.PassPHIT.org.
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
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