Earlier today in a White House Rose Garden ceremony, President Barack Obama nominated Dr. Regina Benjamin to serve as the next Surgeon General of the United States. By all accounts, she is a qualified doctor who is exceptionally dedicated to her patients in Bayou La Batre, Ala. (yes, Forest Gump fans the same shrimping community Bubba was from). But what position will Dr. Benjamin take on exercise, prevention and wellness?
As the fitness industry, we hope that the Surgeon General will make use of the high profile of her office to shed light on the impact that a healthy lifestyle can have on the health of all Americans. Bush's Surgeon General, Dr. Richard Carmona was a proponent of healthy lifestyles, he even spoke at an IHRSA Convention a few years back. Acting Surgeon General Dr. Steven Galson, has also promoted exercise and been a friend to the issue, especially during the release of the Physical Activity Guidelines.
According to Obama's statement today, "[Dr. Benjamin]'s been a relentless promoter of prevention and wellness programs, having treated too many costly and -- diseases and complications that didn't have to happen." This is great, but given her focus on rural health care one has to wonder how will so many important areas of health care be handled by a small staff with a limited budget. Coming from Alabama, Dr. Benjamin must be keenly familiar with the impact of a sedentary lifestyle. The Trust for America's Health reported earlier this month that Alabama has the second highest adult obesity rate in the nation at over 31% of the adult population. That is a shocking statistic.
I am curious to learn if Dr. Benjamin led efforts in her community to increase physical activity and improve eating habits. If so, she could very well become a powerful role model for the changes that need to occur in our communities that are hardest hit by the obesity epidemic. Only time will tell.
Dr. Benjamin said during her statement that she wants to become America's family physician. I hope that she and all family physicians across America start to better advise their patients on the importance of regular exercise and healthy diets.
- Breanne McGahey
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