Stemming the obesity epidemic in children will require an all-out, multi-level assault similar to the antismoking campaign of the last four decades, according to a U.S. expert panel.Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance, a new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM), calls for making the prevention of childhood obesity a national public health priority.
'This report provides the first comprehensive, evidence- based action plan for tackling the epidemic of childhood obesity on multiple fronts,' said IOM committee chairman Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, vice president for health affairs at Emory University and former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 'No single sector bears all of the blame, and no single sector acting alone can solve it. It will require a sustained commitment of effort and resources spanning many years, possibly decades, to effectively tackle the problem.'
Last week, NFIB, the nation's largest small-business group, presented its 'Guardian of Small Business' awards to 48 U.S. Senators and 232 U.S. Representatives who voted favorably on key small-business issues during the 108th Congress.
'Small-business owners pay close attention to how their elected representatives vote on the issues affecting their businesses,' said NFIB President and CEO Jack Faris. 'When it comes to the coveted 'Guardian of Small Business' award, the voting record of these men and women tells the story. This award conveys our appreciation for the support they have given to...small business.'
In a recent survey, personal trainers and aerobics instructors ranked 11th out of the top 30 occupations with the fastest projected job growth.
Are you confident in your ability to adequately compensate this growing group of talented employees?
If not, look to IHRSA's Employee Compensation Report, which provides comparative compensation structures broken out by a company's geographic location, total revenue, number of clubs, and type of operation.
Participate in IHRSA's 2004 Compensation and Benefits Survey by October 22 and receive a free copy of the results (a $215 value). The survey is available as a PDF download or on a secure web site. Individual responses will be kept confidential, and IHRSA staff will only see the aggregated results. Please contact Katie Rollauer at (800) 228-4772 ext. 146 or khr@ihrsa.org with any questions.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted a petition filed by a large business coalition to extend the current stay on its new unsolicited commercial fax rule, from January 1, 2005, to June 30, 2005, while Congress considers pending legislation.
At issue is a new rule adopted by the FCC last year to require businesses, including health clubs, to obtain written consent forms for each fax machine before sending out any unsolicited commercial fax. A business coalition, known as the Fax Ban Coalition, came together to fight the new rule, arguing that it would be too costly and burdensome to administer.
The coalition turned to Capitol Hill for help, and Congress is currently considering legislation (H.R. 4600, S. 2603) that would codify the current 'established business relationship' exemption to allow businesses to continue sending out commercial faxes to their members, vendors, and customers.
