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President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition

American government organization promoting fitness

American government organization promoting fitness

FieldValue
namePresident's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition
sealPresident's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.svg
formed
employees27
chief1_nameBryson DeChambeau
chief1_positionChair
chief2_nameCatherine Granito
chief2_positionExecutive Director
parent_departmentDepartment of Health and Human Services
parent_agencyOffice of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
child1_agencyScience Board
child2_agencyNational Fitness Foundation
website

The President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition (PCSFN) is a federal advisory committee of the United States that aims to promote "programs and initiatives that motivate people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to lead active, healthy lives." It is part of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to June 2010, it was called the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

The council's work is informed by a Science Board, composed primarily of academic researchers and scholars. The first Science Board was appointed during the George W. Bush administration in 2003 with Charles B. "Chuck" Corbin, Ph.D., Arizona State University, serving as its inaugural chair. In 2016, Corbin received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the PCSFN.

The Science Board was active for several years, but eventually went dormant. It was reinstated on June 21, 2019, with strong urging from organizations such as the National Academy of Kinesiology.

A newly formed Science Board was announced on January 22, 2020, with Bradley J. Cardinal, Ph.D., Oregon State University, appointed as chair. During their 2-year term, the Science Board established the scientific basis of the National Youth Sports Strategy, including a wide variety of evidence-based documents and reports.

History

During the 1940s, the American Medical Association and the National Committee on Physical Fitness had a joint committee encouraging physical fitness.

On July 16, 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower established The President's Council on Youth Fitness to encourage national improvement in children’s physical health.

In 1963, President Kennedy changed the council's name to President's Council on Physical Fitness to reflect its role to serve all Americans.

In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson created the Presidential Physical Fitness Award, the name of which was later changed to President's Challenge Youth Physical Fitness Awards Program. In 1968, the council's name was changed to President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports to emphasize the importance of sports in life.

In 1972, the Presidential Sports Award Program was created.

In 1983, the United States Congress declared May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month.

In 1996, the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health was released. In 1997, the council released its report on Physical Activity and Sport in the Lives of Boys.

In June 2010, President Barack Obama renamed the agency the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, with a new emphasis on nutrition as an element of fitness. First Lady Michelle Obama announced the new commission's goal "to end the epidemic of childhood obesity in a generation" as part of her Let's Move! initiative, and also announced that the president had named, as the new co-chairs of the council, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and former Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes.

On January 11, 2012, operators of the website for participants of the Challenge and Active Lifestyle programs learned that the site had been hacked, resulting in the release of personal information of the participants. The President's Challenge site displayed a notice that it was down for "Site Maintenance – We're taking a little breather." On January 27, 2012, The President's Challenge sent out emails to its participants saying that the website was functional as of January 24, 2012, and asked participants to reset their user passwords.

On July 31, 2025, President Donald Trump reestablished the Presidential Fitness Test as part of the council's mandate, and revised the council membership to include up to 30 members. The executive director and council chair designations are pending.

Past chairpersons

  • Bud Wilkinson (chairman) 1961–1963
  • Stan Musial consultant 1964–1967
  • Jim Lovell (chairman) 1969–1977
  • Jerry Apodaca (chairman) 1978–1980
  • George Allen (chairman) 1981–1988
  • Dick Kazmaier (chairman) 1988–1989
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger (chairman) 1990–1993
  • Florence Griffith Joyner (co-chair) 1993–1998
  • Tom McMillen (co-chair) 1993–1997
  • Lee Haney (chairman) 1999–2002
  • Lynn Swann (chairman) 2002–2005
  • Denise Austin 2002–2009
  • Drew Brees (co-chair) 2010
  • Dominique Dawes (co-chair) 2010
  • Lou Ferrigno 2018
  • Misty May-Treanor (co-chair) 2019
  • Mariano Rivera (co-chair) 2019
  • Herschel Walker (co-chair) 2019–2020
  • Jose Andres (co-chair) 2022–2024
  • Elena Delle Donne (co-chair) 2022–2024
  • Bryson DeChambeau (2025–present)

Awards

The council publishes guidelines for awards that are given out. They are the Presidential Physical Fitness Award, the National Physical Fitness Award, and the Participant Physical Fitness Award. However, it has been announced that the Physical Fitness Test on which these awards are based will no longer be available after the 2012–2013 school year. Additionally, there is the Active Lifestyle Award for staying active and the Presidential Champions Award for raising one's amount of activity. The Champions awards ended on 30 June 2018. There is also a Community Leadership Award that is given out annually to 50 people or organizations for encouraging physical activity, fitness, and nutrition.

Standardized tests

The award was given to students who achieved the top fifteenth percentile cumulative scores across these events and were based on age/gender and were taken by all participants. Pull ups/flexed-arm hang was based on gender and was the only event where one was done by boys and the other by girls:

  • 50-yard dash
  • 600-yard run
  • Standing broad jump
  • Pull-ups (boys)
  • Flexed-arm hang (girls)
  • Sit-ups
  • Shuttle run
  • Sit and reach

References

References

  1. "About the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition {{!}} health.gov".
  2. (2006). "The History of FITNESSGRAM®". Journal of Physical Activity and Health.
  3. "History of the Council".
  4. (2007). "A History of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Research Digest". President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Research Digest.
  5. "PCSFN Lifetime Impact Award | odphp.health.gov".
  6. (2018). "Update on Science Board for The President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition". National Academy of Kinesiology Newsletter.
  7. "Wayback Machine".
  8. "Meet the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Science Board - News & Events | odphp.health.gov".
  9. "President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Science Board".
  10. "President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Science Board".
  11. "PCSFN 2020 Annual Council Meeting Agenda | odphp.health.gov".
  12. (2021). "Reenvisioning postpandemic youth sport to meet young people's mental, emotional, and social needs". Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.
  13. (2021). "Reimagining the youth sport system across the United States: A commentary from the 2020–2021 President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Science Board". Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance.
  14. "Reflections on the 2020–2021 PCSFN Science Board. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services".
  15. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ACBMAAAAYAAJ ''Journal of Health and Physical Education'']. 1944 p. 500, Archived at [[Google Books]].
  16. (August 2018). "The Federal Government Takes on Physical Fitness". JFK library.org.
  17. Hertling, Mark. (August 4, 2025). "What’s Behind Trump’s New (Old) Physical-Fitness Test?".
  18. (June 2, 1968). "Recreation Centers Needed in Cities". The Santa Fe New Mexican.
  19. (May–June 1995). "Illinois Parks & Recreation, Volume 26, 3".
  20. [https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-presidents-council-fitness-sports-and-nutrition Executive Order – President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition] {{Webarchive. link. (2017-02-08 , White House press release, June 23, 2010.)
  21. [http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2010/06/michelle-obama-jumps-rope-emphasizes-nutrition-/1 "Michelle Obama jumps rope, emphasizes nutrition"], ''[[USA Today]]'', June 24, 2010.
  22. [https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/first-lady-launches-president-s-council-fitness-sports-and-nutrition "First Lady Launches President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition"] {{webarchive. link. (2017-02-16 , White House press release, June 23, 2010.)
  23. Tau, Bryon. (January 19, 2012). "Let's Move-affiliated website hacked". Politico.
  24. "Site Maintenance". The President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition.
  25. "Important Security Information".
  26. "The President's Challenge".
  27. (2025-07-31). "PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL ON SPORTS, FITNESS, AND NUTRITION, AND THE REESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL FITNESS TEST". The White House.
  28. Oldenburg, Ann. (June 24, 2010). "Michelle Obama jumps rope, emphasizes nutrition".
  29. [https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/first-lady-launches-president-s-council-fitness-sports-and-nutrition "First Lady Launches President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition"] {{webarchive. link. (February 16, 2017 , White House press release, June 23, 2010.)
  30. "Meet the Council". HHS.gov.
  31. Gabbatt, Adam. (2025-01-21). "Trump fires Mark Milley and José Andrés amid plans for mass purge of Biden administration". The Guardian.
  32. Voepel, Mechelle. (March 23, 2022). "Washington Mystics' Elena Delle Donne named co-chair of President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition". [[ESPN]].
  33. "The President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition". The White House.
  34. "Physical Fitness Awards".
  35. "Active Lifestyle Award".
  36. "Presidential Champions Awards: Celebrate Your Achievements: The President's Challenge".
  37. (3 April 2015). "SuperTracker Discontinued June 30, 2018".
  38. "PCSFN Community Leadership Award {{!}} health.gov".
  39. "50 year anniversary booklet".
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