American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
For Immediate Release Apr 14, 2008

OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS:  During the AMSSM Business Meeting at Rendezvous II in Las Vegas, March 29, 2008, Robert J. Dimeff, MD announced his Presidential Legacy.

Having witnessed first hand 20 years of the progressive Obesity Epidemic here in the US as well as around the world, he has decided that AMSSM can make a positive impact on the health of the Youth of America. While the obesity epidemic is be tied to many factors, the one area that we as PCSM physicians know is a major contributor is the decrease in overall physical activity. This is due to many reasons including increased screen time, lack of free play, modern transportation, and removal of physical education classes from school systems. 

He is proposing that all students K-12, attend mandatory physical activity (education) classes, 45 minutes per day, 5 days per week. While this will not solve the obesity epidemic, it will improve the health, fitness and intelligence of children. In the past year, relationships have been established with many medical, political, educational, and business organizations that support this concept. The AMSSM can push for this change. It will have to be mandated at the state level, but he plans to push the Federal Government to support this. He is looking for volunteers in every state to join this cause. Please contact him at [email protected] if you are interested in becoming involved in this effort in your state. 

The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) was organized in 1991 by physicians who recognized the need for an organization within the field of sports medicine that approached athletes, exercising individuals and teams comprehensively with consultative and continuous care of their orthopedic, medical, nutritional and psychosocial issues. Although sports medicine concepts are often thought of in conjunction with professional and elite athletes, these concepts apply to athletes of all levels including grade school, high school, college and recreational athletes. AMSSM is comprised of over 1000 Sports Medicine Physicians whose goal is to provide a link between the rapidly expanding core of knowledge related to sports medicine and its application to patients in a clinical setting.

NOTE: For more information, please contact the AMSSM, 11639 Earnshaw, Overland Park, KS 66210, (913) 327-1415.