HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010: Surgeon General To Unveil Health Plan

      U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher is expected to announce his Healthy People 2010 public health campaign focusing on overweight kids, smokers and minorities, the AP/Chicago Tribune reports. The program aims to increase the number of Americans who exercise 30 minutes each day from 15% to 30% while reducing by half the 11% of overweight or obese children nationwide. In addition, the plan will target substance abuse, depression, sexual behavior, and access to health care. "The underlying premise of Healthy People 2010 is that the health of the individual is inseparable from the health of the larger community," Satcher said. The ambitious program will include, for the first time, a tracking system measuring 10 areas, or "leading health indicators," that address a combination of health and social issues. Enlisting the help of state and local health agencies, the tracking system will allow federal agencies to compile information to assess the success of Healthy People 2010. In particular, Satcher hopes that the tracking system will help eliminate some of the racial disparities in health, including infant mortality rates and the incidence of certain diseases like diabetes and breast cancer (Gullo, 1/25).