Since 2000, the College of Health and Human Services along with the National Association of the Local Boards of Health has brought together professionals to discuss ways to improve healthcare both locally and nationwide. The 10th Annual Ned E. Baker Lecture in Public Health focused on ways the country could ‘Build a Healthier America.’ J. Nick Baird, moderator for the event and the chief executive officer for the Alliance to Make U.S. Healthiest, believes the problem isn’t the amount of money spent by the United States on health care, but how the money is spent. He said the focus of health care must be changed to a state of health and well being. Stephanie B.C. Bailey, chief of the office of public health practice at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wants people to make a goal of doing whatever needs to be done to create a healthier nation. ‘ She compared the country’s focus on health with that seen during the space race in the 1960s. ‘When John Kennedy said we would put a man on the moon there was no infrastructure, but over eight years later we did it,’ she said. Several factors play a part in the decreasing health in the country, but two stick out for Bailey. Eating at fast food restaurants and having a sedentary lifestyle combine to create an unhealthy lifestyle, she said. This includes spending several hours watching television while diet and exercise are ignored. ‘It’s your health, and you need to stand up for your health,’ she said. While Bailey wants people to become more health conscious, she also wants the health boards and schools to take an active role in making the community healthier. ‘We have to do evaluations and hold ourselves accountable for the mistakes we make,’ she said. Being in good physical condition is a way of life for Lt. Gen. Russel Honore [Ret.], who was in the U.S. Army for 37 years and had to have a physical taken every month consisting of push ups and sit ups. While Honore wants to see more activity from people he also knows that living a healthy lifestyle begins early. ‘If you’re going to change it then you must change it during preschool and kindergarten,’ he said. Honore also would like more of a focus centered on people getting healthier rather than providing more healthcare to people. ‘Your body is like a machine and if you put to much fuel in the engine and you don’t burn it up where does it go?’ he asked. Audience members found the panel to be a healthy discussion. Dave Chatfield, director of graduate student studies in business at the University of Toledo, enjoyed the directness of the message brought by the panel. ‘The panel has come the closest to making the message clear on what needs changed and how to start,’ he said.