"Physical Activity in the U.S. Population –The Target and a Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Hitting It"
Abstract
This presentation will overview two national initiatives, both aimed at increasing the physical activity level of the U.S. population. The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PAG’s) is the latest large-scale effort to provide the public with evidence-based recommendations regarding the types and amounts of physical activity. The development and content of the 2018 PAG’s will be summarized with emphasis on elements of the Guidelines that are distinct from earlier efforts to communicate with public regarding physical activity and its health effects. The National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) is a comprehensive strategic plan for increasing physical activity in all segments of the U.S. population, and it is led by a coalition of national not-for-profit organizations that have collaborated in developing two iterations of the Plan. The current NPAP is organized around nine societal sectors and includes over 250 evidence-based strategies and tactics. Key components of the Plan will be highlighted.
Bio
Russell R. Pate, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Exercise Science in the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. Pate is an exercise physiologist with interests in physical activity and physical fitness in children and the health implications of physical activity. He has published more than 350 scholarly papers and has authored or edited eight books. His research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Heart Association, and several private foundations and corporations. He heads a research team that is currently supported by multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health.He served on the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (2003-04), the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee (2007-08and 2017-18), and an Institute of Medicine panel that developed guidelines on prevention of childhood obesity. He currently serves as Executive Director ofthe National Physical Activity Plan Alliance.