PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND PUBLIC-HEALTH - A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CENTERS-FOR-DISEASE-CONTROL-AND-PREVENTION AND THE AMERICAN-COLLEGE-OF-SPORTS-MEDICINE

Objective.-To encourage increased participation in physical activity a mong Americans of all ages by issuing a public health recommendation o n the types and amounts of physical activity needed for health promoti on and disease prevention. Participants.-A planning committee of five scientists was established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prev ention and the American College of Sports Medicine to organize a works hop. This committee selected 15 other workshop discussants on the basi s of their research expertise in issues related to the health implicat ions of physical activity. Several relevant professional or scientific organizations and federal agencies also were represented. Evidence.-T he panel of experts reviewed the pertinent physiological, epidemiologi c, and clinical evidence, including primary research articles and rece nt review articles. Consensus Process.-Major issues related to physica l activity and health were outlined, and selected members of the exper t panel drafted sections of the paper from this outline. A draft manus cript was prepared by the planning committee and circulated to the ful l panel in advance of the 2-day workshop. During the workshop, each se ction of the manuscript was reviewed by the expert panel, Primary atte ntion was given to achieving group consensus concerning the recommende d types and amounts of physical activity. A concise ''public health me ssage'' was developed to express the recommendations of the panel, Dur ing the ensuing months, the consensus statement was further reviewed a nd revised and was formally endorsed by both the Centers for Disease C ontrol and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine. Con clusion.-Every US adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of modera te-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the we ek.