How are We Doing with Physical Activity?

An estimated 60% of U.S. adults are inactive or underactive, and nearly half of America's youth (aged 12 to 21 years) are not vigorously active on a regular basis. Downstream interventions provide individual strategies that effectively increase short-term participation in physical activity by 10% to 25%. Downstream and midstream approaches tailored to individual preferences have greater success. Packaging and disseminating physical activity programs for community, worksite, and health care settings are not as far along as for other areas, although inactivity prevalence is about twice that of smoking, and both risk factors have substantial morbidity and mortality. Less is known about effectiveness of upstream approaches, which have potential for the greatest public health impact. Suggestions include continued promotion of moderate-intensity physical activity, greater dissemination of successful programs, and investigation of physical environment influences.