Physical education (PE) can make meaningful contributions to public health by directly providing moderate to vigorous physical activity (PA) opportunities for school-aged youth. Quality PE aims to contribute indirectly to PA beyond the school day. Unfortunately, insufficient evidence exists regarding the impact of PE on lifelong PA. This has led…

This article has two purposes: (a) to consider existing platforms and future possibilities in the United States for what the authors refer to as Integrative Public Health-Aligned Physical Education (IPHPE), which integrates standards-based K-12 physical education with a public health agenda focusing on promoting increased physical activity and…

Physical education has been an institution in American schools since the late 19th century, and today almost all American children are exposed to physical education classes. It has often been claimed that physical education provides important benefits to public health. The purpose of this paper is to determine if physical education increases…

The purpose of this paper is to outline why physical activity policy is important in terms of promoting population based increases in physical activity. The promotion of physical activity through public policy happens globally and nationally, however to be successful it should also happen at state and local levels. We outline the rationale for the…

The translation of health research is a process of transforming scientific discoveries arising from laboratory, clinical, or population studies into clinical or population-based applications to improve health by reducing disease incidence, morbidity, and mortality. Initiated by the National Institutes for Health Roadmap Initiative and the U.S.…

In this paper we focus our attention on an examination of the four-step process adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its systematic campaign to promote physically active lifestyles by older adults across the 193 WHO member states. The four steps adopted by the WHO include (1) Building Consensus Among Professionals; (2) Educating the…

School physical education plays an important role in public health. Nonetheless, there are few evidence-based, health-related, physical education programs and very little is known about how to disseminate them for widespread use. This article (a) presents background information and a review of the completed research on the SPARK (Sports, Play, and…

This article examines the obesity, health, and physical activity discourses of the past 35 years in the context of the United States with particular reference to five social sectors: the biomedical domain; the popular media; nonprofit foundations, centers and agencies; various national and multinational corporations; and government at all levels.…

In this "Seventeenth Delphine Hanna Commemorative Lecture," Boyce draws on the legacy of Delphine Hanna's work in science-based curriculum to address the need for today's educators to balance both professional mission and disciplinary knowledge. In the mid 1960s, Franklin Henry proposed the notion that the foundation of physical…

Sedentary living is a serious global public health problem that is associated with numerous preventable diseases. Schools are in a position to be the most cost-effective public resource to combat inactivity. In schools physical educators are positioned to be the strongest advocates of a healthy, active lifestyle. To effectively promote physical…

Data on the dose-response gradient for the relation of physical activity or physical fitness to health and function are reviewed, refuting the idea that physical activity programs are either exercise for health or for fitness and suggesting that the key factor is the total energy expenditure of the activity. (SM)

Reviews factors that led to the issuance of official pronouncements on the health implications of physical activity by various prestigious scientific and medical societies, summarizing several statements. Emphasis has shifted from endorsing structured exercise to supporting public health interventions to promote physical activity through…

This paper traces the evolution fitness testing from an athletic emphasis to one with a public health focus and examines the forces that brought about the change in an environment that was not totally receptive. An atmosphere for change was created during this era with the development of exercise physiology, exercise epidemiology, and measurement.…

The inclusion of a representative sample of understudied populations (e.g., women, minorities, older adults, youth, and people with disabilities) in physical activity promotion studies is a public health priority. Given the limited empirical evidence of effective recruitment strategies and limitations in research methodology for both over…

This article presents the author's presentation on the 13th Delphine Hanna Commemorative Lecture in 2004. The presentation examines some of the problems and issues that must be addressed in order to promote physical activity in the academy and beyond. While there is no all embracing prescription, the author hopes to offer some suggestions that…