Physical Activity Implementation Guide (Jira PSS-2091)

Being physically active is one of the most important lifestyle behaviors people can engage in to maintain physical and mental health and well-being. It is relevant across almost all age groups, from preschoolers to the elderly. Regular physical activity is both health-promoting and important for chronic disease and infectious disease treatment and prevention with numerous benefits that contribute to a disability-free lifespan. Active living can also enhance social connectedness, quality of life, and environmental sustainability.

Currently in the US, one in four adults are physically inactive with increasing prevalence across some geographies and in certain race/ethnicities. Only 26 percent of men, 19 percent of women, and 20 percent of adolescents, report sufficient activity to meet the relevant aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity guidelines. The current levels of physical inactivity in the US population create $117 billion in annual healthcare costs and contribute about 10 percent of premature mortality. Even so, current population physical activity levels avert 3.9 million premature deaths globally and 140,200 premature deaths in the US on an annual basis.