First National Physical Activity Plan Released

May 04, 2010 | Written By: Healthy Schools Campaign

by Laura Fillenwarth

The first-ever U.S. National
Physical Activity Plan was released yesterday, and we were pleased
to see that schools play a significant role in this effort to make
physical activity a regular part of Americans’ lives.

In
partnership with Michelle Obama’s Let’s
Move Campaign, and to reverse the nation’s alarming obesity trend,
the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and the Prevention
Research Center at the University of South Carolina along released
the first National
Activity Plan with a collection of partner
organizations.

The National Physical Activity Plan is a
comprehensive blueprint for promoting physical activity in the American
population. Similar plans have been successful in other countries,
including Canada, Finland, Scotland, and the UK.

In order
to empower all Americans to be physically active, the plan tackles a
variety of settings including public health; health care; education;
parks, recreation, fitness, and sports; transportation, urban design and
community planning; business and industry; volunteer and non-profit
organizations; and the mass media.

Many of the plan’s
recommendations are in line with HSC’s approach to creating school
environments that support wellness. For example, one of the strategies
for education is to “develop and implement state and school district
policies requiring school accountability for the quality and quantity of
physical education.” Other strategies include providing access to
physical activity before and after school and promoting physical
activity in early childhood settings.

Yesterday’s launch
included a press conference and congressional briefings sponsored by Senator Tom Harkin and Congressman Ron Kind were held
that afternoon. The National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity
(NCPPA) will lead the implementation following the launch.