Antronette Yancey, MD-Creator of Instant Recess™, Meb Keflezighi-American marathon champion, Robert Sallis, MD, FACSM-Chair of Exercise is Medicine™

This is my last post as president of the American College of Sports Medicine (Tom Best, M.D.,  Ph.D., takes office at the conclusion of our 57^th Annual Meeting, June 2-5 in Baltimore). One special satisfaction of this remarkable year has been the opportunity for the College to play a role in the development and launch of the National Physical Activity Plan.

ACSM has contributed in several ways, all in keeping with our mission. Many of our member/experts served on the working groups that identified strategies and tactics for each of the Plan's eight sectors. Robert Sallis, M.D., led the Health Care working group. What could be more appropriate for the chair of the Exercise is Medicine^TM initiative than helping all Americans enjoy optimum health by ensuring they have opportunities for physical activity?

As the Plan now moves into implementation, I urge all ACSM members to become involved. As experts in an array of disciplines from education and research to clinical medicine and health/fitness, ACSM members have the skills and connections to carry the Plan's strategies to policy makers and others who can make them a reality.

We each have a personal stake in bringing about the kinds of changes called for in the Plan. Our children need to be more active at school. Our neighborhoods need sidewalks and pocket parks. Our roads need bike lanes. Our employers need to encourage workplace wellness, and so on.

The National Physical Activity Plan, like ACSM, is comprehensive, diverse and rich with opportunities. Helping implement the Plan embodies our role of translating knowledge into practice. Nothing could be more appropriate—and nothing could have a more profound impact on so many individuals and communities.

What opportunities does your professional role offer to help implement the National Physical Activity Plan?

What can you do as a member of your community to help bring opportunities for appropriate physical activity to each of your fellow citizens?

The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans provided the nation with an airtight scientific case for why a person should make exercise a top priority.  The case is unchallenged and polls show that the health benefits of exercise are generally acknowledged by an overwhelming majority of Americans.  Nevertheless, research suggests that most Americans are not active enough to actually reap the benefits.

 We are left, therefore, with one simple, maddening, urgent question:

“How do we compel more Americans to exercise regularly?”

We know there are real barriers to physical activity (injury/illness, unsafe environment, etc.), but other commonly cited barriers, such as “lack of time,” seem too often to simply be the consequence of low prioritization; conscious or subconscious choices to put-off exercise until a theoretical later date.     

 At IHRSA, one way we’ve attempted to address the question is with our I Lost it at the Club! program, an eight-week motivational weight loss program designed to help individuals keep their New Year’s resolutions and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle year-round.  Currently in its 6th year, I Lost it at the Club! is set up as a competition among the participating health clubs.  Last year, a total of 4,857 participants lost over 22,100 lbs.

Undoubtedly, much of the program’s success is due to the great passion and spirit of the participating clubs and their communities, but we think a critical component of the program is that it ties people to something bigger than themselves.  It fosters camaraderie, holds people accountable to others, and celebrates accomplishments.  Moreover, it recognizes that physical activity, like obesity, is contagious, and that social environments play a major role in our levels of physical activity.

The compelling power of camaraderie is certainly not a novel concept, but perhaps it has nevertheless been undervalued or underemphasized in the promotion of physical activity.   It seems like the business community is beginning to incorporate the idea into workplace wellness programs, and social gatherings like running clubs have certainly flourished, but we’d like to see it spread deeper into society, embraced by families, friends, religious groups, book clubs, Facebook friends, etc. 

We want us all to challenge those around us – the people we care about – to be more physically active.

We know there are several wonderful organizations with programs designed to bring people together for physical activity.  We would love to hear from as many of you as possible.  What are you doing and how has it worked?

 This week, we highlight efforts that communities in California and Utah are taking to increase physical activity among all residents:

• City of Palm Springs to participate in 2009 Desert Fitness Challenge (Source:  The Desert Sun News)   Schools and communities in California are engaged in a friendly competition to increase physical activity among students and residents.

• Utah cities starting to consider lifestyles when approving developments (Source:  The Salt Lake Tribune News)  Utah communities are considering healthier city planning policies. 

Does your community promote physical activity?  Tell us in the comments section.