VISION AND BACKGROUND

The U.S. National Physical Activity Plan is based on a vision:  One day, all Americans will be physically active, and they will live, work and play in environments that encourage and support regular physical activity.

The Plan is a comprehensive set of policies, programs, and initiatives designed to increase physical activity in all segments of the U.S. population. The Plan aims to foster a national culture that supports physically active lifestyles. Its ultimate purpose is to improve health, prevent disease and disability, and enhance quality of life.

The Plan was developed by a coalition of organizations that came together to form the National Physical Activity Plan Alliance. The Alliance is a non-profit organization committed to developing the Plan and taking actions that will enhance its effect on physical activity in the U.S. population.

The 2016 Plan builds on the first U.S. National Physical Activity Plan, which was released in 2010. Like the original Plan, the 2016 Plan was developed through a process that engaged hundreds of professionals, researchers, and leaders from public and private organizations. These individuals contributed to the work of nine Expert Panels, each of which focused on one societal sector. These nine sectors – Business and Industry; Community Recreation, Fitness and Parks; Education; Faith-Based Settings; Healthcare; Mass Media; Public Health; Sport; and Transportation, Land Use and Community Design – provide the organizational framework for the Plan. Each Expert Panel reviewed the 2010 Plan and recommended enhancements, refinements, and additions to the Strategies and Tactics that comprise the core content for its sector.

The Expert Panels’ work was informed by public comment, which was solicited at the beginning of the revision process, during a National Summit in 2015, and after a draft of the revised plan was released in early 2016. A Revision Executive Committee oversaw the process of producing the current Plan. Ultimately, the Plan is the responsibility of the Board of Directors of the National Physical Activity Plan Alliance, which approved this revised Plan prior to its release in April, 2016.