Physical Activity
Guidelines and Recommendations

Below are selected prevention and treatment guidelines, recommendations, frameworks, approaches, and other documents related to physical activity. Also see related links on this page.

CDC Recommendations: Nutrition and Physical Activity
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/recommendations.htm
CDC's Nutrition and Physical Activity Program develops recommendations in several topic areas. The program also partners with other government agencies to provide comprehensive information for partners, public health educators, and the public. In this Web site, you will find information on, physical activity, healthy eating, overweight and obesity, pediatric growth, and iron status.

Increasing Physical Activity: A Report on Recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services (2001)
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5018a1.htm
PDF
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5018.pdf
Physical inactivity and dietary patterns are second only to tobacco use as a leading cause of preventable death in the United States. The Task Force on Community Preventive Services conducted systematic reviews of community interventions to increase physical activity. The Task Force strongly recommended or recommended six interventions: two informational approaches; three behavioral and social approaches; and one environmental and policy approach. Even with all the known benefits of regular physical activity, only 25% of adults in the United States report engaging in recommended physical activity levels (i.e., either 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on >5 days/week or 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity on >3 days/week); 29% report no leisure-time regular physical activity; and only 27% of students in grades 9-12 engage in moderate-intensity physical activity.

Exercise-Related Injuries Among Women: Strategies for Prevention from Civilian and Military Studies (2000)
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr4902a3.htm
PDF (p. 13)
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr4902.pdf
Because of the limited scientific research regarding women engaging in exercise, general recommendations are provided. Women starting exercise programs should be realistic about their goals and start slowly at frequency, duration, and intensity levels commensurate with their current physical fitness condition. Women should be informed about the early indicators of potential injury. Women who have sustained an injury should take precautions to prevent reinjury (e.g., ensuring appropriate recovery and rehabilitation).

Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/sgr.htm
This is the first Surgeon General's report to address physical activity and health. The main message of this report is that Americans can substantially improve their health and quality of life by including moderate amounts of physical activity in their daily lives. Health benefits from physical activity are thus achievable for most Americans, including those who may dislike vigorous exercise and those who may have been previously discouraged by the difficulty of adhering to a program of vigorous exercise. For those who are already achieving regular moderate amounts of activity, additional benefits can be gained by further increases in activity level.

Related Links

Physical Activity: Women’s Health Topics A-Z
http://www.cdc.gov/women/az/phyact.htm

Guide to Community Preventive Services
http://www.cdc.gov/epo/communityguide.htm

This site contains documents in PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access the file. If you do not have the Acrobat Reader, you may download a free copy from the Adobe Web site.
 

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This page last reviewed November 29, 2004
URL: http://www.cdc.gov/women/gderecom/phyact.htm

US Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Office of Women's Health