Promoting Physical Activity

The following section provides resources and tools for professionals to use as they promote physical activity among various audiences. It includes links to brochures that CDC has developed for the general public and links to other organizations that provide resources for physical activity promotion.

Physical Activity for Everyone
CDC’s Web site highlighting the importance of living a physically active lifestyle, including sections on measuring physical activity intensity, making physical activity a part of your life, and how to get started.

2008 Physical Activity Guidelines Fact Sheets for Professionals

CDC's Brochure, Trails for Health: Promoting Healthy Lifestyles & Environments
Trails for Health is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiative to help Americans of all ages achieve the health benefits of physical activity by increasing opportunities for physical activity and helping to make it an integral part of community life.

Promoting Physical Activity: A Guide for Community Action
Community-based approaches to promoting physical activity.

Promoting Active Lifestyles Among Older Adults [PDF-723k]

The Youth Physical Activity Guidelines Tool Kit
A CDC resource for community leaders; physical education, health education teachers and physical activity practitioners.

Related Resources

2008 Physical Activity Guidelines Toolkit for Organizations and Communities
A comprehensive approach to helping all Americans achieve the health benefits of regular physical activity involves action at all levels of society: individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and public policy.

American Council on Exercise Fit Facts
The American Council on Exercise provides "Fit Facts", one-page information sheets each covering a different health or fitness topic.

American Diabetes Association Resources for Health Professionals
The American Diabetes Association provides resources for all health care professionals who work with patients with diabetes. Educational tools for providers and patients alike, and links to diabetes education resources can be found here.

American Society on Aging: Physical Activity for Older Adults
The American Society on Aging has created strategies and materials to enhance the capacity of national, state and local organizations in serving the health promotion and disease prevention needs of older adults. Funded through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these strategies and materials are designed to increase understanding of the changing health and social service needs of an aging and more diverse population. The strategies provide tools for professionals in stand-alone modules available for free on the Internet.

National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity
NCPPA has created and collected a number of different tools to promote physical activity.

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute provides numerous materials on nutrition and physical activity for both the general public and health professionals.

Your Heart Your Life
Your Heart, Your Life is a Web-based training course for health educators that will help them to acquire the knowledge, skills, and motivating factors to help take action against heart disease. One session of the course, Be More Physically Active, is currently available. The materials are also available in Spanish.

University of South Carolina Directory of Reviewed Physical Activity Promotion Materials
Materials that have been developed as a resource for practitioners, researchers, and community volunteers who are promoting health through physical activity.