June 30, 2016 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu 

The below story was written by Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, MSc, Acting Assistant Secretary for Health, and is republished here from Health.gov's Prevention Policy Matters Blog.

When it comes to physical activity and health, we know that regular physical activity can produce long term health benefits and reduce the risk of depression, cognitive decline, and many chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.

And when it comes to opportunities to be physically activity, we know that we need to do more to create communities where everyone can make physical activity a part of their daily routine – through safe spaces to walk, run, bike, wheelchair roll, and play.

We know these facts because we worked with an advisory committee of experts who reviewed the scientific evidence linking physical activity and health to develop the first edition if the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans in 2008.

We know that the connection between physical activity and health is based on strong evidence. More evidence emerges every day that improves our knowledge of the health benefits of physical activity.

That is why today, we are announcing our 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee, made up of some of our country’s most accomplished physical activity and health experts.  We want to make sure that the recommendations that serve as the foundation for our national guidelines are based on the strongest, most current science.

These experts will play a critical role in a comprehensive process, culminating with the publication of the second edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. It will start with understanding the progress made since the first edition of the Guidelines, which recommended at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity for children ages 6–17, and 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity – plus two days a week of strength training – for adults.

During their two-year term, the Advisory Committee members will meet publicly approximately five times, reviewing and evaluating the most up-to-date scientific evidence as they prepare a scientific report with their recommendations. This report, along with feedback from the public and Federal partners, will help inform the second edition of the Guidelines. All meetings will be free and available by webcast, with the public welcome to attend the first two meetings in person.  Comments from the public, which are encouraged, can be submitted either online or in person at the second meeting. Details about these meetings will be coming soon.

Ultimately, this second edition of the Guidelines will give health professionals, the public, and policymakers science-based information on how Americans of all ages can use physical activity to reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve health outcomes throughout the country.

It will be a collaborative effort, led by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. You can follow the work of the committee on www.health.gov/paguidelines.

The members of the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee are:

Abby C. King, PhD, Co-chair
Professor, Health Research & Policy and Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine

Ken Powell, MD, MPH, Co-chair
Retired, CDC and Georgia Department of Human Resources

David Buchner, MD, MPH, FACSM
Shahid and Ann Carlson Khan Professor in Applied Health Sciences, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois

Wayne Campbell, PhD
Professor, Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University
Adjunct Faculty, Department of Health and Kinesiology, Purdue University

Loretta DiPietro, PhD, MPH, FACSM
Professor and Chair, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, the Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University

Kirk I. Erickson, PhD
Associate Professor, Departments of Psychology and Geriatric Medicine, University of Pittsburgh

Charles H. Hillman, PhD
Professor, Departments of Psychology and Health Sciences, Northeastern University

John M. Jakicic, PhD
Professor, Department of Health and Physical Activity, University of Pittsburgh
Director, Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center, University of Pittsburgh

Kathleen F. Janz, EdD, FACSM
Professor, Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa

Peter T. Katzmarzyk, PhD
Professor and Associate Executive Director for Population and Public Health Sciences, Pennington Biomedical Research Center

William E. Kraus, MD, FACSM
Professor, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Duke University

Richard F. Macko, MD
Professor, Neurology, Medicine, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Research Director, Veterans Affairs Maryland, Geriatrics Research, Educational, and Clinical Center

David Marquez, PhD, FACSM
Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois at Chicago
Director, Exercise Psychology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Chicago

Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, FACSM
Research Professor, University of Washington Schools of Medicine and Public Health
Full Member, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Russell R. Pate, PhD, FACSM
Professor, Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina
Chair, National Physical Activity Plan Alliance

Linda S. Pescatello, PhD, FACSM
Department of Kinesiology, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, Connecticut School of Medicine

Melicia C. Whitt-Glover, PhD, FACSM
President & CEO, Gramercy Research Group

Read the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' press release for more information.