Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Public Health and Clinical Recommendations for Physical Activity and Physical Fitness

Special Focus on Overweight Youth

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Sports Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Numerous physical activity and physical fitness recommendations exist for youth. To date, however, no investigator has systematically reviewed these public health and clinical guidelines to determine whether the recommendations address overweight youth. This review examines youth-oriented physical activity and physical fitness recommendations for both the public health community and the clinical community, and assesses how overweight youth are specifically targeted by each of these two groups. Our review determined the extent to which the recommendations assessed four components of physical activity (i.e. frequency, intensity, duration and type) and four components of physical fitness (i.e. cardiorespiratory capacity, strength, flexibility and body composition). We further reviewed clinical recommendations to determine how they included two facets of the physician-patient encounter: assessment and counselling. After identifying all current physical activity and physical fitness recommendations for youth, we evaluated whether public health (n = 13) and clinical recommendations (n = 12) addressed physical activity and physical fitness for overweight youth. Findings revealed inconsistent, yet explicit, recommendations for the public health community where most organisations (12 of 13, 92%) included ≥3 physical activity components. In addition, organisations encouraged volumes of daily moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity for youth ranging from 30–60 or more minutes. Recommendations for the clinical community generally did not provide explicit physical activity and fitness recommendations to advise physicians on the assessment and counselling of patients and their families. Overweight youth were addressed within some recommendations (6 of 12, 50%) for the clinical community, but within few recommendations (2 of 13, 15%) for the public health community. To best inform public health and clinical communities, organisations developing future recommendations should include information fully documenting the decision-making processes used to develop the recommendations. In cases where mutual goals exist, public health and clinical communities should consider collaborating across agencies to develop joint recommendations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Table I
Table II
Table III
Table IV
Table V

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. US Department of Health and Human Services. Physical activity and health: a report of the surgeon general. Atlanta (GA): US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  2. Caspersen CJ, Nixon PA, DuRant RH. Physical activity epidemiology applied to children and adolescents. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 1998; 26: 341–403

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Moore LL, Nguyen US, Rothman KJ, et al. Preschool physical activity level and change in body fatness in young children: the Framingham Children’s Study. Am J Epidemiol 1995; 142(9): 982–8

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Malina RM. Tracking of physical activity and physical fitness across the lifespan. Res Q Exerc Sport 1996; 67 (3 Suppl.): S48–57

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Robinson TN. Reducing children’s television viewing to prevent obesity: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 1999; 282: 1561–7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Jeffery RW, Drewnowski A, Epstein L, et al. Long-term maintenance of weight loss: current status. Health Psychol 2000; 19 (1 Suppl.): 5–16

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Must A, Strauss RS. Risks and consequences of childhood and adolescent obesity. Int J Obes 1999; 23 (2 Suppl.): S2–S11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ogden CL, Flegal KM, Carroll MD, et al. Prevalence and trends in overweight among US children and adolescents, 1999–2000. JAMA 2002; 288(14): 1728–32

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. World Health Organization. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Geneva: WHO, Division of Noncommunicable Diseases, Programme of Nutrition Family and Reproductive Health, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  10. Byers T, Nestle M, McTiernan A, et al. American Cancer Society guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention: reducing the risk of cancer with healthy food choices and physical activity. CA Cancer J Clin 2002; 52: 92–119

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. American College of Sports Medicine. Exercise testing and prescription for children, the elderly, and pregnant women. In: Franklin BA, Whaley MH, Howley ET, editors. ACSM’s guidelines for exercise testing and prescription. 6th ed. Baltimore (MD): Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000: 217–34

    Google Scholar 

  12. Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care. National physical activity guidelines for Australians. Sydney: Active Australia, 1999

    Google Scholar 

  13. Health Canada. Canada’s physical activity guide for children. Brampton (ON): Minister of Public Works and Government Services, 2002

    Google Scholar 

  14. Health Canada. Canada’s physical activity guide for youth. Brampton (ON): Minister of Public Works and Government Services, 2002

    Google Scholar 

  15. Pate RR, Trost SM, Williams C. Critique of existing guidelines for physical activity in young people. In: Biddle S, Sallis J, Cavill N, editors. Young and active? Young people and health enhancing physical activity: evidence and implications. London: Health Education Authority, 1998: 162–76

    Google Scholar 

  16. Sallis JF, Patrick K. Physical activity guidelines for adolescents: consensus statement. Pediatr Exerc Sci 1994; 6: 302–14

    Google Scholar 

  17. National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine. Dietary reference intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2002

    Google Scholar 

  18. Corbin CB, Pangrazi RP. Physical activity for children: a statement of guidelines. Reston (VA): National Association for Sport and Physical Education, 1998: 1–21

    Google Scholar 

  19. National Association for Sport and Physical Education. Active start: a statement of physical activity guidelines for children birth to five years. Reston (VA): NASPE Publications, 2000: 1–26

    Google Scholar 

  20. National Association for Sport and Physical Education. Physical activity for children: a statement of guidelines for children ages 5–12. 2nd ed. Reston (VA): NASPE Publications, 2004: 1–26

    Google Scholar 

  21. NIH Consensus Development Panel on Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health. Physical activity and cardiovascular health. NIH Consensus Conference. JAMA 1996; 276: 241–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Health and Human Services. Nutrition and your health: dietary guidelines for Americans. 5th ed. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 2000

    Google Scholar 

  23. Pate RR, Pratt M, Blair SN, et al. Physical activity and public health: a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine. JAMA 1995; 273: 402–7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. American Academy of Pediatrics. Assessing physical activity and fitness in the office setting. Pediatrics 1994; 93: 686–9

    Google Scholar 

  25. Fletcher GF. How to implement physical activity in primary and secondary prevention: a statement for healthcare professionals from the Task Force on Risk Reduction, American Heart Association. Circulation 1997; 96: 355–7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Williams CL, Hayman LL, Daniels SR, et al. Cardiovascular health in childhood: a statement for health professionals from the Committee on Atherosclerosis, Hypertension, and Obesity in the Young (AHOY) of the Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, American Heart Association. Circulation 2002; 106: 143–60

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. American Medical Association. Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS): recommendations monograph. 2nd ed. Chicago (IL): American Medical Association, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  28. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, US Department of Health and Human Services. Clinician’s handbook of preventive services. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  29. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for school and community programs to promote lifelong physical activity among young people. MMWR Recomm Rep 1997; 46(RR-6): 1–36

    Google Scholar 

  30. Patrick K, Spear B, Holt K, et al., editors. Bright futures in practice: physical activity. Arlington (VA): National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health, 2001

    Google Scholar 

  31. US Preventive Services Task Force. Guide to clinical preventive services. 2nd ed. Alexandria (VA): International Medical Publishing, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  32. American Academy of Family Practice. Summary of policy recommendations for periodic health examinations. Revision 5.1. Leawood (KS): American Academy of Family Practice, 2001

    Google Scholar 

  33. American Academy of Family Practice. Age charts for periodic health examinations. Revision 5.1. Leawood (KS): American Academy of Family Practice, 2001

    Google Scholar 

  34. American Academy of Pediatrics. Guidelines for health supervision. 3rd ed. Elk Grove Village (IL): American Academy of Pediatrics, 2002

    Google Scholar 

  35. Sallis JF, Patrick K, Frank E, et al. Interventions in health care settings to promote healthful eating and physical activity in children and adolescents. Prev Med 2000; 31: S112–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Twisk JWR. Physical activity guidelines for children and adolescents: a critical review. Sports Med 2001; 31(8): 617–27

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Caspersen CJ, Powell KE, Christenson GM. Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for health-related research. Public Health Rep 1985; 100(2): 126–46

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Office of the Surgeon General, Public Health Service, US Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s call to action to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity. Rockville (MD): US Government Printing Office, 2000

    Google Scholar 

  39. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, US Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy people 2010: objectives for improving health. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 2000

    Google Scholar 

  40. Troiano RP, Flegal KM, Kuczmarski RJ, et al. Overweight prevalence and trends for children and adolescents: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1963 to 1991. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1995; 149(10): 1085–91

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Ozmert E, Toyran M, Yurdakok K. Behavioral correlates of television viewing in primary school children evaluated by the child behavior checklist. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2002; 156(9): 910–4

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the editorial assistance of Christie L. Zunker, M.A. No sources of funding were used to assist in the preparation of this review. The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this review.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Mailstop K-46, Atlanta, Georgia, 30341-3724, USA

    Janet E. Fulton & Deborah A. Galuska

  2. University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA

    Meenakshi Garg

  3. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, USA

    Karyl Thomas Rattay

  4. Division of Diabetes Translation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Carl J. Caspersen

Authors
  1. Janet E. Fulton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Meenakshi Garg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Deborah A. Galuska
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Karyl Thomas Rattay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Carl J. Caspersen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Janet E. Fulton.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fulton, J.E., Garg, M., Galuska, D.A. et al. Public Health and Clinical Recommendations for Physical Activity and Physical Fitness. Sports Med 34, 581–599 (2004). https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200434090-00003

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200434090-00003

Keywords

Search

Navigation