On Tuesday, October 7, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will launch “The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans” in Washington, D.C. This occasion marks the first time the federal government has released guidelines on physical activity.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) formally called for the creation of such guidelines as part of an ACSM health policy conference in 2006 at the National Press Club in Washington. ACSM first published physical activity and public health guidelines with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1995, and just last year updated those guidelines in a joint publication with the American Heart Association. And ACSM has been working with Congress to ensure the review and publication of these physical activity guidelines every five years.

ACSM and the American Heart Association will support the new federal guidelines, as they are expected to reflect our previously published recommendations. Both are based on the most relevant science that links physical activity to improved health and wellness. Please look for additional details following the launch to help you in your professional translation and communication of physical activity guidelines.