Translating science into public health practice: Lessons from physical activity interventions

It has been 10 years since the Surgeon General’s office ssued its landmark report on physical activity (PA), spellng out the scientific evidence for the health benefits of hysical fitness and urging Americans to exercise more. oday, despite an ever-growing evidence base and conerted efforts to get out the “get fit” message, Americans’ xercise patterns have changed little [1]. Why is this, and hat can be done? In light of the rapidly growing populaion of older adults, who stand to gain the most benefit from ncreasing PA, finding answers to these central questions as never been more urgent. There is clear consensus that PA is one of the best things eople can do for their bodies and minds, in terms of both imiting disease and improving quality of life [2]. Numerous ational and regional health surveys and prospective interentional studies variously conclude that regular PA inreases physical functioning and the ability to engage in ctivities of daily living [3]; reduces the risk and burden of oronary heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, colon ancer, and osteoporosis [4]; and extends years of life [1,5]. eviews in this supplement detail the growing evidence that A protects against cognitive decline, on the basis of epiemiologic studies, animal research, and prospective human rials [6–8]. Strong evidence also supports the relationship etween PA and emotional well-being. Moreover, by reducng cardiovascular risk, PA also lowers risk for cognitive ecline and dementia [9–11]. Thus, increasing one’s level of PA is not only directly ssociated with maintenance of cognitive health but might lso prevent cognitive decline indirectly by reducing cariovascular risk factors, although further research is war-