Editor’s Desk: Promoting Physical Activity in the Workplace

Release of the second edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans ¹ in fall 2018 provides an important opportunity to assure that everyone in the United States knows how lifesaving it is to move more and sit less. Employers are a catalyst for disseminating and reinforcing the major recommendations in the guidelines as they are at the nexus of workplace, community, and health-care delivery. These recent guidelines convey the tremendous health impact of physical activity on brain health, managing and reducing chronic disease, reducing depression and anxiety, weight management, reducing hypertension, and many other benefits. Helping employees move more is a great way to help control upwardly spiraling health-care costs, increase labor productivity and output, and improve mental health and well-being.

In this issue, Dr Russ Pate summarizes the latest science that is the foundation for the new guidelines with a focus on areas that should be of special interest to employers. Dr Ablah and colleagues summarize physical activity policy interventions that can be integrated across different work environments. Dr Cedric Bryant discusses the work of the Prescription for Activity Task Force, an initiative that seeks to increase physical activity screening and prescription. There is no reason why the physical activity prescription cannot happen within worksite health promotion and employers can provide resources to employees to be physically active at the worksite and in their communities. They can also synchronize with the health-care system to assure seamless delivery of care.

Finally, the last article is an outcome of the National Academy of Medicine physical activity surveillance initiative, ² where the worksite sector identified the need to develop consistent criteria for physical activity, physical fitness, and sedentary behavior assessment in worksite health promotion and an expert consensus author group was separately convened to do that work. The intent is for employers, vendors, and stakeholders to implement these measures so we evaluate outcomes and develop individually tailored, evidence-based programming using consistent, validated measures.

Together, these articles provide a road map for integrating and promoting physical activity across an environment where most adults spend a majority of their time. Employers are key stakeholders in making this happen. It’s an exciting time to inspire a physically active nation.