auditing national physical activity policies applications dissemination and lessons learned from the hepa policy audit tool pat

• DOI: 10.5167/uzh-152006
• Publication Date: 2017-01-01
• Authors: Kahlmeier, Sonja; Milton, K; Cavill, Nick; Giné-Garriga, M; Galán-Mercant, A; Ley, V; Krtalic, S; Martin-Diener, Eva; Mota, J; Valente, A; Van Hoye, A; Vuillemin, A; Lombrail, P; Lecomte, F; Wendel-Vos, G C W; Storm, I; Bull, F
• Keywords: Auditing, policies, applications, dissemination; 13. Climate action; 11. Sustainability; 610 Medicine & health; 10060 Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI); Social sciences; Ciências sociais; 3. Good health

The promotion of physical activity is beneficial for the most prevalent non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers, as well as poor mental health. At the same time, it also has positive effects in many other policy areas, for example by promoting social inclusion, contributing to reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, reducing congestion, promoting a healthy workforce and through effective return on investments in sectors such as transport and tourism. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases calls for a 10% reduction in physical inactivity by 2025. The development and implementation of a comprehensive policy approach to promote health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) across the life-course and in all sectors is now widely recognized as a basis to successfully address insufficient levels of physical activity. Over the last decade, high-level international policy frameworks have laid out the principles and suggested approaches and contents for such policies.