Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Across the Lifespan

Excerpt

When it comes to volume of physical activity, some is better for health than none and more is even better [1], plus participation in a higher intensity physical activity can lead to additional health benefits. There is, however, emerging evidence of beneficial health associations from exchanging sedentary behaviors for light-intensity physical activities (such as standing or light ambulatory activities versus sitting) [2, 3]. The challenge for health professionals is to implement the most effective strategies in the most appropriate settings for promoting physical activity and sedentary behavior control among different groups in the population (i.e., youth, adults, older adults, clinical populations, etc.). Effective interventions targeting physical activity among youth, for example, should take place in settings that will maximize access to this population group, ideally within a fertile context that facilitates behavior change. …