Creating and making the case: global advocacy for physical activity.

What are the characteristics of fields within health that have been well advanced globally? How well placed is physical activity against these criteria? Could physical activity yet be described as “well advanced,” or is it still an underdeveloped area in public health? Could physical activity at the global level be described as having the following? • An identified and well-disseminated body of knowledge • Accessible surveillance data • Clear and simple guidelines or recommendations based on evidence • An identifiable, coordinated, and well-mobilized global voice • Policies and plans that are published and widely disseminated • Evidence of effectiveness for key public health strategies • Reasonable global and national consensus regarding the key strategies that should be prioritized • A well-trained and identified workforce • Clearly identified leaders in the field • An identifiable set of initiatives, products, and services to support global advocacy • Sufficient investment of human and financial resources to support and grow all of the above Certainly, relative to 10 years ago, physical activity has made significant progress in relation to science, research, evidence, monitoring, and guideline development. Regional physical activity networks have been formed and have begun mobilizing professional activity in relation to physical activity. These include the Physical Activity Network of the Americas (RAFA-PANA), the European Network for Promoting Health Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA Europe), the Asia Pacific Physical Activity Network, and the African Physical Activity