The National Physical Activity Plan is organized into ten societal sectors, each reflecting a unique role in promoting physical activity. Within each sector, the Plan identifies targeted strategies and specific tactics to guide communities, organizations, and policymakers in advancing active living and increasing physical activity.
Recognizing that some strategies encompass multiple sectors, our Plan also has several overarching priorities. Click on each sector, listed below, to learn more about them:
The Business and Industry Sector works to boost physical activity in the workplace, helping reduce chronic disease costs and improve employee performance. Its strategies range from individual programs and organizational policies to development of surveillance and evaluation activities to monitor physical activity in U.S. workers.
The Community Recreation, Fitness, and Parks Sector promotes physical activity through nonprofit, government, and local community centers, parks, fitness facilities, private facilities, and trainers. Its strategies focus on expanding access to safe, enjoyable recreation spaces and educating communities on available parks and recreation opportunities and resources.
The Education Sector advances physical activity in schools, from early childhood through higher education. Its strategies emphasize comprehensive school physical activity programs, high-quality physical education, and policies that promote physical activity among students.
The Faith-Based Settings Sector empowers places of worship and service organizations to deliver effective physical activity programs. Its strategies aim to improve holistic health for congregations and communities.
The Healthcare Sector integrates physical activity promotion into clinical practice, insurance, and healthcare systems. Its strategies work to ensure providers recognize and adopt physical activity promotion as a core tool for improving population health and reducing healthcare costs.
The Media and Communications Sector emphasizes the importance of developing and disseminating physical activity messages that are evidence-based and help from the public’s understanding of physical activity. Its strategies focus using media and communications to inform, educate, and motivate the U.S. population to be active.
The Military Settings Sector promotes physical activity across U.S. military communities. Its strategies address declining fitness as a national security concern and methods to improve physical activity among active duty, reservist, veteran, and civilian employees of the US Armed Service and their families.
The Public Health Sector advances physical activity through federal, state, county, and local health departments and non-governmental public health organizations like higher education institutions, professional societies, non-profits, think tanks, and advocacy groups. Its strategies strengthen the public health workforce, expand policy and advocacy efforts, and enhance surveillance and evaluation to support active communities.
The Sport Sector focuses on organized sport and free and casual play to increase participation opportunities for youth and adults to be more physically active. Its strategies present an integrated approach to using sports as a vehicle to increase physical activity and to promote health.
The Transportation, Land Use, and Community Design Sector encourages walking, biking, and active mobility through community planning and design. Its strategies promote active design principles into the community planning process to create safe and enjoyable transportation systems and public spaces that support active lifestyles.