ABSTRACT

Physical activity holds great promise for improving the quality of life of virtually every person in the world, regardless of age, sex, race, or health status. Over the past 40 years, researchers from a variety of academic disciplines (e.g., public health, exercise science, and psychology) have provided data on the powerful positive effects of physical activity on every system in the human body (e.g., cardiovascular, respiratory, immune, and muscular) and the detrimental health effects of inactivity. In this chapter, we will discuss the current research on key topics related to the health-enhancing effects of physical activity and the most promising factors associated with its promotion. To do this, our chapter is divided into six sections: (1) epidemiology of and national guidelines for health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA), (2) physical and mental effects of HEPA, (3) using psychosocial variables to promote HEPA, (4) using state-of-the-art technology to promote HEPA, (5) effects of built environment on HEPA, and (6) conclusions and future directions. The breadth of research in the fi eld of physical activity precludes the possibility of exhaustively reviewing each of the topics in this chapter. Hence, a greater emphasis is placed on the use of technology and the built environments to promote HEPA because these areas hold great promise for increasing HEPA in the United States as well as internationally.