On September 19, over 100 thought leaders—representing over 75 organizations—gathered just outside Washington DC for the second annual Physical Activity Symposium, hosted by the Physical Activity Alliance (PAA). With a focus on collaboration and innovation, this year’s event was all about how we as a community can drive progress towards systemic solutions.
NIRSA Executive Director Pam Watts, who is currently serving as PAA President, started the event by welcoming participants from a variety of sectors, including healthcare, fitness, education, public health, military, and policymaking. In her remarks she emphasized the importance of working as a collective to address complex issues. “We are here to meet as a community to explore how we can address physical inactivity,” she stated.
Pam emphasized the need to look for systemic solutions. While the symposium featured big topics, the day aimed to “spark a thousand ideas for future collaboration and innovation.”
The symposium featured both panel discussions from diverse experts—such as “Changing the Systems,” “Transforming the Culture,” and “Finding Policy Opportunities”—and roundtable discussions amongst attendees.
Throughout the day, experts discussed how to evolve and integrate their sectors to better support physical activity. They also analyzed the many benefits of physical activity. Much of the conversation focused on physical activity as a critical factor in public health. Key takeaways include:
- The historical evolution of physical activity guidelines and the ongoing gap between recommendations and behaviors
- The need for a cohesive relationship between exercise as healthcare and public health, including standardizing physical activity referrals in healthcare which emphasizes the need for accountability in policies since “policy without accountability is just paper”
- The critical nature of integrating physical activity into all levels of education; policies in K-12 alone could impact 55 million students daily
- A mindset shift among exercise professionals was needed to better understand, advocate for, and emphasize their role in public health
- The importance of innovative community engagement strategies and adapting public health initiatives to address barriers like climate change
- Accessibility and community design principles as critical factors in addressing physical inactivity
The symposium underscored our collective responsibility to tackle physical inactivity. Together, we can make physical activity a priority in public health.
