State indicator report on physical activity, 2014

The State Indicator Report on Physical Activity, 2014, presents state-level information on physical activity behaviors and on environmental and policy supports for physical activity.People who are physically active generally live longer and have a lower risk for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, some cancers, and obesity. Environmental and policy strategies such as access to safe places for physical activity, physical education and physical activity in schools and child care settings, and street-scale and community-scale design policy can help increase physical activity behavior among all AmericansThis report shows that physical activity among adults and high school students is higher in some states than others. Overall, most states have environmental and policy strategies in place that encourage physical activity.The State Indicator Report on Physical Activity, 2014, can be used to illustrate how states support physical activity and identify opportunities to improve access to environmental supports such as sidewalks or walking paths for active behavior.State health departments can work with governmental and non- governmental partners to create safe places for physical activity, to enhance physical education and physical activity in schools and child care settings, and to support street-scale and community-scale design policy. These partnerships will likely depend on the type of activities a state chooses to focus on. For example, some state departments of health, parks and recreation, and education may work together to help communities establish joint-use agreements that allow residents to use school physical activity facilities after school hours. To increase residents\u2019 access to safe sidewalks, state departments of health, transportation, and community organization may work together to support street-scale design policies.Suggested citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State Indicator Report on Physical Activity, 2014. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014.CS248165-A2014821