Report of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition (AECOSAN) on recommendations for physical activity within the framework of the NAOS Strategy

<p>The Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition (AECOSAN) published in 2014 a report on objectives and nutritional recommendations and physical activity to combat obesity in the framework of the NAOS Strategy, suggesting that “national strategies and intersectorial measures should be drawn up aimed at the promotion of physical activity as a beneficial agent for health in line with national legislation and practice; that is, there should be a national recommendation for physical activity to benefit health” and recommending “the establishment of a general framework in Spain containing certain general directives on the characteristics of the physical activity that each segment of the population should adopt in order to remain healthy during the different stages of their life (childhood and adolescence, adults and the elderly) and which might serve as a guide to the strategies promoted by the regional communities”. In addition, national recommendations have been presented for physical activity for health, the reduction of sedentary lifestyle and screen time for the whole population. This is the result of collaboration between the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, through the Higher Council for Sport, and within the framework of the National Health System’s Strategy for the Promotion of Health and Prevention. The Scientific Committee of AECOSAN has assessed both documents and concluded that the recommendations listed in the document “Physical activity for health and the reduction of a sedentary lifestyle. Recommendations for the population”, under the framework of the National Health System’s Strategy for the Promotion of Health and Prevention from the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality are in line with those made by the Scientific Committee of AECOSAN in 2014 and contain areas of interest. They may therefore be assumed within the NAOS Strategy for Nutrition, Physical Activity and Health in order to, in accordance with their objectives, promote physical activity and contribute to reversing the growing trend of obesity prevalence and, consequently, to reducing the morbidity and mortality rates attributed to chronic illness.