Health-enhancing physical activity: evidence, potential and population strategies for public health

Sport, exercise and physical activity have been promoted on health grounds for many decades. However, only in the 1990’s the scientific evidence on the health benefits of physical activity became convincing enough to be considered as a significant health promoting life-style. Together with the knowledge of the high prevalence of inactivity in Western countries the new understanding of the health-enhancing potential of physical activity has led to initiatives to include physical activity in the health promotion agenda in many countries. In the following an overview of the available evidence of the health benefits of physical activity, the characteristics of health enhancing physical activity (HEPA) and the activity patterns in European countries is presented. In addition the issues of the public health potential of physical activity and the population strategies for its promotion are addressed