Whereas, obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary artery disease, depression, and certain cancers have been linked to inadequate levels of physical activity;

Whereas, only 25% of US adults and 50% of US youth attain the recommended level of physical activity of 30 minutes a day on most days of the week, contributing to the epidemic of obesity and chronic diseases;

Whereas, the most common form of adult leisure time physical activity is walking and the number of walking trips taken by the average American declined by 21 percent between 1977 and 1995, and only 14 percent of all trips to school are made by biking or walking;

Whereas, Healthy People 2010 has set a goal to increase the number of walking trips with a distance of less than one mile to 50 percent or more and to increase biking trips to school with a distance of less than 2 miles to 5 percent or more;

Whereas, the growing population of inactive individuals in industrialized countries is linked to the role of technology and the built environment in creating barriers to physical activity with the promotion of automobile use, more sedentary jobs, and decreased access to areas for recreational activity;

Whereas, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services has strongly recommended policy and environmental efforts to create or enhance access to places for physical activity;

Whereas, in September 2003 the American Journal of Public Health and American Journal of Health Promotion had special issues dedicated to the impact of the built environment on physical activity and other health outcomes;

Whereas, studies have shown that more leisure time physical activity is associated with higher accessibility to sidewalks, bicycle paths, and open areas to exercise;

Whereas, urban planning studies have shown that more walking and cycling for transportation is associated with neighborhoods of mixed land use, streets in a grid-like network, and high residential density;

Whereas, the American Journal of Health Promotion 2003;18 reports that residents of sprawling counties were likely to walk less during leisure time, weigh more, and have a greater prevalence of hypertension than residents of compact counties;

Whereas, the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2002;56 reports the presence of walkable green spaces positively influenced the longevity of urban senior citizens independent of socioeconomic status;

Whereas, AMA Policy H-440.917, “Increased Physical Activity for Most US Adults” calls “….for every adult to accumulate in the course of each day 30 or more minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity…”; and

Whereas, AMA Policy H-150.953, “Obesity as a Major Public Health Concern” urges “….federal support of research to determine: ….. effective interventions to prevent obesity in children and adults;” therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the AMA work with other groups to prepare a set of advocacy materials (e.g., action alerts, sample letters to planning agencies and legislators, talking points, PowerPoint slides, etc.) and distribute these materials to state and local medical societies, health departments, voluntary health agencies, and other professional organizations to advocate for legislative, regulatory, and other policy changes, including but not limited to modifying zoning codes, promoting development of mixed-use, pedestrian and bicycle-friendly neighborhoods with adequate recreational facilities that would facilitate adults and children attaining recommended levels of physical activity (Directive to Take Action); and be it further

RESOLVED, That the AMA advocate at the federal level for funding to support ongoing research and interventions by governmental agencies, academic research centers, and state and local medical societies that evaluate and improve the role of the “built environment” (i.e., human-modified places such as homes, schools, workplaces, parks, industrial areas, farms, roads and highways) on physical activity and its effect on health outcomes, including the development and evaluation of federally-funded demonstration projects (Directive to Take Action); and be it further

RESOLVED, That the AMA encourage and support state medical associations to advocate for state-level funding to evaluate and improve the role of the “built environment” on physical activity (Directive to Take Action).


Fiscal Note:

Relevant AMA Policy

H-150.953 Obesity as a Major Public Health Program
H-440.917 Increased Physical Activity for Most US Adults
H-470.997 Exercise and Physical Fitness