The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, second edition, recommends older adults participate in ≥150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity equivalent aerobic activity and ≥2 days per week of muscle-strengthening activity. We estimated prevalence and trends of meeting the guidelines among US adults aged ≥65 years from 1998 to 2018. Using the 1998-2018 National Health Interview Survey, we estimated the prevalence of meeting aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and combined physical activity guidelines stratified by age group, sex, race and ethnicity, and education level. Within age groups, we calculated prevalence differences by sociodemographic categories. Prevalence of meeting each guideline increased for all age groups and most sociodemographic subgroups. The increased magnitude of meeting the combined guideline from 1998-2000 to 2016-2018 differed across levels of educational attainment for most age groups. Despite increasing over time, the prevalence among older adults of meeting physical activity guidelines remains low (range for combined guideline: 7.2%-17.2%).

In "Stepping Forward: A Scoping Review of Physical Activity in Osteoarthritis," White and colleagues(1) aimed to help patients, policymakers, investigators, and healthcare providers (HCPs) better understand how physical activity (PA) is defined and measured, the benefits of PA for knee osteoarthritis (KOA), the potential role of PA in the development and/or progression of KOA, and the PA guidelines for Americans.(2) This correspondence aims to reinforce the importance of PA for adults with arthritis; clarify definitions for "inactive" and "insufficiently active" from the PA guidelines for Americans(2) and supplement White and colleagues' scoping review by (1) highlighting arthritis-appropriate evidence-based interventions (AAEBIs) for PA and self-management education; and (2) providing resources to facilitate HCP screening, counseling, and referral to evidencebased PA interventions for adults with arthritis.

This cohort study uses national data to explore the dose-response association between guideline-recommended physical activity and mortality in older adults. | eng

INTRODUCTION: In 2019, the National Youth Sports Strategy was released and called for regular analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of U.S. youth sports surveillance data. The purpose of this study is to provide the recent national estimates of U.S. youth aged 6-17 years who participate in sports and examine the differences in participation by demographic characteristics, overall and across age groups. METHODS: Nationally representative data on parent-reported youth sports participation from the 2017-2018 National Survey of Children's Health (n=36,779) were analyzed in 2019. The prevalence and 95% CIs of youth sports participation were estimated by demographic characteristics, overall and by age group. Investigators assessed the significant (p<0.05) differences and trends in participation using pairwise t-tests and orthogonal polynomial contrasts and effect modification by age group using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Overall, 57.7% (95% CI=56.6, 58.9) of U.S. youth participated in sports. Participation was highest among youth who were aged 10-13 years, male, and white, non-Hispanic and increased with increasing parent/caregiver education and household income (all p<0.05). Differences in participation by demographic characteristics were more pronounced among younger youth. For example, prevalence by household income level ranged from 32.7% to 79.9% among children aged 6-9 years and from 41.6% to 67.2% among youth aged 14-17 years. CONCLUSIONS: Although nearly 6 in 10 U.S. youth participate in sports, substantial disparities exist, especially among younger children. Identifying and overcoming the barriers may help increase youth sports participation in the U.S.

Importance: Approximately 80% of US adults and adolescents are insufficiently active. Physical activity fosters normal growth and development and can make people feel, function, and sleep better and reduce risk of many chronic diseases. Objective: To summarize key guidelines in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition (PAG). Process and Evidence Synthesis: The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee conducted a systematic review of the science supporting physical activity and health. The committee addressed 38 questions and 104 subquestions and graded the evidence based on consistency and quality of the research. Evidence graded as strong or moderate was the basis of the key guidelines. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) based the PAG on the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report. Recommendations: The PAG provides information and guidance on the types and amounts of physical activity to improve a variety of health outcomes for multiple population groups. Preschool-aged children (3 through 5 years) should be physically active throughout the day to enhance growth and development. Children and adolescents aged 6 through 17 years should do 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily. Adults should do at least 150 minutes to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes to 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. They should also do muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week. Older adults should do multicomponent physical activity that includes balance training as well as aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. Pregnant and postpartum women should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week. Adults with chronic conditions or disabilities, who are able, should follow the key guidelines for adults and do both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. Recommendations emphasize that moving more and sitting less will benefit nearly everyone. Individuals performing the least physical activity benefit most by even modest increases in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Additional benefits occur with more physical activity. Both aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity are beneficial. Conclusions and Relevance: The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, provides information and guidance on the types and amounts of physical activity that provide substantial health benefits. Health professionals and policy makers should facilitate awareness of the guidelines and promote the health benefits of physical activity and support efforts to implement programs, practices, and policies to facilitate increased physical activity and to improve the health of the US population.

Despite the well-known benefits of youths engaging in 60 or more minutes of daily physical activity, physical inactivity remains a significant public health concern. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PAG) provides recommendations on the amount of physical activity needed for overall health; the PAG Midcourse Report (2013) describes effective strategies to help youths meet these recommendations. Public health professionals can be dynamic change agents where youths live, learn, and play by changing environments and policies to empower youths to develop regular physical activity habits to maintain throughout life. We have summarized key findings from the PAG Midcourse Report and outlined actions that public health professionals can take to ensure that all youths regularly engage in health-enhancing physical activity.