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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Charge to the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PAG) provides science-based advice on how physical activity can help promote health and reduce the risk of chronic disease. The PAG serves as the benchmark and primary, authoritative voice of the federal government for providing science-based guidance on physical activity, fitness, and health for Americans. It provides a foundation for federal recommendations and education for physical activity programs for Americans, including those at risk for chronic disease. The PAG was first published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2008; the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Midcourse Report: Strategies to Increase Physical Activity Among Youth was released in 2013.

The purpose of the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee (Committee) is to provide independent advice and recommendations based on current scientific evidence for use by the federal government in the development of the 2nd edition of the PAG. The Committee, whose duties are time-limited and solely advisory in nature, will:

  • Examine the 1st edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and determine topics for which new scientific evidence is likely to be available that may reconfirm or inform revisions to the current guidance or suggest new guidance.
  • Place its primary focus on the systematic review and analysis of the evidence published since the last Committee deliberations.
  • Place its primary emphasis on the development of physical activity recommendations for the general population in the United States and for specific subgroups of the population where warranted by a public health need.
  • Prepare and submit to the Secretary of HHS a scientific advisory report of technical recommendations with rationales to inform the development of the 2nd edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The Committee is responsible for providing authorship for this scientific report; however, responsibilities do not include translating the recommendations into policy, developing a draft of the policy, or making recommendations for implementation, including communication and outreach strategies.
  • Disband upon the submittal of the Committee’s recommendations via the scientific advisory report to the Secretary of HHS.
  • Complete all work within the two-year charter time frame.