Greig Watson

Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for morbidity and premature mortality across the globe, and the economic costs associated with the increased disease burden in sedentary individuals is immense. Thus recognition of the importance of physical activity to health through policy initiatives designed to increase physical activity levels of local populations through to national and international initiatives are of paramount importance. Using case studies to provide context, this chapter presents challenges involved in encouraging people to increase their physical activity levels and examines issues related to the delivery and ongoing sustainability of community-based physical activity programmes. Finally, it makes several recommendations related to the design and evaluation of future community-based physical activity interventions to maximize the likelihood of positive outcomes, and inform about the true benefits in terms of physical activity and related health outcomes.