Physical Activity and Public Health 2016

Dear Colleagues,

We are organizing a Special Issue on “Physical Activity and Public Health” in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The venue is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes manuscripts and other communications within the interdisciplinary area of environmental health sciences and public health. For detailed information on the journal, we refer you to https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph.

The role of physical activity in improving the public’s health has emerged as a critical component in the global prevention and management of non-communicable diseases (NCD) and health promotion. Understanding the role of physical activity in preventing NCD and in promoting the health of communities is an important objective for public health professionals, health care professionals, transportation and urban planners, park and recreation leaders, and public policy makers. Physical activity promotion depends on the public health core functions of surveillance, disease prevention, health protection, and the advancement of physical, mental, and social well-being. The importance of informational and communication strategies; behavioral, social, and cultural strategies; and environmental (built and natural), policy, and transportation strategies to promote physical activity may all affect the public’s health, through individual behavioral choices (e.g., using active transport modes instead of a car), physical activity patterns (e.g., promoting social interaction and participation), and environmental exposure. Research, both in urban and rural areas, and across low, middle, and high-income countries, can offer critical guidance for programmatic, policy, and planning efforts for public health.

This Special Issue is open to any subject area related to the role of physical activity and public health. The listed keywords suggest just a few of the many possibilities.

Prof. Gregory W. Heath
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• Physical activity
• Epidemiology
• Prevention
• Community-based interventions
• Health behavior change
• Health determinants
• Built environment
• Natural environment
• Healthy aging
• Public health
• Health geography
• Non-communicable diseases (NCD)
• Surveillance
• Quality of life
• Walkability
• Energy balance
• Social support
• Leisure
• Environmental exposure
• Exercise