The Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health (1996) identifies promising ways to help people include more physical activity in their daily lives.

• Well-designed programs in schools to increase physical activity in physical education classes have been shown to effective.

• Carefully planned counseling by health care providers and work site activity programs can increase individual's physical activity levels.

• Promising approaches being tried in some communities around the nation include opening school buildings and shopping malls for walking before or after regular hours, as well as building bicycle and walking paths separated from automobile traffic. Revising building codes to require accessible stairwells is another idea that has been suggested.