The increased prevalence of obesity and its related comorbidities has created a public health burden [Page 970]that could reverse recent public health achievements in chronic disease prevention. Aging baby boomers are of particular concern because of the increased burden of disability that will result if current patterns of weight gain are not changed. To address this public health challenge, health care professionals must talk with their patients and clients about the importance of adopting both a healthy diet and regular physical activity, and individuals must adopt these recommendations.

The American College of Sports Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published physical activity recommendations in 1995, but there was confusion as to how much physical activity one should do, and some more recently published ...