The 2016 United States report card on physical activity for children and youth

The 2016 U.S. Report Card is the second comprehensive assessment of physical activity in U.S. children and youth, updating the first Report Card released in 2014. The primary goal of the 2016 U.S. Report Card is to assess levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviors in American children and youth, facilitators and barriers for physical activity, and health outcomes related to physical activity.

The tracking of physical activity indicators over time is an important surveillance exercise that will allow for an assessment of populationlevel changes in behavior. The Report Card is a resource for health statistics in children and youth in the U.S. More importantly, the Report Card is an advocacy tool that provides a level of accountability and call-to-action for adult decision makers regarding how we, as parents, teachers, health professionals, community leaders, and policy makers, can implement new initiatives, programs, and policies in support of healthy environments to improve the physical activity levels and health of our children and youth.