ABSTRACT
Over the past several decades, the idea that exercise should be included as one component of a comprehensive program of health promotion has become generally accepted. It appears that this acceptance is due, at least in part, to the increase in scientific evidence that moderate amounts of exercise contribute to improved health status and, despite the “fitness boom” of the past decade, that there is still a large segment of the adult population which is sedentary or which exercises only sporadically. Recent research has also continued to define the type and amount of exercise that is of benefit, and investigators have begun to identify personal and program features that enhance the adoption of health-oriented exercise and its long-term maintainence. Some of this research and program development has been conducted at the work site with quite favorable preliminary results being reported not only for improvement in functional capacity and health status, but also for reductions in health-care costs and absenteeism.
