What do systems approaches for physical activity look like?

The past decade has increasingly seen systems approaches featured in public health studies and policy documents. This trend is evident in the area of physical activity, which is a significant global health risk factor addressed in WHO’s Global Action Plan on Physical Activity.

We propose a classification of systems-based approaches to physical activity promotion together with an explanation of the strategies encompassed. The classification is designed to stimulate debate amongst policy-makers, practitioners and researchers to inform the further implementation and evaluation of systems approaches to physical activity.