The National Athletic Trainers’ Association has announced plans to team up with the National Physical Activity Plan as an organizational partner.

NATA joined 11 other organizations in an effort to develop and implement a comprehensive physical activity plan for the United States. The National Physical Activity Plan is aimed at helping to motivate Americans to meet the physical-activity guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last year.

NATA will provide financial support in addition to participating in all aspects of developing and implementing the plan.

Marjorie J. Albohm, NATA president, said most Americans do not meet the current physical-activity guidelines and that the associated public health burden is significant.

“NATA is joining other leading organizations to provide the leadership needed to develop a National Physical Activity Plan which is fully supportive of physically active lifestyles,” Albohm said. “We believe that a national plan can be the catalyst for effectively addressing many of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century.”

Other organizational partners participating in the National Physical Activity Plan include the American Academy of Pediatrics; the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; the American Association of Retired Persons; the American Cancer Society; the American College of Sports Medicine; the American Heart Association; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Active Living Research; the American Association for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation; the National Coalition on Promoting Physical Activity; and YMCA of America.