ACE is proud to support the global movement, World Day for Physical Activity (Dia Mundial da Atividade Física or DMAF) on Monday, April 6, 2020. According to the WHO, individuals who are more physically active have lower rates of all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, colon cancer, breast cancer and depression. Yet, much of the world is becoming less active. DMAF and the WHO’s Global Action Plan on Physical Activity are two international efforts ACE supports to inspire more active, healthy lives. 

This year’s DMAF theme is “Todo Passo Conta” or “Every Step Counts” – indeed, every step does count to promote health! Join ACE, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Center for Studies of the Physical Fitness Laboratory of São Caetano do Sul (CELAFISCS) and others in April to get people moving and lead more physically active lifestyles, even during the COVID-19 pandemic: 

• Participate in a global, virtual walk at your 10 A.M. local time! Walk outdoors (being mindful of social distancing), walk in place or take a quick walk around your home. Previously scheduled marches and group events around the world have been postponed due to COVID-19. 
• Get at least 30 minutes of mild to moderate physical activity in your home! Check out tips and ideas to get moving at home from ACE’s Exercise Library, the blog “Top 25 At-Home Exercises” and ACE’s YouTube channel. 
• #GetMovingAtHome and share your experience on social media! See below for sample social media posts in the mini-social media kit. 

Social Media Kit 

Sample social media text: 

• Today is #WorldDayforPhysicalActivity! Join us and others around the globe to inspire more active lifestyles to combat noncommunicable diseases. Let’s get the world moving! #dmaf2020  
• Happy #WorldDayforPhysicalActivity! Celebrate with me and #GetMovingAtHome to promote healthier, more active lifestyles around the world. #dmaf2020  

• It’s #WorldDayforPhysicalActivity! Let’s move the world together to inspire at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Join me in this global movement – how you will #GetMovingAtHome today? #dmaf2020  
• It’s #WorldDayforPhysicalActivity! Let’s move the world together and inspire at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Join the movement by taking a walk or #GetMovingAtHome! #dmaf202

Sample images:

Official World Activity Day Poster

Image for Facebook, LinkedIn and/or Twitter

Image for an Instgram post

Image for an Instgram story

History of DMAF 

The DMAF movement originated in 1996 in São Paulo, Brazil as Agita São Paulo (roughly, Shake or Move São Paulo), a program led by the São Paulo State Department of Health and the Center for Studies of the Physical Fitness Laboratory of São Caetano do Sul (CELAFISCS). The program grew on to become Agita Brasil with the support of the Physical Activity Network of the Americas (RAFA/PANA), and later the program grew to what it is today: Agita Mundo - World Physical Activity Network, a group of international governmental and non-governmental institutions who strive to disseminate the benefits of adopting a more active and healthy lifestyle by practicing some physical activity daily. Through the efforts of Agita Mundo, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognized April 6 as World Physical Activity Day in 2002, and the day has been celebrated ever since with more than 2,500 events worldwide in 2019.