This week is National Public Health Week 2021 and this year’s theme is “Building Bridges to Better Health.” Public health has been at the forefront of everyone’s mind for the past year, for obvious reasons. One of the questions being considered is what can be done through policy changes and health initiatives to position members of the public to not only combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but also stave off any future health crises.  

It’s important to note that ACE’s mission to Get People Moving is, at its core, a public health mission. 

As an ACE Certified Professional, you are already living that mission every time you lead a group of participants through a class or work one-on-one with a coaching or personal-training client. Not only that, but you are serving as the bridge from the moment when a physician tells a patient to lose weight by eating better and getting more exercise to the implementation of a personalized behavior-change program that actually empowers individuals to take practical steps toward improving their overall health. In that case, you are the bridge from theory to practice, from words to action. 

You also serve as the bridge between ACE and our philosophy as an organization to the individuals you serve. By delivering a science-based approach to health and wellness to members of the general public, you are a vital element of improving public health. Consider the work you do as an ambassador for ACE and the number of participants and clients you reach each day and multiply it by the more than 90,000 ACE Certified Professionals around the world and you quickly realize the importance of your voice and actions in the realm of public health.  

Meanwhile, ACE is involved in essential conversations about the advancement of physical-activity policy and supporting key initiatives like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Active People, Healthy Nation, which has an aim of getting 27 million Americans to become more physically active by 2027 and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Action Plan for Physical Activity, which has the goal to reduce physical inactivity by 10% by 2025. ACE also an active partner in the Physical Activity Alliance (PAA). PAA works alongside other leading health advocacy organizations in the United States to lead efforts to create, support, and advocate for policy and system changes that enable all Americans to enjoy physically active lives.  

If the past year has taught us anything, it’s the importance of building connections and community, even if it’s through a computer screen. People need one another now more than ever. They need support. They need science-based advice. And they need to feel empowered to take ownership of their personal health journeys.  

ACE can serve as the bridge between policymakers and stakeholders, but it is you, the ACE Certified Professional, who is the bridge between individuals, and who can help people in communities around the world improve their overall wellness through healthier, more active lifestyles. 

So, get out there and Get People Moving! After all, it’s a matter of public health.