New exercise recommendations: Healthy, active and integrated!

New exercise recommendations: Healthy, active and integrated!

In a significant step to promote public health, sports scientists at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg are revising the national exercise recommendations on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health. This revision aims to educate the population about the benefits of exercise and to develop measures to promote exercise in society. The new recommendations are expected to be published by 2026 to take into account the latest scientific evidence and updated World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Loud fau.de The new recommendations should apply to various social groups, including children, adolescents, adults, older people and people with non-communicable diseases. The last major revision was in 2016, and research has evolved since then. In order to meet the new requirements, a round table was launched that will bring together various actors from ministries, municipalities and sports associations in 2023.

Goals of the revision

The main goal of the exercise recommendations is to inform society about the health benefits of exercise and to achieve a higher rate of exercise through appropriate measures. In particular, the integration of exercise in all-day schools should be promoted in order to create awareness of the importance of activity at an early stage. Another focus is on improving the infrastructure for cyclists to increase the enjoyment of exercise in the community.

The recommendations also respond to social changes, such as the climate crisis, and take into account the needs of vulnerable groups. These aspects are particularly important to promote physical activity in a changing environment. The overarching goal is to improve the quality of life through increased enjoyment of exercise and social contacts, explains the Federal Ministry of Health.

Promotion and implementation

A new research project entitled “Update and further development of the National Recommendations for Exercise and Physical Activity Promotion” was launched in February 2025. This project is financed with 500,000 euros by the Federal Ministry of Health. As part of this, the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg will develop materials that support the dissemination of the new recommendations.

The national exercise recommendations are not only a basis for health promotion in Germany, but are also in line with international projects of the European Union and the WHO. Specialists in various areas and institutions are the central target group for this information in order to put the concepts developed into practice. Further details are in the National recommendations for exercise and physical activity promotion explains the scientific basis for the health benefits of exercise and takes the different target groups into account.

A contemporary approach to promoting physical activity requires close cooperation between various actors and innovative design of living spaces. The Federal Ministry of Health emphasizes the importance of these exercise recommendations for a healthy and active society.