title: Sector activities and lessons learned around initial implementation of the United States national physical activity plan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  National plans are increasingly common but infrequently evaluated. The 2010 United States National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) provided strategies to increase population levels of physical activity. This paper describes (i) the initial accomplishments of the NPAP sector teams, and (ii) results from a process evaluation to determine how the sectors operated, their cross-sector collaboration, challenges encountered, and positive experiences.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 2011, a quarterly reporting system was developed to capture sector-level activities. A year-end interview derived more detailed information. Interviews with 12 sector leads were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for common themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 6 sectors worked on goals from the implementation plan that focused broadly on education, promotion, intervention, policy, collaboration, and evaluation. Through year-end interviews, themes were generated around operations, goal setting, and cross-sector collaboration. Challenges to the NPAP work included lack of funding and time, the need for marketing and promotion, and organizational support. Positive experiences included collaboration, efficiency of work, enhanced community dynamic, and accomplishments toward NPAP goals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These initial results on the NPAP sector teams can be used as a baseline assessment for future monitoring. The lessons learned may be useful to other practitioners developing evaluations around state- or national-level plans.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Evenson
authors.forename: Sara B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Satinsky
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006284:Health Plan Implementation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D009043:Motor Activity; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D014481:United States; D017132:Workplace