[Physical activities and sport; implications for health and society]

The practice of physical and sporting activities (PSA) throughout life is now known to increase healthy life expectancy, to delay the onset of dependency, and to be an effective complementary treatment for many disorders, particularly obesity and disability. The notion of a "sedentary death syndrome " [SeDS] has been evoked on the other side of the Atlantic. Although the beneficial effects of PSA have long been known, statistical analyses have only recently confirmed at the group level what was often disputed at the individual level. Knowledge of the impacts of PSA on cellular, tissular and metabolic functions has improved considerably. PSA is no longer seen simply as a leisure activity but is now considered necessary for a healthy body and mind. PSA also has considerable social, educational and integrative implications. Can any society ignore these evident health benefits with impunity? The aims of this article are 1) to provide a quick overview of the advantages of regular, measured and reasonable PSA, as well as the potential risks of excess; 2) to discuss the quantity of PSA providing the optimal balance between benefits and risks, and the means of achieving this balance; 3) to highlight the lack of enthusiasm for PSA among the French population, and to analyze its causes, and 4) to propose a new organization designed to help more of our fellow citizens to adopt PSA, in the interests of their health and well-being.