Welcome to ACHPAF!
President
We are a group of Asian scientists dedicated to the academic research and promotion of physical activity and fitness for health. If you are reading this website, you are most likely a professional who shares our interest, so we encourage you to learn more about us and hopefully – join us.
Our story begins in 2014, when a group of scientists from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand collaborated on an investigation of the prevalence of physical activity, physical fitness, and obesity in Asian adolescents. Insightful results were generated and presented in a number of international research conferences. Through this long-term collaboration, we came to appreciate the value of collaborative and comparative research. The factors affecting physical fitness are often multifaceted and cultural in nature; for example, Japanese adolescents appear to be the most statistically fit in Asia, and people in Hong Kong have the longest life expectancy, which may associated with the city’s walkability. Many such mysteries deserve further investigation, and given that fitness is largely influenced by lifestyle and non-pharmaceutical factors, research can be powerfully conducted through cross-cultural collaboration as a way to identify the policies, strategies, cultural characteristics, and even genetics that contribute to the differences. Having experienced the benefits of their first collaboration, the founding scientists established ACHPAF in 2017 as an effort to i.) sustain future research and academic pursuits in health-related physical activity and fitness, ii.) establish a platform for nurturing younger scientists, and iii.) collaborate on promotion of physical activity and fitness for health.
No matter what stage you are at in your academic career, I we would like to extend a warmest welcome to you, and ask that you join us so that we can learn from one another through ACHPAF.
I hope to see you soon at the next ACHPAF activity!