Too little physical activity and exercise among the population causes significant and increasing challenges to Finnish society. Sedentary lifestyle is a contributory factor to many common diseases, problems caused by ageing and the increased economic costs, and it weakens the productivity of labour and competitiveness, and increases inequalities in health and wellbeing between population groups. The favourable impacts of physical activity on obesity, type 2 diabetes, disorders of the musculoskeletal system and depression and on their prevention have been known for a long time. The vision of the strategy up to the year 2020 is that Finns will pursue more physical activity and sit less during the course of their lives.