An assessment is presented of the structure of fitness promotion policy and the function of fitness promotion delivery systems in the United States. The focus is upon: (1) how fitness initiatives first arose; (2) how these initiatives were formalized into broad goals, directives, or mandates; (3) to whom and how these mandates were entrusted; (4) factors affecting implementation at each stage of the process and policy, funding, accounting, and monitoring mechanisms employed; (5) specific processes and feedback mechanisms involved in policy and program development; and (6) successful approaches or structural features and reasons for planned changes, if any. Discussions are presented on: (1) criteria for identifying national policy; (2) basis for concern with exercise, as an element of public policy; (3) current trends in exercise in the United States; (4) development of exercise policy; (5) transmission of exercise policy; (6) observations about fitness promotion efforts; and (7) observations about sports promotion efforts. Appendices include information on fitness promotion activities of the Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies, and on fitness promotion activities sponsored by independent and private agencies and three selected state agencies. (JD)