The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Leadership and Diversity Training Program (LDTP): Harnessing Mentorship to Diversify Organizational Leadership

In the 21st century, exercise-related fields face the daunting challenge of addressing inactivity and chronic disease epidemics driven by vast sociodemographic disparities related to gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and disability status. The underrepresentation of scientists and practitioners from communities with the lowest physical activity and highest chronic disease rates makes responding more difficult and diversifying the field to focus on relevant perspectives a priority. For over a decade, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the world’s largest physical activity-focused professional organization, has engaged in a variety of efforts to diversify its membership and leadership. These efforts are summarized here, along with progress, lessons learned, and future plans.