Equity, diversity, and inclusion in the presidential rhetorical agenda on physical activity promotion

ABSTRACT

Introduction:  Physical activity should be recognized as a strategic axis for health promotion, grounded in the principles of universality, equity, comprehensiveness, and community participation. However, low population adherence to regular practice remains one of the main challenges to the effective implementation of these guidelines on a global scale.

Objective:  To analyze the attention given to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the Brazilian presidential rhetorical agenda related to the promotion of physical activity from 1990 to 2024.

Methods:  This is a retrospective, exploratory, and documentary study with a mixed (quantitative-qualitative) approach. Data were collected from the government plans of elected presidential candidates, inauguration speeches, and annual presidential messages sent to the National Congress.

Results:  The findings indicate that the presence of physical activity in the Brazilian presidential rhetorical agenda between 1990 and 2024 is limited and irregular, with a small number of mentions in the analyzed documents and virtually none in government plans and inauguration speeches. The identified references are mostly concentrated in the presidential messages sent to the National Congress, although they remain sporadic and weakly articulated with the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Conclusion:  It is concluded that both the attention to physical activity and to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion are practically absent from the rhetorical agenda, revealing low prioritization and a lack of consistent commitment to these issues in the analyzed documents. Therefore, further studies are needed to examine the presence of physical activity in other public policy agendas in Brazil.

Keywords:
Diversity, equity, inclusion; Physical activity; Health promotion

RESUMO

Introdução:  A atividade física deve ser reconhecida como eixo estratégico para a promoção da saúde, fundamentada em princípios de universalidade, equidade, integralidade e participação comunitária. Entretanto, a baixa adesão da população à prática regular constitui um dos principais desafios para a efetivação dessas diretrizes em escala global.

Objetivo:  Analisar a atenção dada à equidade, à diversidade e à inclusão na agenda retórica presidencial brasileira correlata à promoção da atividade física, no período de 1990 a 2024.

Métodos:  Trata-se de um estudo retrospectivo, exploratório e documental, com abordagem quanti-qualitativa. Os dados foram coletados nos planos de governo dos candidatos eleitos à Presidência da República, nos discursos de posse e nas mensagens anuais presidenciais enviadas ao Congresso Nacional.

Resultados:  Os resultados evidenciam que a presença da atividade física na agenda retórica presidencial brasileira entre 1990 e 2024 é limitada e irregular, com número reduzido de menções nos documentos analisados e praticamente inexistente nos planos de governo e discursos de posse. As referências identificadas concentram-se majoritariamente nas mensagens presidenciais enviadas ao Congresso Nacional, ainda assim de forma pontual e pouco articulada aos princípios de equidade, diversidade e inclusão.

Conclusão:  Conclui-se que tanto a atenção à atividade física quanto aos princípios de equidade, diversidade e inclusão são praticamente inexistentes na agenda retórica, revelando baixa priorização e ausência de comprometimento consistente com esses temas nos documentos analisados. Destaca-se, portanto, a necessidade de novos estudos sobre a presença da atividade física nas demais agendas de políticas públicas brasileiras.

Introduction

Low adherence to regular physical activity (PA) can be considered one of the major challenges to the promotion of global health. Estimates indicate that approximately 31% of adults worldwide do not meet minimum recommendations for the practice of PA¹-³.

In Brazil, the situation is even more alarming: approximately 46% of adults do not reach the recommended weekly levels of physical activity³-⁴. The economic consequences of this inactivity are also noteworthy; it is estimated to be responsible for approximately 9% of premature deaths worldwide and generates a global cost of approximately 53 billion international dollars to healthcare systems⁵-⁶.

According to the most recent analysis of the Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!)⁷, Brazil performs poorly in terms of its national capacity to promote physical activity, ranking among the worst-performing countries in this indicator. This result is strongly associated with the absence of a specific and structured national policy on physical activity, including guidelines, clear goals, and systematic monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. Although the country has strategic plans aimed at tackling chronic non-communicable diseases, PA continues to be treated in a fragmented and subsidiary manner, which compromises the consolidation of sustainable and equitable health promotion actions within public policies.

The Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS) is one of the most significant achievements of Brazilian society in the field of public health, resulting from a long and complex historical process marked by intense social struggles and political disputes. Established by the 1988 Federal Constitution, the SUS was not the result of a single or consensual decision, but of the persistent mobilization of social movements, public health advocates, health professionals, and sectors of civil society that resisted exclusionary models of healthcare⁸-⁹.

From the perspective of defining alternatives for health promotion in Brazil, the creation of the Organic Health Law of the SUS in 1990 made it possible to define principles and guidelines related to health promotion, prevention, and recovery based on universality, equity, comprehensiveness, and community participation¹⁰.

Prior to implementation of this law, Brazil presented profound inequalities in access to health services, predominantly restricted to formal workers or offered by private and philanthropic institutions, which left a significant portion of the population without any adequate coverage⁸-⁹.

Subsequently, the enactment of the National Health Promotion Policy in 2006 represented a significant milestone by recognizing physical activity as one of the strategic pillars for improving the health of the population. Through this policy, the theme of body practices and physical activity was incorporated in a structured way into the SUS, paving the way for broader and more integrated health promotion actions in different territories of the country¹¹.

Considering that the process of expanding health promotion actions through the regular practice of physical activity is influenced by the political ideology surrounding issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in health, it is necessary to understand the attention given to this topic in the political narratives outlined in the argumentative field of the presidents of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

The SUS has equity as a guiding principle, however, simply creating a public policy does not guarantee its practical application in daily healthcare¹². Disparities in health outcomes are often rooted in social injustice and human rights violations, highlighting the inadequacy of purely biological approaches to understanding health and disease¹².

According to Buziquia et al.¹², The pursuit of health equity requires a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interaction between social determinants and health outcomes, recognizing that disparities often stem from systemic injustices and unequal access to resources. For Siqueira et al.¹³, the implementation of policies promoting health equity, particularly those aimed at vulnerable groups identified by race/color, ethnicity, gender, and lifestyle, highlights the importance of participatory management, cross-sectoral approaches, and professional development in addressing these disparities.

Equity recognizes that systemic biases have historically disadvantaged certain groups, necessitating specific interventions to level the playing field¹⁴. It focuses on providing the resources and opportunities necessary for individuals to achieve equitable outcomes, addressing disparities rooted in historical and contemporary injustices¹⁵.

Diversity encompasses the representation of individuals from various demographic backgrounds, including but not limited to gender, race/color, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and ability. Inclusion, on the other hand, refers to creating environments in which all individuals feel valued, respected, and supported, allowing them to participate fully and contribute meaningfully¹⁶-¹⁷.

Addressing EDI in PA requires a systemic and integrated approach, capable of articulating, in an interdependent way, individual, interpersonal, community, and institutional factors. Interventions, in this sense, should not be limited to the juxtaposition of actions at different levels, but should promote coordination between policies, programs, and social contexts, in order to respond to the specific needs and preferences of different populations, considering cultural norms, linguistic barriers, and socioeconomic restrictions¹⁸.

In light of the above, there is a need to investigate the presidential rhetorical agenda regarding the promotion of PA, considering the issues of EDI in health. It is worth noting that the rhetorical agenda refers to the symbolic space for recognizing public problems and solutions through narratives outlined in the argumentative field of political actors¹⁹.

Therefore, the objective of the current research was to analyze the attention given to EDI in the Brazilian presidential rhetorical agenda related to the promotion of PA, with regard to the period from 1990 to 2024.

Methods

This is a retrospective, exploratory, documentary study with a quantitative-qualitative approach²⁰. The time frame refers to the period from 1990 to 2024, taking into account the promulgation of the Organic Health Law of the SUS up to the present day. The longitudinal analysis made it possible to understand the dynamics of the formation of the agenda on the promotion of physical activity, as well as to identify the attention given to early childhood education in that agenda.

The punctuated equilibrium theory developed by Baumgartner and Jones²¹-²³ was used as a premise for the development of the research, by offering a suitable basis for the analysis of agendas, especially in longitudinal studies like this one. This model allows for the description and analysis of periods of stability and abrupt changes in the attention given to a particular topic. Consequently, the following analytical category, as shown in Chart 1, was chosen:

Chart 1
Analytical category of the research

Category	Data collection source	Theoretical basis
Rhetorical agenda	Government plans Inaugural speeches Annual presidential messages sent to the National Congress	Baumgartner and Jones21-23 and Cohen19

For data collection, the descriptor “physical activity” was used, given that it is the standard term used by global agencies that create global agendas on this topic. The EDI descriptors were collected from the texts, organized based on the initial selection of the PA descriptor in all documents used in the research.

The choice to exclusively use the term PA in this study stems from a methodological and analytical decision aligned with the object of investigation and the documentary sources analyzed. Although the National Health Promotion Policy²⁴-²⁶ has adopted the expressions “body practices/physical activity” (2006) and “body practices and physical activities” (2014) in different versions, in the official documents of the federal Executive Branch that make up the presidential rhetorical agenda — such as government plans, inaugural addresses, and presidential messages to the National Congress — the term physical activity is predominant and, in many cases, used in isolation. Furthermore, this is the descriptor standardized by international organizations and widely used in health surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation systems, which favors the longitudinal comparability of data.

Thus, the exclusion of the term “body practices” does not represent a deliberately conceptual erasure²⁷, but reflects both the language effectively used in the presidential rhetorical agenda and the choice of a descriptor consolidated in the field of public policy and health promotion²⁸.

According to Cohen¹⁹, Government plans, official inaugural speeches, and messages from the Executive Branch sent annually to the Legislative Branch serve as indicators of the rhetorical agenda. Therefore, these documents were chosen for use as indicators of attention. The five government plans used in the current research correspond to the period from 2006 to 2022, considering the availability of these documents in the data collection source (www.divulgacand.tse.org. br). It is worth noting that Brazilian electoral law only made the publication of this documentation mandatory during the electoral process after the enactment of Law No. 12034/2009.

The inaugural speeches of the heads of the Executive Branch are official pronouncements generally made at the investiture ceremony held at the beginning of their term, traditionally on the first day ofJanuary after the electoral process. These documents are important instruments of the rhetorical agenda, as they inform society of the guidelines and priorities that may guide government action throughout its term¹⁹,²⁹-³¹. Within the scope of this research, ten inaugural speeches corresponding to the presidents who led the country during the analyzed time period were examined.

The messages sent by the head of the Executive Branch to the National Congress, on the occasion of the opening of the legislative session, constitute official documents in which the situation of the country, government actions, and priorities for the following period are presented. In addition to their institutional function, these records are relevant for the analysis of public policies, as they highlight the government agenda and the relationship between the Executive and Legislative branches²⁹-³¹. Thirty-four presidential messages sent to the National Congress were analyzed, available for consultation in the collection of the Library of the Presidency of the Republic (www.biblioteca.presidencia.gov.br).

In total, the research analyzed 49 official documents, used as indicators of the attention given to the rhetorical agenda of the Executive Branch. This collection was composed of five government plans covering the period from 2006 to 2022, 10 inaugural addresses from the presidents who governed the country during the investigated period, and 34 presidential messages sent to the National Congress during the annual opening of legislative work, enabling a comprehensive view of the priorities expressed at different institutional moments of the governmental cycle.

Data collection and organization were performed using Nvivo version 12 content analysis software (information analysis program). Subsequently, data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics (absolute and relative frequency), to identify variations over the years and support the construction of graphs and tables used in the analysis. The results obtained were interpreted in light of the scientific literature relevant to the agenda-setting process.

The qualitative approach also used Nvivo software, version 12, a tool designed for the treatment of qualitative data that brings together resources for the management of textual documents, favoring the organization, categorization, and interpretation of data. The approach chosen was to describe the issues identified in the different governments analyzed, with the aim of understanding the dynamics of attention to the topic over time. In this way, it was possible to examine presidential rhetoric on the government agenda through the recurrence of the EDI and PA descriptors.

Results and Discussion

Given the analytical centrality of the dimension of ideas and interests in public policy studies, it was possible to observe the continuities and ruptures arising from the public policy dynamics of PA in the national context through the analysis of the narratives of the presidential candidates who managed the federal public administration from 1990 to 2024. Table 1 presents the mentions related to PA and the other descriptors analyzed in the government plans.

Table 1
Raw data on mentions of the descriptor physical activity and equity, diversity and inclusion in the government plans of candidates for the presidency of the Republic (1990-2024)

President	Physical activity	Equity	Diversity	Inclusion
Lula – 2006	1	0	0	0
Dilma – 2010	0	0	0	0
Dilma – 2014	0	0	0	0
Bolsonaro – 2018	0	0	0	0
Lula – 2022	0	0	0	0
Total	1	0	0	0

• Source: Research data. Table prepared by the authors (2025).
• ^*
  The authors did not find any government plans prior to 2006.

The analysis reveals a single mention of the descriptor PA in Lula’s 2006 government plan, with no mention of the other descriptors, showing that these issues did not receive any direct attention. It is worth noting that the mention found is related to the inclusion of older adults in PA, as per the excerpt: “To promote inclusion, quality of life, and prevention of health problems among older adults through programs that strengthen family and community life, guaranteeing access to services, leisure, culture, and physical activity (...)³².

On the other hand, the proposals contained in the government plan aimed at social inclusion through leisure and school sports were observed, within the context of the implementation of the National Sports and Leisure System, the Second Round Program, and the City Sports and Leisure Program. Similarly, actions planned for inclusion and diversity for the LGBT+ population (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transvestites, and transsexuals), people with disabilities, and youth were observed. Neither proposal showed a direct relationship with the perspective of promoting the regular practice of PA. According to Capela³³, “[...] those interested in exploiting the conflict and transforming it into a political issue will mobilize popular support, seeking to politicize it further by engaging those who are not initially involved. ”.

The government plans analyzed, referring to subsequent governments — Dilma Rousseff (2010 and 2014), Jair Bolsonaro (2018), and Lula (2022) — did not mention the descriptors “physical activity” and “equity, diversity, and inclusion.” However, in Jair Bolsonaro’s government plan (2018), there was an indication of the intention to include Physical Education professionals in the Family Health Program, although without direct reference to the descriptors adopted in the analysis.

Regarding presidential speeches, no mentions related to the investigated topic were identified; on the other hand, as evidenced in Table 2, presidential messages sent to the National Congress showed records of mentions of the descriptors PA and EDI, enabling identification of the attention given to these topics in this type of official document.

Table 2
Mentions of physical activity and equity, diversity, and inclusion in the annual presidential messages sent to the National Congress (1990-2024)

Year	Physical activity	Equity	Diversity	Inclusion
1991	1	0	0	0
1994	1	0	0	0
1996	1	0	0	0
1997	1	0	0	0
1998	2	0	0	0
1999	5	0	0	0
2000	3	0	0	1
2001	1	0	0	0
2002	3	0	0	0
2003	3	0	0	1
2005	3	0	0	0
2006	1	0	0	0
2012	3	0	0	1
2013	2	0	0	0
2014	1	0	0	0
2015	2	0	0	0
2016	1	0	0	0
2017	2	0	0	0
2018	1	0	0	0
2019	3	0	0	0
2020	1	0	0	0
2024	8	0	0	0
Total	49	0	0	3

Within the presidential messages sent to the National Congress, evaluating them by decade, it is observed that in the years 1990 to 1999, there are 11 mentions of PA, with the 14 of mentions in the first decade of the 2000s. From 2010 to 2019 there were 15 mentions of PA, and from 2020 to 2024, the number of mentions dropped to only 9, with just one in 2020 and 8 in 2024, making it the year with the highest peak in the number of mentions of PA, while the decade with the most mentions was from 2010 to 2019.

During Fernando Henrique Cardoso’s government, from 1995 to 2002, mentions of PA were related to incentives for older people, closely aligned with the National Policy for the Elderly, Law 8.8842 ofJanuary 1994³⁴. In 2002, the first direct mention of the descriptor “inclusion,” related to people with disabilities, understood PA as a facilitator of social inclusion and integration with the community. Furthermore, within this context, a certain attention can be observed regarding access to and continued participation in physical activities, both sports and leisure-related.

In 2003, at the beginning of Lula’s government, social inclusion through PA for the general population was considered a government mission, achieved by popularizing PA and contextualizing it within each social segment. Only later, in 2012, during Dilma’s government, did descriptors related to EDI reappear in presidential messages, starting with the text referring to the City’s Sport and Leisure Program, with the objective of expanding, democratizing, and universalizing access to physical activity and integrating it with other public policies. In other years, although there were mentions of physical activity, no indirect relationships with the aforementioned descriptors were found.

In light of the above, it can be observed that the influence on behaviors related to PA, frequently attributed to educational and multi-sectoral actions in health, is deeply conditioned by how the topic is recognized, prioritized, and communicated within the political agenda. In this sense, the presidential rhetorical agenda plays a central role in conferring symbolic visibility to the promotion of PA, signaling—or not—its place among government priorities. Analysis of official narratives reveals that the absence or weakness of this theme in the rhetorical agenda tends to limit the consolidation of structured, articulated, and sustainable actions, reinforcing the importance of understanding political rhetoric as a constitutive stage in the process of formulating the public policy agenda.

Disseminating knowledge related to health promotion, regular physical activity, and educational sports is a fundamental strategy for increasing individuals’ autonomy in managing their own health. In this sense, technical positions and recommendations based on scientific evidence play a central role, both individually and collectively, in guiding informed decision-making about choices and behaviors that directly impact health, illness, and quality of life³⁵-³⁶.

By analyzing the agenda-setting process for promoting PA based on the principles of EDI, in light of the Punctuated Equilibrium Theory, the current study contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of public health policies in the Brazilian context. This analytical approach allows for a more systematic understanding of the movements of stability and change in the government agenda, as well as indicating the relevance of longitudinal studies for understanding decision-making processes and the evolution of policies promoting family health over time.

Analysis of public policies on PA in Brazil between 1990 and 2024 reveals a trajectory marked by the incorporation of PA-related themes into the rhetorical agenda. Despite the progressive recognition of these guidelines in official speeches and documents, a significant gap persists in government plans and inaugural addresses.

The results of this study highlight that initiatives such as the inclusion of Physical Education professionals in the Family Health Program and intersectoral policies represent important milestones, but the implementation of this policy depends on structural coordination, continuous budget and funding, and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that ensure universal and equal access to PA practices.

Promoting truly diverse and inclusive public policies requires not only rhetorical guidelines, but also concrete actions supported by evidence, active listening to the community, and a commitment to social justice. Therefore, building a well-being environment through PA requires the repositioning government agendas in favor of equity as a structuring axis, not merely a decorative one.

In conclusion, it is noteworthy that the presence of PA in the Brazilian presidential rhetorical agenda, from 1990 to 2024, is limited, sporadic, and irregular. Analysis of official documents demonstrates that the topic appears infrequently in government plans and inaugural addresses, being concentrated mainly in presidential messages sent to the National Congress. Nevertheless, such mentions tend to occur in a fragmented manner, without consistent articulation with the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

From the perspective of agenda-setting in public policy, these findings suggest that PA has not yet been consolidated as a discursive priority at the highest level of the Federal Executive Branch. The low rhetorical visibility of the topic may reflect both disputes over space on the government agenda and the predominance of other issues considered more urgent in the field of public health. In this context, the absence of references more consistent with the principles of EDI indicates a significant gap in how the promotion of PA has been presented in the institutional narratives analyzed.

Thus, the findings of the current study reinforce the need to expand the presence of physical activity on the Brazilian political and institutional agenda, especially through approaches that recognize the social, territorial, and cultural inequalities that influence access to physical practices. Furthermore, it is important to highlight the need for new studies that investigate the integration of PA into other dimensions of public policies—such as government programs, sectoral plans, and intersectoral strategies—in order to deepen understanding of the processes of prioritization and implementation of this agenda in the country.

• Funding
  This work received no funding.
• Declaration regarding the use of artificial intelligence tools in the article writing process
  The authors did not use artificial intelligence tools to prepare the manuscript.

Availability of research data and other materials

The content is already available.

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Edited by

• Editor in Chief
  Átila Alexandre Trapé https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6487-8160 University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
  Section editor
  Inês Amanda Streit https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7962-8746 Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.

Reviewers’ assessment

The reviews of this article were originally conducted in Portuguese. This version has been translated using ChatGPT and subsequently reviewed by the Chief Editors.About the reviewer

Reviewer A

The manuscript addresses a relevant topic and offers important contributions to the field of public health and public policy. However, it requires specific adjustments in terms of standardization, methodological rigor, and grammatical accuracy to ensure greater clarity, textual cohesion, and compliance with the journal’s guidelines. The suggestions presented here aim to strengthen the scientific and editorial quality of the work.

Abstract

• There is an inconsistency between the methodological approach reported in the abstract and that described in the main text. The abstract states a “qualitative approach,” whereas the methods section describes the study as having a “mixed-methods (quantitative-qualitative) approach.” It is recommended to revise and align this information.

Introduction

• Between lines 3 and 14 on page 3, consider reversing the order of the paragraphs. The current sequence creates a jump in information that compromises the flow and logic of the text.

• Lines 10-11 on page 3: the wording needs improvement, as the creation of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) was not a simple process. It was the historical result of intense social and political struggles that required resistance and mobilization. This complexity should be made explicit.

• Review the use of the accent in the word “socioeco-nômico.”

• Page 8, line 14: punctuation compromises the meaning of the sentence. It is recommended to revise, especially regarding missing commas. Page 8, line 23: the sentence ends with two periods (..), which should be corrected.

• On page 4, line 1, the acronym EDI (equity, diversity, and inclusion) is introduced. However, its use throughout the text is not standardized, sometimes written out in full and sometimes abbreviated. It is recommended to choose one format and use it consistently, including in tables and figures.

• The same issue occurs with the acronyms PA and SB, first used on page 7 without prior definition. Since these terms appear from the introduction onward, it is recommended to define them at first use and maintain consistency throughout the manuscript.

Methodology

• The study states that it uses the Punctuated Equilibrium Theory by Baumgartner and Jones; however, the authors’ works are not cited either in the methods section or in the reference list. These references must be included in both the theoretical framework and the bibliography. In Table 1 (page 13), the theoretical basis is again mentioned but still absent from the references.

• Table 1 refers to “government proposals” as a data source, while the text more commonly uses “government plans.” It is recommended to standardize terminology throughout the manuscript.

• Table 1 cites “adapted from Silva (2022),” but this reference is not found in the text or reference list. It should be included.

• Page 9, line 1: the sentence referring to “knowledge dissemination about a given topic” lacks specificity. It is recommended to clarify which topic is being addressed.

• The first paragraph of the final considerations suggests that the study inaugurates a new trajectory for public health policy research in Brazil. This claim lacks supporting references and should be reconsidered or reformulated with theoretical support.

References

• There are inconsistencies in formatting: some references include the journal name in bold while others do not; some titles are bolded while others are not. It is recommended to revise all references according to the journal’s guidelines.

Final decision

• Substantial revisions required.

• peer review recommendation: major-revision

Reviewers’ assessment

About the reviewerSCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Reviewer B

For the author and editor

The manuscript is original and highly relevant but requires some adjustments.

I have submitted the manuscript with comments and a summary of the requested revisions.

Please do not be discouraged - these suggestions are intended to improve the text.

Kind regards.

Title

• Page 1, line 1: The rhetoric analyzed does not refer to public policies related to physical activity. I recommend revising the title. Consider focusing on actions and programs of physical activity (among other related terms).

Abstract

• Page 1, line 12: Would the analysis change without specifying “13 public policies”? The study seems to analyze the presence of the topic and then relate it to actions, programs, and policy—though not a specific policy.

• Page 1, line 19: It is important to clearly define which agenda is being analyzed.

Introduction

• Page 2, line 10: Include data on inequalities related to prevalence. Also mention that, according to the latest analysis by the Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GOPA), Brazil was poorly ranked due to the lack of a specific physical activity policy.

• Page 4, line 2: Clarify whether the approach is multifaceted (fragmented) or systemic (integrated). Evidence suggests the latter.

• Page 4, line 6: The reference to the “presidential rhetorical agenda” does not align with the article’s title.

• Page 4, line 12: Clarify what is meant by “public policies on physical activity.”

Methods

• Page 4, line 19: Specify which policy agenda is being referred to.

• Page 5, line 24: Indicate the number of documents retrieved for each category.

• Page 6, line 4: Explain how the search was conducted (e.g., reading, keyword search). Why was only “physical activity” used and not “bodily practices”? Provide more methodological detail, including number of researchers and training.

• Page 6, line 8: Clarify whether referring to “issues” or “rhetoric.”

• Page 6, line 13: Clearly define who the actors are. It appears only the president was analyzed.

• Page 7, line 1: Clarify whether “actions” refer to a category or a specific period.

• Page 7, line 12: Specify in which document category the mention of Physical Education Professionals was identified.

Discussion and Conclusion

• Page 8, line 16: The conclusion should focus more on rhetorical agenda formation.

• Page 10, line 3: There is complexity in analyzing rhetoric without analyzing policies themselves. The discussion should explore how rhetoric influences policies and vice versa.

• Table 1: Clarify what is meant by “annual messages.”

Summary

• The article addresses a highly relevant topic, positioning physical activity as a strategic axis for health promotion and investigating an original angle by analyzing the attention given to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion within the Brazilian presidential rhetorical agenda. The use of Punctuated Equilibrium Theory for this longitudinal analysis, covering the period from 1990 to 2024, marks a new trajectory for studies on public health policies in the Brazilian context. Despite its originality and relevance, the work requires important adjustments. Below is a summary identifying the comments made directly in the manuscript.

1. Title and Scope Definition (Focus of the Article) Necessary Adjustments:

• The most critical issue is the lack of alignment between the content and the title [Rev6]. The rhetoric analyzed does not refer to public policies related to Physical Activity (PA) [Rev1].

Suggested Adjustments:

• Revise the Title: Consider using related terms such as “actions” and “programs” of PA, rather than “public policies” [Rev1], since Brazil does not have a specific policy for PA [Rev2]. Define the Agenda: It is crucial to clearly delineate and specify which agenda is being analyzed [Rev3]. Clarify Policies: “Which would be the public policies on physical activity?” [Rev7].

2. Introduction and Contextualization

• It is necessary to strengthen the contextual and theoretical foundation of the introduction.

Suggested Adjustments:

• Inclusion of Inequality Data: It is recommended to include data on inequalities related to the prevalence of physical inactivity [Rev4].

• Mention GOPA: In the introduction, it should be highlighted that the latest analysis by GOPA (Global Observatory for Physical Activity) ranked Brazil negatively due to the lack of a specific PA policy [Rev4].

• Clarify the Theoretical Approach: Discuss whether the approach is multifaceted (fragmented) or systemic (integrated), as there is evidence supporting the latter. The use of the term “require” may suggest that addressing all facets would be sufficient to solve the problem of physical inactivity [Rev5].

3. Methodology (Procedures and Actors)

• The data collection process and the identification of the actors involved require much more detail and transparency to ensure replicability.

Suggested Adjustments:

• Detail the Search Process: Explain how the search was conducted (reading, use of the Control F function?) [Rev10].

• Justify Descriptors: Specify whether only the term “Physical Activity” was used [Rev10] and justify why the term “Bodily Practice,” which appears in the National Health Promotion Policy (PNPS), was not used [Rev10].

• Indicate Quantity: It is important to indicate the number of documents retrieved for each category from the referenced websites [Rev9].

• Clarify the Actors: It is not clear who the actors are [Rev12]. They must be specified in the methods section, as the text suggests that only the president was analyzed [Rev12].

• Additional Details: Provide more details about the process, such as the number of researchers involved in the search, whether there was training, and whether they had prior experience with this type of procedure [Rev10].

4. Results and Discussion

• Greater clarity and explicitness are needed in presenting the results and in the discussion.

Suggested Adjustments:

• Clarity of Reference: Clarify whether the reference is to issues or to rhetoric [Rev11].

• Specify Categories: When information is presented, it is necessary to specify in which document category (Government Plan, Inaugural Address, or Presidential Message) it was identified [Rev14].

• Interpretation of Data: Better explain what the presented data mean, especially the quantitative data in the tables [Rev17].

• Define Period: Clarify whether a given item is an analytical category or refers to a specific period (e.g., only 2006) [Rev13].

5. Conclusions and Final Considerations

• The final considerations section should be reoriented toward the central political reflection of the study.

Suggested Adjustments:

• Focus on Political Agenda: The conclusion should move toward a reflection on rhetoric and the formation of the political agenda [Rev15].

• Explore Impact: Further explore how expanded rhetoric could better impact policies, or how existing actions and programs could, in turn, influence the expansion of the topic within the rhetoric [Rev16]. Reconsider the complexity of analyzing rhetoric without analyzing the policies related to PA [Rev16].

• Present the strengths and limitations of the research.

• Kind regards!

Final decision

• Substantial revisions required.

• peer review recommendation: major-revision

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  27 July 2026
• Date of issue
  2026

History

• Received
  08 May 2025
• Reviewed
  30 Dec 2025
• Accepted
  11 Mar 2026