The Necessity of Academic Consortium of the Asian College Sports Science
Article information
Abstract
PURPOSE
Sport science, in close connection with medical progress, has played a crucial role in promoting health and extending human longevity. While the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the European College of Sport Science (ECSS) provide effective regional platforms, Asia lacks a comparable consortium, limiting the ability to address shared challenges.
METHODS
This paper examined the structures and impacts of ACSM and ECSS, analyzed regional differences in health and fitness indicators, and evaluated the current roles of Korean and Japanese societies. Based on these findings, strategies for an Asian consortium were proposed.
RESULTS
ACSM and ECSS have advanced research, education, and policy by integrating scientific evidence with professional training and guidelines. However, Asian populations show distinct characteristics, including higher life expectancy, smaller body size, and different risk profiles for obesity and sarcopenia. These differences highlight the need for region-specific standards. National organizations such as the Korean Society of Exercise Physiology (KSEP) and the Japanese Society of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (JSPFSM) are active but lack sufficient international influence.
CONCLUSIONS
Establishing a Korea-Japan-led Asian Consortium of Sport Science, named the Asian College Sports Science (ACSS), could address these gaps by developing regional health standards, publishing joint research, organizing congresses, and issuing policy recommendations. Such collaboration would strengthen Asia's global presence and contribute to healthier aging in the era of extended longevity.
The advancement of sport science, in conjunction with progress in medicine, has significantly contributed to improving human health and realizing the vision of a “ healthy longevity society.” In an era where life expectancy frequently exceeds 100 years, maintaining health has become a critical challenge for both individuals and societies. The demand for exercise and health professionals has grown rapidly, while the role of academic institutions in providing evidence-based health information and systematic exercise knowledge has become increasingly vital.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the European College of Sport Science (ECSS) are prominent international academic organizations that address these needs. They not only generate research outputs but also train health and exercise professionals, publish evi-dence-based guidelines, and influence policy development. In contrast, East Asia— including countries such as Korea and Japan— lacks a comparable regional consortium. As a result, national societies alone face limitations in effectively addressing shared regional challenges. This paper analyzes the roles and future directions of ACSM and ECSS, and subsequently discusses the necessity and strategies for establishing an Asian Consortium of Sport Science, led primarily by Korea and Japan.
RESULTS
1. The role and development of ACSM and ECSS
The ACSM, with over 50,000 members worldwide, is the largest global organization in sports medicine and exercise science [1]. Its vision is to integrate medicine and science with sport and exercise to enhance quali-ty of life. The society publishes leading journals such as Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, offers certification programs for personal trainers, exercise physiologists, and clinical exercise specialists, and pro-vides official position statements and exercise prescription guidelines that bridge research with practice. Through the global campaign Exercise is Medicine (EIM), ACSM promotes the integration of physical activity into standard medical care and encourages its adoption as part of daily lifestyle practices [2]. Moreover, ACSM has embraced innovations in the fitness industry, including wearable technologies and tele-exercise interventions, by incorporating them into education and certification systems [3].
Founded in 1995, ECSS unites sport scientists across Europe to foster interdisciplinary collaboration [4]. Its scope includes physiology, psychol-ogy, biomechanics, and social sciences, with the vision of advancing and applying world-class multidisciplinary science in sport, exercise, physical activity, and health [5]. ECSS pursues four core missions: (1) hosting an-nual congresses that disseminate cutting-edge research while mentoring and recognizing young investigators, (2) supporting emerging scholars through scholarships and early-career programs, (3) promoting knowledge exchange via Special Interest Groups and webinars, and (4) collaborating with the European Union, public agencies, and industry partners to inform policy and stimulate innovation. ECSS publishes the European Journal of Sport Science (EJSS) as an open-access outlet, ensuring wide dissemination of knowledge. Additionally, ECSS has strengthened its role as a platform for European-wide integration of sport science, contributing to health policy initiatives such as Exercise is Medicine Europe [6].
Together, ACSM and ECSS exemplify regional academic consortia that successfully unify researchers and practitioners, provide guidelines, certify professionals, and translate scientific knowledge into tangible public health benefits.
2. Regional differences in global health and fitness standards
Health and fitness assessment indicators vary considerably by ethnicity and region, highlighting the importance of region-specific strategies. Korea and Japan currently have the highest life expectancies world-wide—85 years in Japan and 84.5 years in Korea as of 2025— exceeding that of the United States by more than five years [7]. However, longevity has brought challenges such as rapid population aging, chronic diseases, and sarcopenia.
Obesity and metabolic risk indicators also differ. Asians typically have smaller body frames and distinct fat distribution compared with Western populations, leading to a higher risk of metabolic disorders at lower BMI values. The World Health Organization recommends lowering the obesity threshold for Asians to a BMI of 23, supported by studies showing elevated risks of hypertension and diabetes at relatively low BMI levels [8]. Research further indicates that South Asians demonstrate lower VO₂ max and limited metabolic benefits from equivalent levels of physical activity compared with Europeans [9].
Differences are also evident in sarcopenia diagnosis. The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP, revised 2018) and the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS, revised 2019) ap-ply different cutoffs, reflecting variations in body size and muscle distribution [10]. For instance, applying European thresholds to Asian populations risks overdiagnosis, while handgrip strength cutoffs may lead to underdiagnosis. Comparative studies have shown higher sarcopenia prevalence when European criteria are applied to the same Asian cohorts [10]. Such findings underscore the urgent need for regionally tailored health and fitness standards, supported by largescale collaborative research across Asia.
3. The need for an asian consortium and the role of Korea and Japan
While ACSM and ECSS function as unifying bodies for the Americas and Europe, Asia lacks a comparable federation. The Korean Society of Exercise Physiology (KSEP), founded in 1988, has approximately 2,000 members and publishes Exercise Science [11]. Similarly, the Japanese Society of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (JSPFSM), established in the 1950s, publishes the Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine [12]. However, both societies operate primarily at the national level. As most global health and fitness standards are based on Western populations and disseminated via ACSM or ECSS, they insufficiently reflect the unique characteristics of Asian populations.
Korea and Japan, sharing cultural and geographical proximity, are well positioned to lead collaborative initiatives. By establishing largescale Asian cohorts and jointly collecting data on physical activity, fitness, and metabolic health, the two nations could develop “ Asia-specific” standards. For example, a dataset of tens of thousands of participants would allow derivation of regionally appropriate thresholds for obesity, fitness, and sarcopenia.
Beyond standard-setting, such a consortium could facilitate the exchange of best practices, such as Japan's community-based elderly fitness programs and Korea's ICT-driven digital health initiatives. It could also amplify Asia's presence in global health discussions by issuing joint statements and hosting international congresses. Although the Asian Council of Exercise and Sports Science (ACESS) was formally launched in 2018 [13], limited engagement from Korea and Japan has hindered its impact, underscoring the need for a new consortium led by these two nations.
A future Asian consortium could fulfill multiple roles: (1) developing standardized health and fitness indicators for regional populations, (2) publishing a joint academic journal to disseminate Asian research, (3) organizing sustainable academic congresses and workshops, (4) producing evidence-based policy recommendations such as regional physical activity guidelines, (5) training the next generation of scholars through joint programs, and (6) collaborating with industry to advance digital health and aging-related technologies. Korea's strength in ICT-based healthcare and Japan's expertise in aging interventions could be integrated for complementary growth. Establishing a joint secretariat in Korea or rotating congresses between Korea and Japan would further enhance visibility and global influence.
CONCLUSION
ACSM and ECSS have successfully integrated research, education, policy, and practice to advance public health in their respective regions. In contrast, Asia— despite having the highest global life expectancy and distinct physiological characteristics— lacks both regionally tailored standards and an effective academic consortium. Establishing an Asian Consortium of Sport Science, named the Asian College Sports Science (ACSS), led by Korea and Japan, would provide a framework for largescale data collection, the development of Asia-specific indicators, the publication of joint research, and the dissemination of regionally relevant policy recommendations.
Such an organization would strengthen Asia's voice in international health discourse and have the potential to emerge as a global academic platform on par with ACSM and ECSS. More importantly, closer collaboration between Korea and Japan would directly benefit researchers, practitioners, and citizens, thereby contributing to healthier aging and preparing societies for the realities of the “ century-long life era.”
The upcoming 79th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine, to be held at Ritsumeikan University, will include a joint symposium with KSEP. This continuing “ shuttle session” offers a timely opportunity to initiate discussions on an Asian consortium and to present a shared vision for future development.
Notes
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they do not have conflict of interest.
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Conceptualization, Writing-original draft, Writing-review & editing: C Kim.