To achieve the goal of population-wide increased levels of physical activity it is necessary that governments at all levels play a key role in initiating, coordinating and implementing public policies that promote physical activity, enhance environments and provide increased access by the whole population. This review provides a summary of the literature on policy, including policy formation and policy process. In the absence of any alternate, we developed a definition of what constitutes a policy on physical activity. Further, we synthesised the literature to create a set of 11 criteria for success and undertook an international review of a small but diverse group of countries to assess the focus and content of their existing or developing policy on physical activity. This inter-country comparison is restricted to a select group of diverse countries for which there was available information in English. Summary findings of this comparative research are presented as well as a brief overview of several global and regional initiatives.