Physical Activity Guidelines Development
The first meeting of the Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee will take place on June 28 and 29, 2007 at HHS headquarters in Washington, DC.  The meeting is open to the public, but space is limited.  Register to attend the meeting, and learn more about the advisory committee members.

National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit
The HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are hosting the 2007 prevention summit November 27-29 in Washington, D.C..  This year’s meeting takes the place of the Secretary’s National Prevention Summit and the CDC’s National Health Promotion Conference, National Conference on Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, and the National Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Conference.  The call for abstracts has closed.  Conference details including registration information.

Innovation in Prevention Awards Call for Nominations
HHS is accepting nominations for the 2007 Innovation in Prevention Awards, which seek to identify and celebrate organizations that have implemented innovative and creative chronic disease prevention and health promotion programs. The deadline for nominations is 5:00 PM EDT, June 29, 2007.  Nominate a program or obtain additional information on the 2007 Innovation in Prevention Awards. Winners will be recognized at the National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit (see above for details).

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
As part of its prevention and wellness initiative, A Healthier US Starts Here, HHS will continue its CMS sponsored cross-country bus tour to promote the importance of prevention.  More information about the initiative, including a calendar of tour stop locations and dates (updated weekly).

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
“The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women," a publication of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of NIH, contains new information on women and heart disease and offers practical suggestions for reducing the risk of heart-related problems.

The handbook also describes the warning signs of heart attack and how to get help quickly, provides information about healthy eating to reduce heart disease risk, and includes a sample eating plan and a chart on how to properly read a nutrition label.

"The Healthy Heart Handbook" is available online or can be ordered for $4.00 from the NHLBI Information Center by calling (301) 592-8573 or (240) 629-3255 (TTY).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The National Fruit and Vegetable Program has a new name, “Fruits and Veggies—More Matters,” and a new website.

"Reducing Children's TV Time to Reduce the Risk of Childhood Overweight:  The Children's Media Use Study" (PDF file) is a highlights report on the results of a study to understand the barriers and opportunities for reducing the amount of time children spend watching TV.  

“The State of Aging and Health in America 2007 Report” from the CDC and the Merck Company Foundation presents the most current national data available on 15 key health indicators for older adults related to health status, health behaviors, preventive care and screening, and injuries. The “State-by-State Report Card” provides similar information for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

And elsewhere…

USDA- Food and Nutrition Service
“Team Up at Home: Team Nutrition Activity Booklet” is a 36-page activity booklet for parents of school-aged children.  This free resource is available for download as a PDF file.

USDA- Forest Service
On May 22, 2007, the Forest Service announced the awarding of $500,000 in grants to 24 Forest Service applicants to help get more children active and interested in the outdoors.  More than 250 groups applied for the awards, which target underserved and urban youth and focus on recreation and conservation education, the development of broad-based partnerships, and innovative techniques to get kids outside.  More information about the projects.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The EPA has a new awards program.  The Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging Award recognizes communities that take an inclusive approach to promoting smart growth and active aging concepts.

Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging is a collaborative effort with the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the CDC, the National Council on Aging's Center for Healthy Aging, the National Blueprint Initiative, and Active for Life.

Award applications are due October 17, 2007 and the winners will be announced at the annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in Washington, D.C., February 2008.

Florida
Florida Governor Charlie Crist signed an Executive Order establishing the Florida Governor's Council on Physical Fitness. Among the Council’s anticipated duties:

• develop a state plan of action to increase Floridians' level of physical fitness through regular exercise and sound nutritional practices;
• review the implementation of daily physical education courses for elementary school students (grades K-5) and the feasibility of providing similar physical education courses for middle and high school students (grades 6-12) by the year 2012;
• evaluate the nutritional value of school lunches, availability of certified physical education teachers and the possibility of school districts maintaining independent fitness advisory panels.

New Jersey
The NJ Department of Health and Senior Services plans to open its new Office of Nutrition and Fitness this summer.  The office will coordinate the State’s fitness and nutrition programs and work to implement the recommendations of the NJ Obesity Prevention Task Force in an effort to combat obesity among residents. View the press release.

National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
NATA and the NCAA released “Collegiate Athletic Injuries—Trends and Prevention,” a report featured in a special edition of the Journal of Athletic Training that synthesizes 16 years of data from the NCAA Injury Surveillance System and covers 15 collegiate sports.

PBS
Connecting Kids to Nature, a special section on the PBS Parents website, provides information on the benefits of getting kids outside.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
“The Built Environment and Physical Activity: What is the Relationship?” is a report and policy brief provided by the RWJF Synthesis Project.  The report examines the existing evidence on the relationship between the environments in which we live and work and levels of physical activity and the policies that influence these environments and behaviors.  To download the report or the 4-page policy brief, visit

The Healthy Eating Research program, funded by RWJF, recently released the research brief, “Promoting Good Nutrition and Physical Activity in Child-Care Settings.”  (PDF file)

Smart Growth Network
“Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities and Youth Obesity: Lessons Learned from the National Forums and Regional Dialogues of the NACo Center for Sustainable Communities” (PDF file) is a report based on a series of listening sessions and forums conducted by the National Association of Counties, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and other state and local government organizations.  The document identifies steps counties can take to promote healthier schools and communities and combat obesity, especially among youth, minority populations, and the poor.

Council of State Governments
“Preventing Diseases through Physical Activity” (PDF file) is the title of a new policy brief for State legislators issued by the Council of State Governments.  The sixteen page document provides legislators with basic facts on physical activity participation in the U.S., suggests actions they can take to improve physical activity in a variety of settings, and describes policies that have been implemented in select States.  The document was produced through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.