An excerpt from an October 24, 2005 press release: "A Healthier You: Based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans" gives consumers simple steps for healthy living, drawn from the science-based nutrition and physical activity advice of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines.

To make the advice easier to find, the new book will be offered in places where people usually look for diet and exercise books, including retail bookstores. However, the federal government does not profit from the sale of the book -- under law, it can only cover its costs…The book also will be available on the Web at www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines and in bookstores in November.

A Healthier You offers healthy doses of understanding and encouragement along with its practical advice and easy recipes. It was written based on research into what consumers have said they want to know.”

“Express Your Health” fact and activity sheets are available for parents, teachers, youth leaders and kids. These resources are designed to help pre-school, elementary, junior high, and high school children learn the importance of taking care of themselves through a variety of health-promoting behaviors including physical activity.

Recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports:

Oct. 7, 2005/Vol. 54/No. 39. Trends in Leisure-Time Physical Inactivity by Age, Sex, and Race/Ethnicity—United States 1994-2004.

Sept. 30, 2005/Vol. 54/No. 38. International Walk to School Week, October 3-7, 2005. Barriers to Children Walking To or From School—United States, 2004

Sept. 23, 2005/Vol. 54/No. 37. Competitive Food and Beverages Available for Purchase in Secondary Schools—Selected Sites, United States, 2004. Perceptions of Neighborhood Characteristics and Leisure-Time Physical Inactivity—Austin/Travis County Texas, 2004.

Sept. 2, 2005/Vol. 54/No. 34. Children and Teens Told by Doctors That They Were Overweight—United States, 1999-2002.

The October issue of Preventing Chronic Disease contains the following articles on physical activity including: Health Care Charges Associated with Physical Inactivity, Overweight and Obesity; Perceptions of Environmental Supports for Physical Activity in African American and White Adults in a Rural Community in South Carolina; and Trends in Walking for Transportation in the United States, 1995 and 2001.

The CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health is continuing its work with the USDA and US Department of Education to help State child nutrition and education agencies with the implementation of the local school wellness policy in local education agencies. Informational meetings and seminars are scheduled in the near future. These include a tele-seminar on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 during which information will be provided on the availability of USDA non-competitive grants for States to support training for and/or implementation of the local wellness policies.

On January 12-13, 2006, a School Health Wellness Policy Institute will be held in Atlanta, GA. Information about the meetings has been distributed directly to State Child Nutrition (CN) Directors. If you are interested in learning more, contact your State CN Director’s office or a member of your State’s Action for Healthy Kids team. More information on the local school wellness policy and resources to help with the development and implementation of these policies can be found on the USDA website.