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This information was printed from The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports,
located at http://www.fitness.gov
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From the Executive Director
Melissa Johnson

The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) invites you to be part of a nationwide effort to get America moving!  We launched the National President’s Challenge on March 20th.  We encourage you to answer the President’s Call to Action to participate in six weeks of physical activity as a commitment to healthy living. You can sign up as an individual or get a few co-workers, friends, or family members to join with you.  Everything you need to promote or participate in the program can be found online @ www.presidentschallenge.org (http://www.presidentschallenge.org/), including a partner toolkit, fact sheets, posters, web buttons and motivational tips from our council members. You can also find a map to see how your state compares to others. This is a fun way to track your state’s participation. The top five governors with the highest participation rates will be acknowledged at the end of the National Challenge, so be sure to participate and help your state! There is a list of over 100 activities (http://www.fitness.gov/activities.htm) that count for this Challenge. We guarantee there is an activity for everybody. There are no more excuses to put off being active another day!

In addition to the National President’s Challenge, PCPFS is actively involved in the process of developing the inaugural Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The Department of Health and Human Services (http://www.hhs.gov/) is taking the lead on this historic initiative as part of Secretary Leavitt’s Prevention priority. The process is being coordinated by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov/).  PCPFS is honored to be part of the HHS team working on this monumental undertaking. We hope these guidelines will help more Americans understand the importance and benefits of physical activity as part of an overall healthy lifestyle. All three federal advisory committee meetings have been completed, which were chaired by Dr. William Haskell (http://med.stanford.edu/profiles/cancer/frdActionServlet?choiceId=facProfile&fid=6108). The Guidelines will be released this Fall. For more information, please visit www.health.gov/paguidelines (http://www.health.gov/paguidelines) or send any inquiries to PA.guidelines@hhs.gov. 

Please enjoy this issue’s interview with Council member Dr. Catherine Baase (http://www.fitness.gov/bio_baase.htm) who shares her insights on corporate health promotion, an area that PCPFS continues to highlight.  I also welcome you to read PCPFS Science Board member Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko’s co-authored article on Qi Gong and Tai Chi, two physical activities that are low-impact and ideal for older adults. Tai Chi is included on our President’s Challenge list and is an activity you can enjoy across your life span.

On a final note, Council member Tedd Mitchell, M.D. (http://www.fitness.gov/bio_mitchell.htm) and I serve on the Exercise is Medicine (EIM) task force, an initiative spearheaded by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) (http://www.acsm.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home_Page) and American Medical Association (AMA) (http://www.ama-assn.org/).  The EIM vision is to make physical activity a standard part of a disease prevention and treatment medical paradigm in the U.S. and for physical activity to be considered by all healthcare providers as a vital sign in every patient visit. Please visit www.exerciseismedicine.org (http://www.exerciseismedicine.org/) for resources and tools available to a variety of sectors, including physicians, health & fitness professionals, and the public. I commend ACSM President Bob Sallis, M.D. and AMA President Ron Davis, M.D. for their commitment to making this vision a reality. The President’s Council is honored to serve as a supporting organization.

I want to thank all the President’s Council members for their phenomenal energy and dedication to improving the health and well-being of all Americans. We have a great team! We encourage you to participate in the National President’s Challenge.  Our motto is -  A Healthier Nation: It’s Everyone’s Challenge! Join us!

Melissa Johnson, M.S.
Executive Director

Council Members' News and Activities

Council Member News:
An interview with Dr. Cathy Baase, Global Director of Health Services for The Dow Chemical Company

PCPFS News: Corporate health promotion is finally getting some attention.  Why do you think it took so long?

CB: Corporate health promotion is now certainly seen in a different light than it was in the past.  The change is driven by several factors.

First, there is the development of more robust business case analysis related to health and the importance of prevention.  The economic impact is much better understood.  In turn, the clarity of the connection between health and organizational success has driven the integration of health promotion as an important business priority rather than an optional “nice to do” activity.

Second, the importance and role of worksites as critical partners in achieving public health objectives, particularly health promotion elements, has significantly evolved in population health management and public health insight.

Third, the heightened concern about the affordability and sustainability of healthcare for society has triggered much reflection about health and healthcare.  Drastically rising healthcare costs have made industry realize that they need to be an active partner in improving the health of employees, and prevention offers one of the largest opportunities for long-term impact.

PCPFS News:  As a trained physician do you feel medical schools need to focus more on prevention, or do you feel they are addressing it as much as is necessary? 

CB: This is a difficult challenge because there is an enormous demand to add information to the curriculum, and the competition for education time is intense.  Although some real progress has been made in the last couple decades, there is more opportunity for improvement.

There are several actions that practicing physicians can take to increase their emphasis on prevention.  Use of electronic medical records can help physicians track and promote prevention actions with their patients.  Involving the entire office staff in health promotion, as outlined in the “practice of the future” concept from various medical professional specialty societies, is an option.  A newer movement supporting a “medical home” concept offers another window to emphasize and improve prevention in practice.  Various initiatives like “Exercise is Medicine” (http://www.exerciseismedicine.org/) are also wonderful in establishing and emphasizing a mindset among health care providers.

Some health plans are now offering coverage and/or reimbursement for a greater variety of prevention services which should lead to increased engagement of prevention services by providers.  Recognizing the enormous time pressures on practicing physicians, perhaps a different model where physicians make referrals to allied health professionals for more in-depth prevention counseling and services would be more effective.

PCPFS News: What might you say to a CEO if you were trying to convince him or her to invest in a worksite health promotion program?

CB:  When making an argument for investing in worksite health it is important to have a well documented business rationale and to measure and report the impact over time.  You must be accountable for results.

I would share the following:

• There is a compelling business case illustrating the link between healthy people and success of the organization. 
• The evidence supporting the benefit and effectiveness of worksite health promotion programs is strong and improving.  The prudent course of action is to invest wisely in health promotion.  We cannot afford to ignore this important business priority.
• Investing in health promotion is highly aligned to the corporate strategy and priorities.
• The evidence of our impact to date.    

PCPFS News: What advice would you give to someone just getting into worksite health promotion or someone who is not trained in the field and has been tasked with developing a program?

CB: For those just starting out in worksite health promotion there is plenty of good news.   There are enormous numbers of resources, materials, guides and tools available - many from public sources.  Don’t worry about trying to do everything at once.  Organize your actions in a logical fashion and build your program piece-by-piece. Craft a clear business case and rationale as to why you are undertaking your program.  Perform a needs assessment (even a simple one) and select the most important interventions for initial investment.  Determine your key target health improvement areas and focus your efforts around improving those target areas.  Gather feedback from employees regarding what types of programs would be most valuable for them.  Also, assemble a team of dedicated individuals to help create and drive the program.  Integration and support from other areas of the company – HR, communications, leadership – is crucial to success.  Recognize that you are making an investment and need to measure progress and success.  Everyone who has a successful health promotion program has stumbled along the way, so if you hit some barriers don’t every give up.  Be persistent!

PCPFS News:  You oversee programs that are taking place throughout the world.  Do you think other countries have a better handle on worksite health promotion? 

CB:  Evaluating health promotion on a global scale reveals that there is great variation from country to country.  Singapore is one example of a country that has a strong focus on prevention and health promotion.  Country health advocacy creates a culture or environment that supports healthy behaviors and reinforces messages that can be promoted in the work environment.  That culture affects worksite health promotion programs.

Feature Article:
Qi Gong and Tai Chi: promoting practices that promote healthy aging

The movement and meditation practices known as Qi Gong and Tai Chi are based on ancient Chinese philosophies purported to promote mental and physical health, vitality and functional well-being. In the West, increasing interest has focused on the benefits of Qi Gong and Tai Chi as gentle physical activity for promoting health and as moving meditation for stress management and disease risk reduction. Growing evidence suggests that these practices may be among the best modes of physical activity for diverse populations, since they are low impact, low cost and easy to learn.

Tai Chi and Qi Gong may sometimes be associated with complex choreographed sets of movements or forms. However, the essential components of Qi Gong are simple to learn and practice, and many modified forms of Tai Chi are more accessible and less complicated than the original forms imported from China. 

Traditionally, Qi Gong and Tai Chi practice includes 4 major components:

•  body posture adjustment and gentle movement
•  meditation and purposeful relaxation
•  breath regulation practice
•  self-administered massage (Qi Gong)

It is possible to integrate these essential components into various combinations, resulting in activity options ranging from very mild and slow to dynamic and vigorous. Qi Gong and Tai Chi can be practiced walking, standing, sitting, or lying down.

In November 2005, more than 30 nationally and internationally recognized experts in Qi Gong and Tai Chi, physical activity and aging, and biomedical research convened to explore and recommend key strategies on issues related to providing accessible and widespread programs. This article provides an overview of the expert recommendations and outcomes of the National Expert Meeting on Qi Gong and Tai Chi. 

Program content and structure
Although some variation across programs will inevitably exist, the expert participants identified the essential components of most well-organized and effective Qi Gong and Tai Chi programs as follows:

Course content
•  dynamic body movements that promote balance, flexibility, strength and range of motion while sitting, standing or walking
•  static standing postures that promote balance and concentration
•  static sitting postures that are the foundation to meditation
•  breathing practices that promote oxygenation, relaxation, and concentration and foster self-awareness
•  meditation practices for concentration and focus
•  self-administered massage, which accelerates natural healing mechanisms
•  information about complementary and holistic healthcare (e.g., natural healing, diet, longevity or vitality enhancement and philosophies that foster inner peace)

Class characteristics
•  group activities that provide ample opportunities for social interaction
•  interesting practices that are stimulating and provide fun and enjoyment
•  quiet environment for optimal meditation and movement practice 
•  safe and supportive facilities to accommodate participants of differing physical activity levels

Ideally, group programs should be offered 3 or more times per week for about one hour each session. However, the expert panel recognized that many facilities schedule programs once or twice per week. Certain populations will need briefer interventions or carefully modified practice settings to accommodate a wide variety of disabilities and limitations.

•  awareness and understanding of the connection between Qi Gong and Tai Chi philosophy and practices
•  basic knowledge of Qi Gong or Tai Chi movements and principles
•  ability to tailor programs for specific populations and limitations
•  enthusiasm for learning about and teaching Qi Gong and Tai Chi
•  leadership qualities
•  teaching and problem-solving skills
•  ability to empathize and connect with participants
•  creativity
•  safety knowledge (CPR and First Aid)

Ideally, prior to leading classes or practice sessions, lay leaders should have practiced Tai Chi or Qi Gong for about 6 months in an institutional setting with a qualified Tai Chi instructor. Alternatively, they should have received 20–50 hours of initial formal training from a recognized Tai Chi or Qi Gong organization. The experts conceded that a high-intensity weekend course (14–16 hours), with a clearly defined internship or practicum, may substitute for longer formal training activities for those with prior knowledge in exercise/health.

The expert panel offered these additional marketing and communication strategies for promoting programs:

• Present information about Qi Gong and Tai Chi at professional conferences related to physical activity, fitness and wellness, medicine, and aging.
• Provide television and radio programming about Qi Gong and Tai Chi for widespread distribution.
• Develop press releases and other materials for the news media with information on Qi Gong and Tai Chi.
• Develop a clear and concise marketing message about the benefits of Qi Gong and Tai Chi programs for target populations, including older adults. In addition, market the value of adopting these programs to community-based organizations.
• Highlight successful community Qi Gong or Tai Chi programs and provide participant testimonials for media use.
•  Develop information about Qi Gong and Tai Chi for distribution at community health fairs and other local venues.
•  Target and implement additional research and communicate the findings to the media and to healthcare professionals. Explain the benefits of Qi Gong and Tai Chi in Western terms.

Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, PhD, Yang Yang, PhD, Karl Rosengren, PhD, Lisa Sheppard, MA, and Chae-Hee Park, MS, are with the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Roger Jahnke directs the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi, located in Goleta, California. James Firman, EdD, Lynn Beattie, MHA, and Rita Chow, EdD, are with the National Council on the Aging, in Washington, DC.

This article originally appeared in the Journal of Active Aging, a publication of the International Council on Active Aging.

Mark Your Calendar

MARCH
National Brain Injury Awareness Month (http://www.biausa.org/media.htm)
National Nutrition Month (http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/NNM_2007_home.htm)
20: Launch of the National President’s Challenge (http://www.presidentschallenge.org/)
24-27: ACSM Health and Fitness Summit (http://www.acsm.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Education/Conferences/HealthFitnessSummit/Summit.htm), Long Beach, CA

APRIL
Cancer Control Month (http://www.cancer.org/)
Sports Eye Safety Month (http://www.aao.org/aaoesite/eyemd/sports.cfm)
7-13: National Public Health Week (http://www.nphw.org/nphw08/default.htm)
19-27: National Park Week (http://www.nps.gov/npweek/)
22: Earth Day (http://earthday.envirolink.org/)
26: World Tai Chi and Qigong Day (http://www.worldtaichiday.org/)
26-5/4: National SAFE KIDS Week (http://www.usa.safekids.org/)

MAY
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month (http://www.fitness.gov/May Month/may_month_toolkit.htm)
American Stroke Month (http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3026377)
Clean Air Month (http://www.lungusa.org/)
1-7: National Physical Education and Sport Week (http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/)
11: Launch of the WOMAN Challenge (http://www.womenshealth.gov/woman/)
11-17: National Women’s Health Week (http://www.womenshealth.gov/whw/)
19-25: Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week (http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/rwi_prevention_week.htm)
21: National Employee Health and Fitness Day (http://physicalfitness.org/nehf.html)

Start planning now for National Physical Fitness and Sports Month (May) and stay active outdoors well into June with National Trails Day (http://www.americanhiking.org/events/ntd/index.html) (June 7), Great Outdoors Week (http://www.funoutdoors.com/events/gow) (June 9-15), and the Great American Backyard  Campout (http://www.backyardcampout.org/) (June 28).

Grant Deadlines:
National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
Registration Open for 2008 NIH Regional Seminars in Program Funding and Grants Administration (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-022.html)
(NOT-OD-08-022)
Seminar Dates:  March 25-26, 2008 and June 19-20, 2008

More information on grants and other governmental funding mechanisms can be found on Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov/). In addition, the NCPPA E-newsletter (http://www.ncppa.org/enewsletters.asp) lists grants available from a variety of national organizations.

President's Challenge Program Updates

Carolina Turkey Partnership Continues
For the third year in a row, the President’s Challenge program is pleased to partner with Carolina Turkey (now Butterball, LLC) to encourage individuals of all ages to be more active.  The company is promoting the program with point-of-purchase displays, flyers with coupons and program information, and through the purchase of Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards for participants who complete the Challenge.  Learn more about the partnership. (http://www.carolinaturkey.presidentschallenge.org/)

2006-2007 State Champions Winners
The President’s Challenge would like to congratulate all of the 2007 State Champions Winners.
View the winners in each state. (http://www.presidentschallenge.org/educators/school_recognition/state_champs_06_07.aspx)

Science Board News and Notes

New Members
Four new members joined the PCPFS Science Board this year.  Those members are David Bassett, Jr., Ph.D. and Joy DeSensi, Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (http://www.utk.edu/), Gregory Heath, DHSc, MPH from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (http://www.utc.edu/) , and Allen Jackson, Ed.D. from the University of North Texas (http://www.unt.edu/).  They replace the spots previously occupied by Doris Corbett, Ph.D., Edward T. Howley, Ph.D., James Morrow, Ph.D., and Deborah Rohm Young, Ph.D., whose terms expired in December 2007.  The PCPFS is grateful for the service of all Science Board members past and present!

Science Partners
Two new organizations have signed on as science partners.  These include the American Heart Association (http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200000) and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) (http://www.apta.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home). PCPFS Science Board member Dr. Barbara Ainsworth was at the APTA meeting, Preview 2020, to sign the agreement with APTA President R. Scott Ward.  These partners help ensure the timely exchange of scientific information regarding physical activity, fitness, and health.

Attendees of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) National Convention and Exhibition (http://iweb.aahperd.org/Memberweb/convention/) can catch an exciting presentation by representatives of the PCPFS, AAHPERD, and The Cooper Instititute.  The presentation is an outcrop of the science partnership the Council has with the AAHPERD Research Consortium.  The session will include a research-based overview of youth fitness testing for the past half century with a focus on test development, batteries, items, and cultural and scientific influences.  An open discussion on youth physical fitness testing will take place at the end of the session.

What's New at HHS

Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative
Acting Surgeon General Rear Admiral Steven Galson, M.D., MPH (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/aboutoffice.html#biosg) kicked off his Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future initiative (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/obesityprevention.html).  This effort will take him on a nationwide tour to showcase what communities are doing to help combat overweight and obesity among children.  The tour follows up on the announcement of the HHS Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative (http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2007pres/11/pr20071127a.html) at the 2007 National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit (http://www.cdc.gov/cochp/conference/index.htm).  As part of this initiative, Rear Admiral Galson will work with community stakeholders on programs that encourage community-based interventions.  He will recognize community programs and campaigns throughout the nation that are addressing childhood overweight and obesity prevention to help kids stay active, encourage healthy eating habits, and promote healthy choices. The goal is to highlight these best practices so that communities across the country will follow their example—creating healthy youth for a healthy future.

Quick Guide to Health Literacy
HHS released a new health literacy tool for people who serve older adults.  The Quick Guide to Health Literacy and Older Adults (http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/olderadults/default.htm) is designed to provide useful strategies and suggestions to help bridge the communication gap between professionals and older adults.

Healthy People 2020 Development
The public is invited to comment on the development of health objectives for the nation for the next decade.  Regional hearings will take place this spring in Boston, Chicago, Fort Worth, San Francisco, and Bethesda, MD.  The first hearing was held on March 17 in Atlanta.  To register to attend one of the hearings or sign up to receive updates through the Healthy People listserv, please visit the Healthy People website (http://www.healthypeople.gov/).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Body Mass Index Measurement in Schools
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention produced Body Mass Index Measurement in Schools (http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/Overweight/BMI/) to describe the purpose of school-based BMI surveillance and screening programs.  The article examines current practices, identifies concerns surrounding programs, and outlines needs for future research.  Guidance is provided on specific safeguards that need to be addressed before schools decide to collect BMI information.  The article appeared in the Journal of School Health.

Physical Activity Articles in Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD)
The January and April 2008 issues of PCD feature several articles on physical activity and exercise.  Among them a report on a group exercise program targeting ethnic older adults, an article on the relationship between dietary practices, dining out, physical activity behavior and weight loss maintenance (both in January), a pilot study on a faith-based physical activity program (April), and a comparative case study on active transport to and from school (April).  Additional articles focus on physical activity measurement in older adults and cultural attitudes towards physical activity and diet.  To access this free journal, please visit the PCD page on CDC's website (http://www.cdc.gov/pcd).

The Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT)
The HECAT (http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/) can guide schools and others as they analyze health education curricula.  The tool utilizes the National Health Education Standards and the CDC’s Characteristics of Effective Health Education Curricula to conduct comparisons.  HECAT results can help schools and school districts select or develop appropriate and effective health education curricula.

Community Health Resources Web Site
The Community Health Resources Web site (http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dach_chaps/) is a searchable database of the CDC’s best resources addressing a variety of chronic diseases and other health topics including physical activity.  The resources of each disease or topic are grouped based on focus or purpose of the information (e.g., evaluation, surveillance, community program, etc.).

Morbidity Mortality Weekly Report
Prevalence of Adult Physical Activity – United States, 2001 and 2005 (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5646a1.htm)
Findings show the prevalence of regular physical activity increased among men (48% to 49.7%) and women (43% to 46.7%) from 2001 to 2005.

Quickstats (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5643a7.htm): Estimated Percentage of Patients Aged 45 Years or Older Who Received Exercise Counseling from Their Primary-Care Physicians from the 2003-2005 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
Survey data show that men aged 45-54 were most likely (22.1%) to receive exercise counseling from their primary-care physician.  Women aged 75 years and older were least likely (9.2%) to receive counseling. 

Health, United States, 2007 (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm)
The report is a compilation of more than 150 health tables and includes data on leisure time physical activity participation among adults.

School Health Education Resources (SHER)
SHER (http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/sher/) is a unique, user-friendly web tool that consolidates the health education resources developed and distributed by the various centers within the CDC. SHER is geared towards Pre-K-12 classroom teachers, school nurses, counselors, curriculum directors, and school administrators.

Instructional materials are aligned with the National Health Education Standards, Second Edition, 2007, and CDC’s Characteristics of Effective Health Education Curriculum.

School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2006
The 2006 report includes a number of questions that assessed state policies related to physical activity and physical education programming in schools.  Questions addressed time requirements for physical education, requirements for recess, and the level of certification required for physical education teachers.  All fifty states and the District of Columbia responded to the self-report questionnaires mailed to state education agencies. Review the full report (http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/shpps/2006/summaries/pdf/State_Level_Summaries_SHPPS2006.pdf) (PDF file: 1.82MB).

National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP)
A new series of teen tip sheets (http://ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth.htm) are now available.  The tip sheets are designed for youth ages 11 to 17 to encourage them to take action to manage their diabetes.  Topics covered include “What is Diabetes,” being active, weight management, and healthy food choices.  An additional sheet, “Lower Your Risk for Type 2 Diabetes,” (http://ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youthtips/youthtips_lowerrisk.htm) provides information teens can use to prevent them from developing this dangerous disease.

DiabetesAtWork Workshop Planning Toolkit
The toolkit features the free resources of www.diabetesatwork.org (http://www.diabetesatwork.org/) that were developed to help employers promote diabetes prevention and control through worksite interventions.

These materials include:

• A step-by-step plan for coordinating and executing a DiabetesAtWork workshop;
• Sample checklists, letters, agendas, presentation and media material, and other resources to get started; and
• Articles on worksite productivity, diabetes prevention and management at the worksite, and the return on investment that can be realized by providing worksite diabetes programs.

In January NDEP began promoting its Small Steps. Big Rewards. campaign (http://ndep.nih.gov/campaigns/SmallSteps/SmallSteps_index.htm) through the distribution of radio and print public service announcements that encourage people to take small steps to prevent diabetes. The campaign provides tailored messages and materials for high risk audiences.

National Institutes of Health – National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
NHLBI announced a national partnership with the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) (http://www.ncnw.org/).  The partnership will utilize NHLBIs science-based We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition) (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/) program to help African American children maintain a healthy weight.  As part of the effort, NCNW members across the U.S. will train parents and children on ways to incorporate physical activity and good nutrition into their daily lives.

And elsewhere…

The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion launched MyPyramid Menu Planner (http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/planner/launchPage.aspx).  An individual can use the tool to see if his food choices are balanced for the day or over the course of a week.  The interactive website can help plan meals that meet MyPyramid goals and provides suggestions on ways to improve food choices. 

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and American Medical Association (AMA)
The ACSM and AMA launched Exercise is Medicine (EIM) (http://www.exerciseismedicine.org/), an initiative to encourage healthcare providers to consider physical activity a vital sign in every patient. Encouraging physicians and other healthcare providers to be active is also part of EIM, which will provide tools and resources and encourage policies that help make physical activity participation a standard part of the patient/provider dialogue.

The Partnership released the Safe Routes to School: 2007 State of the States Report, which discusses the status of the federal SRTS program.  Download the report (http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/media/file/rpt_SRTSstates2007.pdf) (PDF: 775KB).

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
The latest Policy and Issue Brief (http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=15950&topicid=1024&catid=14) provides an overview of state action to improve nutrition and increase physical activity in an effort to prevent obesity. Additional briefs that may be of interest include:

• Models for Change: Lessons for Creating Active Living Communities (http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=23778&topicid=1024&catid=14)
• Active Education (http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=23456&topicid=1024&catid=14)
• Designing for Active Living Among Children (http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=23455&topicid=1024&catid=14)