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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

I’m delighted to report that we’ve had a very active summer at the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. We celebrated our 50th Anniversary on July 16, 2006 (President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the Council on that date in 1956). The new President’s Council met in Washington, D.C. on July 26th to rededicate ourselves to the Council’s vision and mission and devise strategies for sounding the alarm about the health risks of sedentary living while spreading our message of the joy of active living.

I’ll be back to you in the winter issue of our E-newsletter to report on the Council’s November meeting. In the meantime, keep active! Hard as it is to believe, fall will soon give way to winter. Now is the time to get in shape for winter sports. If you start a physical activity program today, you’ll be ready for winter fun by Christmas. Winter sports such as snowshoeing and skiing are a great way to be active, have fun and spend time with your family during the holidays and winter weekends. For more information on winter sports, see http://www.thesnowtrade.org/ the Web site of our 50th Anniversary Partner, Snowsports Industries America (SIA). Watch for information about SIA’s “Winter Feels Good” program and Winter Trails Day 2007, which will be observed January 7 at more than 100 locations in the U.S. and Canada (http://www.wintertrails.org/). It’s never too early to start planning.

Here's to being active and fit!

Melissa Johnson, M.S.

Council Members' Activities

PCPFSNews asked Council Chair John Burke some questions regarding the focus of this Council:

Q: Can you outline some of the initiatives this Council will be tackling and why?

A: We have a number of exciting goals for this Council; sounding the alarm on the need for Americans to become more physically fit along with adding programs like an on-line adult fitness test and creating a Lifetime achievement award to recognize those who have made a great contribution toward getting people physically fit and involved in sports.  This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Council. When President Eisenhower formed the Council, he did so because he was alarmed at the fact that Americans were becoming less physically fit.  Fifty years later Eisenhower’s message is even more important.  We need to start to turn the tide and get more Americans to recognize the benefits of physical activity.  It is the duty of the Council to sound the alarm that we as a nation are moving in the wrong direction in the area of physical fitness and show them how a simple program of physical activity can deliver significant benefits.

Q: How do you feel this Council can be most effective?

A: The Council can be most effective by getting the message out that there is a problem with the lack of physical activity in America and that there are simple solutions that can really make a significant difference in people’s lives.

Nick Baird, director of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH): From the web site of the “Healthy Ohioans—Small Steps, Big Strides” (http://www.healthyohioans.org/) initiative, Ohioans are now able to link directly to the President’s Challenge web site (http://www.presidentschallenge.org/). “Healthy Ohioans” is the multi-year, statewide health and wellness initiative of Governor Bob Taft and the ODH. The purpose of the program is to increase awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles and to change unhealthy habits for healthy ones--one small step at a time.  The ultimate goal of Healthy Ohioans is to improve Ohio’s chronic disease rates related to lifestyles.

John Burke finished the Wisconisn Ironman Triathlon on September 10, 2006. The event, which consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run, proves this PCPFS Chair definitely “walks the talk.”

Eli Manning threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns in the Giant’s season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts beat the Giants 26-21 in New York.

Andy Roddick played Roger Federer in the finals of the 2006 U.S. Open. Although he lost to Federer, Andy’s showing at the Open elevated him to number six in the world tennis rankings (he was twelfth going into the Western and Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati in mid August). Roddick will lead the U.S. contingent in Russia in the Davis Cup starting on September 22, 2006.

Feature Article:
International Perspectives on School-Based Physical Activity
Kerry L. McIver, M.A. and Russell R. Pate, Ph.D. Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

Introduction
America is in the midst of an obesity epidemic.  If today's children are to be spared the ravages of premature chronic disease and disability, our society must take actions to reverse the trends that have produced the current situation.  Hence the American Heart Association recently released a Scientific Statement that called upon U.S. schools to assume leadership in increasing the physical activity levels of American children and youth.(1)

Though obesity statistics are particularly striking in the U.S., the obesity epidemic is rapidly becoming a worldwide pandemic.  This article summarizes large scale school-based initiatives that are underway in three nations that share many cultural elements with the U.S.: Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

United Kingdom
In 2002, the national PE, School Sport and Club Links strategy was launched through a joint effort of the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The purpose of this program is to enhance the opportunities and access school-aged children have to sporting activities. The long-term goal is to offer all children four hours of sport every week, consisting of at least 2 hours of high-quality physical education and an additional 2-3 hours beyond the school day that is provided both by the school and community and club providers. The strategy is implemented through nine components including: Sports Colleges, School Sport Partnerships, Professional Development, Step into Sport, Club Links, Gifted and Talented Programs, Sporting Playgrounds, Swimming Initiatives, and the QCA’s PE and School Sport Investigation. With the support of the Youth Sports Trust, SportEngland and SportScotland, parents, school administrators, coaches, and local authorities have access to information regarding best practices on providing opportunities for sport to children and adolescents. The PESSCL strategy also provides educators with several tools to help them gauge their PE and sport program quality, develop new and engaging PE curriculum, and ensure the inclusion of all students in sport and physical activity programs.

In addition, the National Healthy School Standard was developed to assist local program coordinators and provide accreditation to education and health partnerships. The aim is to help schools become healthier settings through the development of these partnerships. The physical activity standard requires that schools have a whole school approach to physical activity which includes a standard of 2 hours per week of PE, staff wellness, community and neighborhood partnerships, and teacher and coach professional development opportunities.

Australia
In order to address overweight and obesity in Australia, the Australian government has invested in the Building a Healthy, Active Australia initiative that promotes health through several avenues including the Active Australia Schools network, Targeted Sports Participation Growth Program, the Indigenous Sports Program and the Out of School Hours Sports Programs. The Active After-school Communities program, developed in conjunction with the Australian Sports Commission, provides small grants to schools and organizations to deliver supervised opportunities for physical activity and sport during after-school hours at no extra cost to families. The Active School Curriculum requires schools to include in their curriculum at least two hours of physical activity each school week for primary and secondary school children. The curriculum also encourages activity through access to school equipment, playgrounds and sporting fields. Similar to the UK system, Australia is committed to providing sport opportunities to all children and adolescents through both the school systems and after-school programming.

New Zealand
The Active Schools Initiative and the Physical Activity Initiative are two complementary programs that provide New Zealand children and adolescents with opportunities for quality physical activity and sport. Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) recognizes that in order for children to choose and continue their physical activity participation, their experiences have to be fun and educational. SPARC provides schools with an Active Schools Toolkit that encourages educators to incorporate physical activity across the curriculum and ways to involve families and communities in providing physical activity opportunities to children. The Toolkit has components including: Get Ready aimed at principals and high-level decision makers, Get Started for teachers, Get Going activity cards for classroom based activity ideas, Get Into It, an interactive CD and music experience, Outdoor Activities Guidelines for Teachers, and Healthy Eating in Active Schools booklet. The Regional Sports Trusts provide training on the Active Schools Toolkit and continued support for educators. SPARC also provides the KiwiDex program to teachers. KiwiDex is a program that allows teachers to incorporate safe, fun, and appropriate physical activities into daily routines. The program provides teachers with the tools necessary to incorporate activity into the daily schedule outside of scheduled PE classes.

Conclusion
Although the programs described are by no means a comprehensive list, we can learn several things from the programs established in other countries. The emphasis on sport is clear in the programs described, but the efforts in these programs are towards inclusion of all students. There are also specific opportunities for further advancement of skilled athletes through the Gifted and Talented programs and Sporting Colleges. These programs and initiatives are also committed to providing support, both financial and informational, to schools, parents, local authorities, and community programs to help them provide fun, safe, and appropriate activities for children both in school and during after-school hours.

For more information on the programs described, please see the following websites:

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/pe
http://www.sportengland.org/
http://www.sportscotland.org/
http://www.youthsporttrust.org/
http://www.ncss.org.uk/
http://www.healthyactive.gov.au/
http://www.sparc.gov.nz/

Reference:
(1) Pate, R. R., Davis, M.G., Robinson, T. N., Stone, E. J., McKenzie, T. L., and Young, J. C. (2006). Promoting Physical Activity in Children and Youth. A Leadership Role for Schools. A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism (Physical Activity Committee) in Collaboration With the Councils on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young and Cardiovascular Nursing. Circulation, 114: [Epub ahead of print]: Available online at http://www.circulationaha.org

Mark Your Calendar

SEPTEMBER
Healthy Aging Month (http://www.healthyaging.net/)
5-8: Pro Walk Pro Bike 2006 (http://www.bikewalk.org/conference/index.html)
11: One Day’s Pay (http://www.onedayspay.org/)
18-22: National Recess Week (http://www.cartoonrecessweek.com/index.aspx)
22: National Run@Work Day (http://www.rrca.org/program/programs.html#P4)
30: National Public Lands Day (http://www.publiclandsday.org/)
30: Worldwide Day of Play (http://www.nickjr.com/parenting/health_fitness/ljp/lets_play_worldwide.jhtml)
25-Oct. 1: Active Aging Week (http://www.icaa.cc/)

OCTOBER
International Walk to School Month (http://www.iwalktoschool.org/)
4: Walk to School Day (http://www.walktoschool.org/)
5: Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge (http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/special_GameOn.php); Washington, DC
5-7: We Can! Rally (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/news/rally.htm); Bethesda, MD
26-27: National Prevention Summit: Prevention, Preparedness, and Promotion (http://www.healthierus.gov/steps/summit.html); Washington, DC
26-28: Cooper Institute Conference Series Parks , Recreation, and Public Health: Collaborative Frameworks for Promoting Physical Activity (http://www.cooperinst.org/sciconf.asp); Dallas, TX

NOVEMBER
American Diabetes Month (http://www.diabetes.org/communityprograms-and-localevents/americandiabetesmonth.jsp)
11-14: American School Health Association School Health Conference (http://www.ashaweb.org/index.html)
15-17: ICAA Active Aging Conference (http://www.icaa.cc/convention.htm)
18: Family Volunteer Day (http://disney.go.com/disneyhand/familyvolunteers/)

Save the Date:
Start planning now to celebrate Winter Trails Day (http://www.wintertrails.org/) on January 6, 2007.

Grant Applications
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH:

Improving Diet and Physical Activity Assessment (R21)
(PAR-06-103)
National Cancer Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Institute on Aging
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
National Institute of Mental Health
National Institute of Nursing Research
Office of Dietary Supplements
Application Receipt/Submission Date(s): New applications: June 1, 2006; February 1, 2007; October 1, 2007; June 1, 2008; February 1, 2009 (alternating standard receipt dates). Resubmission applications: July 1, 2006; March 1, 2007; November 1, 2007; July 1, 2008; March 1, 2009
See announcement (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-06-103.html).

Diet Composition and Energy Balance (R01)
(PA-06-173)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
National Cancer Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Institute on Aging
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Office of Dietary Supplements
Application Receipt/Submission Date(s): Multiple dates, see announcement (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-173.html).

Diet Composition and Energy Balance (R21)
(PA-06-174)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
National Cancer Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Institute on Aging
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Office of Dietary Supplements
Application Receipt/Submission Date(s): Multiple dates, see announcement (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-174.html).

Research on the Economics of Diet, Activity, and Energy Balance (R21)
(PA-06-292)
National Cancer Institute
National Institute on Aging
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Engineering
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research
Application Receipt/Submission Date(s): Multiple dates, see announcement (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-292.html).

Understanding Mechanisms of Health Risk Behavior Change in Children and Adolescents (R21)
(PA-06-298)
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Cancer Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institute of Nursing Research
Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research
Office of Dietary Supplements
Application Receipt/Submission Date(s): Multiple dates, see announcement (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-298.html).

Translational Research for the Prevention and Control of Diabetes and Obesity (R18)
(PAR-06-532)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
National Institute of Nursing Research
Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research
Application Receipt/Submission Date(s): Multiple dates, see announcement (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-06-532.html).

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

Check out the latest PCPFS Research Digests. The June issue, "Are People Physically Inactive Because of Their Genes?" is available by clicking here (http://www.fitness.gov/digests/digest-june2006-lo.pdf) and the September issue, “The Role of Schools in Preventing Childhood Obesity" can be found at this link (http://www.fitness.gov/digests/digest-september2006-lo.pdf).

It’s a special fall edition of the Wisconsin Governor's Challenge. The Office of Governor Jim Doyle and Trek Bicycle Corporation are coming together to help get kids more active. Through the Challenge, students participate in activities that can be done at school and at home to build physical activity into their daily routine, encouraging them to make a lifelong commitment to active, healthy living.

The 2006-07 President's Challenge materials are here! Packets will be distributed to every physical education and health teacher in public and private schools nationwide. All of the information continues to be available on the President's Challenge website (http://www.presidentschallenge.org/).

More people are accepting the Challenge to get moving! Registered Users
July 2004: 114,685
July 2005: 236,469
July 2006: 337,023

Who are these participants?
In July 2006:
Ages 3-12: 50,595
Ages 13-17: 42,771
Ages 18-64: 236,211
Ages 65+: 7,446

Science Board News and Notes

The Science Board is accepting nominations for the 2007 President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports’ Honor Award (http://www.fitness.gov/news-honorawardprocess.htm). The award is given annually to an academic or research professional who has made significant contributions to the advancement and promotion of the science of physical activity. Nominations must be received by November 15, 2006. The winner will be recognized in the spring of 2007.

Dr. Barbara Ainsworth is now on faculty in the Department of Exercise and Wellness at Arizona State University-Polytechnic Campus (http://www.poly.asu.edu/ecollege/wellness/index.htm).

As a co-author of the American Heart Association’s (http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200000) scientific statement, “Promoting Physical Activity in Children and Youth,” (http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3041676) Russell Pate, PhD, was interviewed for a recent story on the role physical education can play in helping to get America’s school children more active. Dr. Pate, a professor of exercise science at the University of South Carolina (http://www.sc.edu/) stated, “… a national problem is that P.E. and health education are not included in core curriculum in schools. I think it is obvious schools are going to understandably pay the most attention to areas where they are evaluated. If we continue to leave P.E. off the accountability records, it will be hard to get schools to incorporate it."

The article highlighted the release of the 2006 Shape of the Nation report (http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3041207) by the American Heart Association and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/template.cfm).

Science Board member Maureen Weiss, PhD, delivered congressional testimony before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/congress/house/education/index.html) on the ability of youth sports programs to help build character in young people. Dr. Weiss, a professor in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia (http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/), spoke on the importance of sports programs that include a life skills curriculum and a coach who has training in delivering these life skills messages in a beneficial way. Weiss is able to support her statements through research she is conducting on First Tee, a youth development program sponsored by the World Golf Foundation (http://www.wghof.org/hof/foundation.php). To read Dr. Weiss’ testimony, click here (http://www.virginia.edu/topnews/releases2006/Weiss_testimony.pdf).

What's New at HHS

On October 6-7, the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland, will be the site of the We Can! Rally (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/news/rally.htm), a unique forum to network with and learn from community site leaders, national partners, curricula content experts, and NIH leaders on ways communities can work together to improve childhood physical activity and nutrition. Interactive sessions on We Can! parent and youth curricula, implementing community events, forming partnerships, recruiting participants, and engaging the media will provide participants with valuable strategies to make We Can! programming more effective and engaging.

Action for Healthy Kids, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, and Health and Human Services, and other organizations are promoting Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge (http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/special_GameOn.php). Game On! is a nationwide effort to inform, motivate, and mobilize support for the promotion of good nutrition and physical activity policies that support learning.  Game On! is an all-inclusive, fun and free event for 5 th-8 th grade students, parents, teachers, administrators, and others. Communities across the country are encouraged to host their own Game On! events. The public is welcome to join in the national celebration in Washington, D.C. on October 5, 2006.  For more information, click here (http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/special_GameOn.php).

Within the next two weeks, the Administration on Aging will be announcing a new grant opportunity directed at states that will support the implementation of evidence-based disease and disability prevention programs for the elderly at the community level.  The program will involve partnerships between the aging and public health networks at the state and community level.  Only state aging agencies or state health departments will be eligible to apply for these grants.  The program builds on AoA’s 2003 evidence-based prevention program, and will encourage applicants to secure resources from other funders. Awards will be in the $300,000 range.  AoA will post the announcement on Grants.Gov (http://www.grants.gov/) and on AoA.Gov (http://www.aoa.gov/).

The CDC's Healthier Worksite Initiative (HWI) (http://www.cdc.gov/hwi) launched its website. This comprehensive resource is designed as a "one-stop shop" for planners of workforce health promotion programs. Geared towards federal and state wellness planners, the website features timesaving planning information, policy examples, and step-by-step toolkits.

Findings from a study from the National Institutes of Health, Institute of Child Health and Human Development “indicate that children with BMIs >85th percentile, as well as with BMIs in the high reference range are more likely than children whose BMI is <50th percentile to continue to gain weight and reach overweight status by adolescence. Pediatricians can be confident in counseling parents to begin to address the at-risk child's eating and activity patterns rather than delaying in hopes that overweight and the patterns that support it will resolve themselves in due course. Identifying children at risk for adolescent obesity provides physicians with an opportunity for earlier intervention with the goal of limiting the progression of abnormal weight gain that results in the development of obesity-related morbidity.”

Philip R. Nader, Marion O'Brien, Renate Houts, Robert Bradley, Jay Belsky, Robert Crosnoe, Sarah Friedman, Zuguo Mei, Elizabeth J. Susman for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network. Identifying Risk for Obesity in Early Childhood. Pediatrics 2006; 118: e594-e601.

CDC 5 A Day Team Announces Arrival of Updated 5 A Day Website
The CDC 5 A Day team is thrilled to announce the arrival of the updated 5 A Day website (formally the NCI 5 A Day website) located at http://www.5aday.gov/! This website contains valuable information for the consumer and health professional, as well as a section for state fruit and vegetable coordinators.

The website features a tool in which consumers can determine how many fruits and vegetables they need daily based on their age, sex and activity level. Consumers can then find examples of what a cup and a half cup of fruits and vegetables looks like, as well as helpful tips for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. The recipe database contains over 600 healthy recipes which each contain at least one 1/2 cup serving of fruit or vegetables.

Health Professionals can find research, resources and tools, and information about the 5 A Day program. This section also contains information just for coordinators including the coordinator calendar, upcoming events, resources, and links to the WebBoard.

A new HRSA publication, "Overweight and Physical Activity Among Children: A Portrait of States and the Nation, 2005," reports on the prevalence of overweight and levels of physical activity among children and their families at the national and state levels using data from the 2005 National Survey of Children's Health. The report includes information for each state, easy-to-follow bar graphs as well as breakdown analyses by ethnic and racial group.

To view or download the report, click here (http://www.nschdata.org/Content/Default.aspx).

And elsewhere…

USDA
Eat Smart. Play Hard resource updates:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Eat Smart. Play Hard.(TM) campaign shows that kids can learn about eating healthy and being physically active in a fun way with the introduction of a kids’ web page (http://www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhardkids/)!

Power Panther, the campaign’s spokescharacter, has opened up his community for kids to explore. Kids can go to the places that Power Panther visits to learn about eating healthy and being physically active such as the Town Library, Theater, Fitness Center, Power Tunes store, Post Office, Eat Smart Grill, Fun Times Arcade, and Travel center. Behind the doors of these places, kids discover how math, geography, music, reading, and science play a part in living a healthy lifestyle. Find songs, activity sheets comics, clipart, worksheets, games, posters, e-cards, recipes, and more at the Web site (http://www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhardkids/).

The Healthy Lifestyle webpage is designed to help parents and caregivers eat better, be more physically active and remind them they are role models for their kids.

The webpage contains:

• Information on getting started,
• Advice on making smart choices,
• Ideas on how to prepare quick, tasty and healthy meals and
• Tips on how to increase physical activity throughout the day.

Other resources include a Calorie Burner Chart, the My Pyramid Tracker and the ESPH Tracking Card.

The Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Healthy Lifestyle is available by clicking here (http://www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhardhealthylifestyle/).

The "Land Use and Health Toolbox: Resources on Health and the Built Environment" (http://www.naccho.org/topics/hpdp/land_use_planning/LUP_Toolbox.cfm) is now available online. This resource from the National Association of City and County Health Officials includes fact sheets, guides, PowerPoint presentations, web casts, policy reports and other information to assist health practitioners, elected officials, and community planners make the connection between public health, community design and the built environment.

The Prevention Institute, with funding from The California Endowment, has made available online the Environmental Nutrition and Activity (ENACT) Local Policy Database (http://www.preventioninstitute.org/sa/policies/index.php). The searchable database is designed to provide community advocates, health professionals, policymakers and those working in related fields with concrete examples of local-level policies that have been adopted and/or implemented to improve nutrition and physical activity environments. People who have worked on a local policy to make healthier eating easier, developed a local plan to improve walkability, or established a policy to make sure students get active are invited to submit examples of policies. To view the database or to submit a local policy, follow the link above.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation requested in 2005 that the Institute on Medicine convene an expert committee to examine the nation’s progress in addressing obesity in children and youth. Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity: How Do We Measure Up? presents the committee’s conclusions and recommendations. It emphasizes a call to action for key stakeholders and sectors to lead and commit to childhood obesity prevention, evaluate all policies and programs, monitor their progress, and widely disseminate promising practices.