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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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Melissa Johnson
I want to welcome all visitors to our web site,
www.fitness.gov,
and introduce you to our e-newsletter. Our theme for this issue is “Get
Outdoors, Get Active” as we embark on the summer season and celebrate
outdoor recreation and the instrumental role the great outdoors plays
in our physical, mental, economic and social well-being.
In May, the Council celebrated National
Physical Fitness and Sports Month (http://fitness.gov/may_month_2005/maymonth-intropage.htm),
recognized by an official proclamation
from President Bush (http://fitness.gov/PresidentialProclamationforMay05.pdf).
Council chairman Lynn Swann and members Denise Austin, Amanda Cromwell,
Pam Danberg, and Dan Gable helped to kick off the month at the 2nd
annual Fitness Festival (http://fitness.gov/pressrelease_healthierusfitnessfestival05.htm) on
the National Mall. Thousands joined us as we danced, stepped, walked,
biked, snowshoed, and Jazzercised our way to promote physical activity
for health. The National Mall provided the perfect setting on which
to host the event particularly as we continue our work with federal
partners from the various land management agencies, the CDC, and
the Indian Health Service to promote public lands for public health.
People heard about getting active and learned about a variety of
activities in May. It is our hope that they will now learn about
all the great places to embark on these activities outdoors this
summer.
Finally, I ask you to stay tuned to our website
and look for more information about our upcoming 50 year anniversary of
the Council. There are many exciting things planned to celebrate the occasion,
and we hope you’ll join us.
Melissa Johnson
Lynn Swann was the emcee at the Secretary's Innovation
in Prevention Awards Dinner held at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium in Washington,
D.C., on December 7, 2004. Dot Richardson and
Denise Austin presented the awards. Lynn also served as a keynote speaker
at the National Institute of Environmental Health Science’s, “Environmental
Solutions to Childhood Obesity” conference (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/news/obesity.htm)
in June, and received an award at the 3rd Annual American Running
Honors Gala from the American
Running Association (ARA) (http://www.americanrunning.org/) for his contributions
to youth fitness. Denise Austin also represented PCPFS at "Walking
Works," Congress'
program sponsored by the Blue
Cross Blue Shield Association (http://www.bcbs.com/), and at USDA's (http://www.usda.gov/)
launch of the new
Food Guide Pyramid (http://www.mypyramid.gov/).
Katherine Cosgrove spoke at the Runner's Club
of the Cure'
of Ars School (http://www.archkckcs.org/curears/) and will be
running and training with the students as an honorary coach in the
spring. She represented the Council at the annual regional gala "Heart
Ball," sponsored by the American
Heart Association (http://www.americanheart.org/). She speaks
regularly on physical activity, fitness and health for women's and
youth organizations and at conferences.
Tedd Mitchell is active in getting health and
fitness messaging out through media and speaking engagements. Besides
his weekly column in USA
Weekend (http://www.usaweekend.com/), he discussed the 2005
Dietary Guidelines for Americans (http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/) during
a TV appearance on KDFW Good Day Texas. Dr. Mitchell also gave keynote
addresses at the Integris
Health Hospital Systems in Oklahoma City and at the Health Living Expo
2005 in Knoxville, Tennessee, and he gave a presentation at the Chick-fil-A
Operators seminar in San Diego. As a part of his duties at the
Cooper Institute (http://www.cooperinst.org/), he gives four lectures
each month to seminar groups visiting the campus.
Council member Charles Moore has been elected
to the board of directors of the Advanced
Viral Research Corporation (http://www.adviral.com/), an AIDS research
company.
Derek Parra's autobiography, Reflections
in the Ice (http://www.derekparra.com/derek-bookcover.html#front), won
the 2004 Benjamin Franklin Award for best biography/autobiography/memoir
of the year. He has
become a sought-after motivational speaker and continues to represent
PCPFS as he trains for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. He was asked
to emcee an event for Loma
Linda Children's Hospital (http://www.llu.edu/lluch/) in his hometown
of San Bernardino, California.
Orienteering
("O"): A versatile sport or activity, orienteering
has Scandinavian roots and maintains its popularity
in Europe, though word is getting out in the US.
Why feature orienteering? For one, anyone can participate
regardless of age or ability and it's one of the
featured activities on the President's
Challenge website (http://www.presidentschallenge.org).
There are different types of orienteering including
foot-O, ski-O, MTB-O, and trail-O. Depending on difficulty,
courses may be on or off a designated or marked trail
(with the exception of trail-O). Foot-O consists
of hiking, running, or walking; ski-O refers to cross-country
skiing; MTB-O is a mountain bike course; and trail-O
takes place on a natural trail allowing those requiring
mobility assistance the opportunity to participate.
O is good for both the mind and the body as the object is to read a map,
plan a route, and identify controls along the way. As noted, in some events,
participants race against a clock, providing a good cardiovascular workout.
How it works:
The standard O course has a start and finish, controls (sites marked
by circles that must be found by the participant) and control flags.
Control flags are markers that contain some type of mechanism (hole punch,
sticker) to indicate on a participant's control card that the control
was found. Only Trail-O is not based on time, and controls can be sighted
from a distance so that everybody has access to the control. Unless the
course is for the very young (where routes may be identified by string),
routes are not marked and the participant must use his/her map reading
skills to identify the best course.
O-courses can be found across the U.S. in many local, state, and national
parks. Competitions are held at the local, national, and international
levels. In addition, there are teacher resources to design O-courses
in school settings to help students develop skills in map and compass
reading, angle identification, and team building.
For more information on orienteering visit: www.usorienteering.org/
JULY
6-11: International
Children's Games (http://www.childrens-games2005.org.uk/)
21-23:
Winning
Grants for Physical Education (http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/grantconference/template.cfm?template=main.html)
26-Aug.
7: AAU
Junior Olympics (http://www.aaujrogames.org/)
27-30: TrailLink
2005
(http://railstrails.org/traillink2005/)
AUGUST
14-17: Office
of Safe and Drug Free Schools National Conference (http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osdfs/news.html)
29-Sept.
1: 14-17: National
Association for Health Education conference, “Healthy Living and
Learning Together” (http://www.nahec.org/htmdocs/calendar/nahec_conference/2005/)
SEPTEMBER
Healthy
Aging Month (http://www.healthyaging.net/)
20:
Take
a Loved One to the Doctor Day (http://www.omhrc.gov/healthgap/2005drday.htm)
20-21: SGMA
Fly in for Fitness (http://www.sgma.com/legislation/flyin2005.html)
26-28: Action
for Healthy Kids’ Healthy Schools Summit (http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/special_summit.php)
29-Oct.
1: AARP
Life @ 50 Plus (http://www.aarp.org/aarp_benefits/natl_events/fifty_plus/)
OCTOBER
Clean
Air Month (http://www.lungusa.org/)
3-7:
Walk
to School Week (http://www.walktoschool.org/)
4:
National
Child Health Day (http://www.mchb.hrsa.gov/)
5:
Walk
to School Day (http://www.walktoschool.org/)
13-15:
Walking
for Health: Measurement and Research Issues and Challenges
(Conference) (http://www.acsm.org/meetings/walkingconference2005.htm)
24-25:
National
Prevention Summit (http://www.healthierus.gov/steps/summit.html)
27-29:
Cooper
Institute Childhood Obesity Conference (http://www.cooperinst.org/conf2005intro.asp)
Grant Applications:
NIH/NIDDK:
Small Clinical Grants in Digestive Diseases, Nutrition, and Obesity
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-04-082.html)
Application
Receipt Date: June 1, 2005 ; October 1, 2005
NIH:
School-based Interventions to Prevent Obesity (Expires
11/2/2007)
(http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-145.html)
Application
Receipt Date: June 1, 2005; October 1, 2005
NIH:
Improving Diet and Physical Activity Assessment (http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-03-009.html)
Letter of Intent
Due: 9/01/2005
Application Receipt Date:
10/01/2005
More grant opportunities can be found on the NCPPA
E-Newsletter: http://www.ncppa.org/enewsletters.asp
Wisconsin Governor’s Challenge
On
March 29, 2005, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle launched the 2nd Annual
Spring Wisconsin Governor's Challenge. This effort follows the 2004 Challenge
and the January, 2005, initiative. The Wisconsin Governor's Challenge
is a 6-week initiative to get more Wisconsin residents up and moving.
The Governor’s
Challenge (http://www.wisconsinchallenge.org/) is a public/private
partnership utilizing the President’s
Challenge website (http://www.presidentschallenge.org). Over 25,000
people have taken part in the Governor's Challenge. These participants
formed over 500 worksite, school, community, and government groups to
encourage friendly competition. Over 10,000 Wisconsinites of all ages
completed the program and received a free, personalized certificate from
the Governor’s Challenge recognizing
their accomplishment.
The
success of the initial program, the continued support of Governor Doyle,
and the work of President’s Council member John Burke, a Wisconsin
native, led to the launch of a Winter
Challenge (http://www.wisconsinchallenge.org/press_room/files/Winter_WI_Gov_Challenge.pdf)
in January 2005. The Winter Challenge calls
for Wisconsinites to register and be active at least 5 days a week (adults
for 30 minutes and kids 6-18 for 60 minutes) to be recognized with a
certificate from the Governor.
Governor Doyle stated, “I’m challenging
you to join me by getting active and logging your activity each day.
From shoveling snow to cross country skiing, there are more than 100
activities to choose from, so there’s something for everyone.”
Visit www.wisconsinchallenge.org for
more information.
Get It in Gear
The Get
It in Gear (http://www.get-it-in-gear.org/) program is provided
as a public service by the Trek Bicycle Corporation and its 2,000
Trek dealers nationwide. Through the program, Trek dealers encourage
children to be active and practice good bicycle safety habits. Children
who participate in the program by registering on the Get It in
Gear website and completing
the minimum criteria (60 minutes of physical activity five days a
week for 6-weeks), are eligible for a President’s
Challenge (http://www.presidentschallenge.org) patch and certificate
from their local participating Trek dealer.
Visit www.get-it-in-gear.org for
more information. President's Challenge
Numbers*
Registered individuals: 235,454
Number of groups: 14,773
Number of schools using Fitness File: 10,015
Top activities (ranked by points): 1. Walking,
2. Running, 3. Biking
Number of people earning the Presidential
Active Lifestyle Award: 28,052
Presidential Champions Bronze award (20,000
points): 20,002
Silver (45,000 points): 8,538
Gold (80,000 points): 4,053
Advanced Performance Bronze (40,000 points):
4,775
Advanced Performance Silver (90,000 points):
2,300
Advanced Performance Gold (160,000 points):
1,211
Remember: You're it, Get fit!
*Numbers current as of June 25, 2005
One of the ways the President's Council on Physical
Fitness and Sports produces publications to distribute and post on
www.fitness.gov is
to partner with corporations, organizations, and other government agencies
to produce timely and interesting publications for Americans of all
ages, backgrounds and abilities. During the term of the current Council,
we have partnered to produce the following publications:
PCPFS
partnered with the Kellogg
Company (http://www.kelloggs.com/us/) and the National
Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) (http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/)
to produce Kids
in Action: Fitness for Children, Birth to Age Five (http://fitness.gov/Reading_Room/Kidsinactionbook.pdf).
The publication is available in both English and Spanish. Many thanks
to Kelloggs for producing and printing the brochure, to NASPE for providing
the physical activity guidelines, and to Council member Dot Richardson,
for launching Kids
in Action in New Orleans March 31, 2004.
PCPFS
partnered with the Blue
Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) (http://www.bcbs.com/) to
produce Walking
Works (http://fitness.gov/BCBSAfinalfinalWalkGuide.pdf), a guide
to start and maintain a regular walking program. Dot Richardson launched
the publication at an event sponsored by the Congressional
Fitness Caucus (http://www.house.gov/wamp/fitnesscaucu.html).
PCPFS
partnered with the American
Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) (http://www.aace.com/)
to produce Rx:
Take the President's Challenge, an English and Spanish physical
activity prescription for physicians to hand out to children and their
parents. The Rx publication was launched in New York on March 25, 2004.
Melissa Johnson, executive director, and Council member Jaime Davidson
represented PCPFS at the launch.
To see Rx: Take the President's Challenge in
English: http://fitness.gov/Rx%20Pad.pdf; in Spanish: http://fitness.gov/Spanish%20Rx%20Pad.pdf.
PCPFS
adopted Exercise:
A Guide from the National Institute on Aging (http://www.niapublications.org/exercisebook/ExerciseGuideComplete.pdf)
as its physical activity publication for older Americans. The NIA (http://www.nia.nih.gov/)
has generously donated unlimited copies of the publication to PCPFS
to distribute and allows PCPFS to place its logo on the cover. PCPFS
will work with NIA to produce an update of the publication in the future.
The President’s Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports awarded the PCPFS Honor Award to Dr. Timothy Lohman of the
University of Arizona. Melissa Johnson presented the award to Dr. Lohman
at the American
College of Sports Medicine (http://www.acsm.org/) annual meeting
in June. Past winners include Steven Blair, PED; B. Don Franks, PhD;
Margaret (Jo) Safrit, PhD; Ed Howley, PhD; Robert Pangrazi, PhD; Charles
Corbin, PhD; and Wynn Updyke, PhD. The award recognizes individuals
who have made significant contributions to the promotion of the science
of physical activity and whose work supports the mission of the Council.
Anyone can nominate an individual to receive the award. Winners are
selected by the PCPFS
Science Board (http://fitness.gov/about_scienceboard.htm) and Executive
Director. Visit www.fitness.gov for
more information.
At its December 2004 meeting, the PCPFS Science
Board outlined key initiatives for 2005. Among these are ongoing
discussions on national youth fitness testing programs, refinement
of the President’s
Challenge (http://www.presidentschallenge.org/) PALA program,
and identification of possible research funding initiatives. Commenting
on the year ahead, board chair Jim Morrow stated, “There is
much to be done regarding fitness levels. Through the PCPFS and its
collaborative initiatives, we hope all people will become aware of
the importance of a physically active lifestyle and choose to initiate
and/or maintain sufficient physical activity for a health benefit.
It is important that all PCPFS programs be based in science and that
these messages be communicated to all.”
Dr. Don Franks, long-time PCPFS consultant, retired recently after
years of service to the Council. We wish him all the best in retirement.
“Take
Pride in America’s Health: Volunteering as a gateway to physical
activity” (http://www.aahperd.org/aahe/pdf_files/ajhe/jan-feb_2005.pdf)
by J. Librett, PhD, M. Yore, MSPH, D. Buchner, MD, and T. Schmid,
PhD in the January/February 2005 issue of the American
Journal of Health Education (http://www.aahperd.org/aahe/template.cfm?template=ajhe_main.html).
Based on the responses of 2,032 survey participants, the authors
suggest that people who volunteer are more likely to meet physical
activity recommendations than those who do not volunteer.
In partnership with the USDA (http://www.usda.gov/)
and Department
of Education (http://www.ed.gov/), the Division
of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) (http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/index.htm)
at CDC is helping to develop resources for schools to meet the requirements
of the new
local wellness policies (http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/wellnesspolicy.html)
that are to be in place by the 2006-2007 school year. The policy
pertains to educational agencies participating in the USDA’s
school meals program. In short, schools must develop goals for nutrition
education, physical activity and other programs designed to promote
student well-being.
CDC-DASH (http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/index.htm)
has posted program evaluation resources online. Take advantage of these
free resources, which were provided as part of the office’s Healthy
Youth! (http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/evaluation/index.htm)
program.
My
Bright Future: Physical Activity and Healthy Eating (http://www.hrsa.gov/womenshealth/mybrightfuture/menu.html)
A booklet and corresponding wallet guide teach
young women about healthy eating and physical activity and ways to incorporate
those things into everyday life.
NIEHS held the second annual conference on
obesity and the environment June 1-2. This year’s theme focused
on childhood obesity. Keynotes were given by Secretary Leavitt, Surgeon
General Carmona, PCPFS Council Chair Lynn Swann, and Arkansas Governor
Mike Huckabee. Speaker presentations and supplemental information
can be found on the conference
website (http://www-apps.niehs.nih.gov/conferences/drcpt/oe2005/agenda.cfm).
The Surgeon General has designated 2005 as the “Year
of the Healthy Child.” (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/healthychild/) Among
other things, the Office of the Surgeon General will address immunizations,
childhood obesity, healthy indoor environment, illness and injury prevention,
and safe teen driving in an effort, as Dr. Carmona stated, to “ensure
a healthier population for the next generation.”
The Surgeon General released the first-ever report, Bone
Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/bonehealth)
in October. In the report’s preface, Dr. Carmona states, “…with
appropriate nutrition and physical activity throughout life, individuals
can significantly reduce the risk of bone disease and fractures.”
Materials are available to support
the Medicare
Modernization Act (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicarereform/) and help
consumers make use of the new benefits available under Medicare as of January,
2005. Included in the list of materials the AOA has available is a brochure
from the American
Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org/), American
Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org/), and the American
Heart Association (http://www.americanheart.org/) entitled Everyday
Choices for a Healthier Life (http://www.aoa.gov/press/medicare/preventive/EverydayChoicesbro.pdf).
The sixth edition of the Dietary
Guidelines for Americans (http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines)
was issued in January, and the new USDA
Food Guide Pyramid (http://www.mypyramid.gov/) was launched in April.
The biggest difference over Guidelines of
past years is the emphasis on reducing calories consumed and increasing
physical activity.
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