Winter 2008
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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
As 2008 comes to a close, it gives me great pleasure to reflect upon the activities of the President’s Council this past year. As I do so, I am left with great hope for where we are heading in the field of physical activity and fitness.
The Physical Activity Guidelines were launched on October 7th with much excitement. President Bush announced the new Guidelines at a White House event with the U.S. Olympians, and Secretary Leavitt led the official launch at HHS later in the day. We were honored to have our Assistant Secretary for Health, Acting Surgeon General, the Secretary’s Prevention Director, and Olympians Steven and Mark Lopez featured at the launch. The President’s Council and the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) then hosted a Partnership Forum, which was attended by organizational representatives from around the country who shared their plans to promote and disseminate the Guidelines. Supporting organizations included the American College of Sports Medicine, International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association, the National Association of Sport and Physical Education, the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity, the YMCA, and the American Heart Association.
“Be Active Your Way” is the tagline for the Guidelines’ consumer messages. To date, over 1,000 organizations and individuals have signed up as Guidelines Supporters at http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/. If you haven’t yet signed up to become a Supporter and receive the free toolkit, I hope you will do so today! You can learn more about the Physical Activity Guidelines at the newly revamped http://www.healthfinder.gov website in addition to http://www.health.gov/paguidelines. I encourage you to visit both sites often, as the PCPFS will continue to work with ODPHP and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention throughout 2009 to promote the Guidelines.
Be sure to mark your calendars for March 23 – May 17, 2009 for the second annual National President’s Challenge. The National President’s Challenge can serve as a convenient and low cost way for states, corporations, schools, and other organizations to rally their constituents to be more active and celebrate their health. We encourage you to “Be Active Your Way” when participating in the Challenge by choosing activities you enjoy and accommodating your personal goals. Everyone is invited, and the top five states will again be honored and recognized. Stay posted!
The “Be Active Your Way” message resonates with our feature article, which is a reprint of an email that was published in the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) e-newsletter. Dr. Jim Rimmer is the director of NCPAD and was a member of the Physical Activity Guidelines federal advisory committee. He is a tireless advocate for people with disabilities and their families, and this article is a strong reminder of why there is still much work to be done in the field of physical activity promotion, particularly for a population that is vastly underserved yet has so much to gain from being active. It makes me think of the line: physical activity is truly for every body.
As the current Administration winds down, I want to acknowledge the excellent work of our Council members. I commend them all for their commitment to creating a more active and healthy nation. Their talents, expertise and dedication to the Council’s mission have made a remarkable difference in the lives of Americans. I want to thank Chairman John Burke, Vice Chair Dot Richardson, all council members and PCPFS staff for their hard work and incredible service. You can read about John’s vision and ideas in the Council Member Spotlight. It has been an honor working with such an amazing and energetic team.
Finally, I want to say thank you to all of you for your own interest in improving the health of Americans across their life span. I hope we can continue to convince people that every single person can be part of the solution to the challenges, issues and conditions caused by sedentary living. I have met many of you personally at conferences and other events over the course of the past five years. I am heartened and inspired by the many valuable programs implemented across our country. I encourage you to continue to be advocates for physical activity and fitness whether that be through participation in a worksite wellness program, sports league or team, a physical education class, a walk to work, or a hike through a state park, national forest or wildlife refuge. There are so many great places and opportunities to be active. Just remember, Be Active Your Way!
Best wishes in 2009!
Melissa Johnson, M.S.
Executive Director
Council Members' News and Activities
Spotlight on:
Council Chair John Burke, President, Trek Bicycle Corporation
John Burke has devoted much of his time to moving the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports forward since being sworn in as a member in 2002, and continuing on through his service as Chair (beginning in 2006). In addition to his role as president of Trek, Mr. Burke looks after his own health through regular physical activity both on and off the bike.
PCPFSNews: What do you feel are the top three successes of this Council to date and why?
JB: This Council has had some great success. My top three are:
1.) The creation and launch of the National President’s Challenge
2.) The Lifetime Achievement Awards
3.) The Council’s effort to “sound the alarm” on the health crisis that exists in America.
Last March, we had over 80,000 people sign up for the first ever National President’s Challenge. I hope that in the years to come this program will grow and when we look back ten years from now millions of people will have participated in this program. I also think that the Council succeeded by creating the Lifetime Achievement Awards. So many great Americans have dedicated their lives to making Americans healthy. People like Ken Cooper and Jack LaLanne to name a few have made an impact on millions of lives and I think that the establishment of this award gives credit where credit is due. Lastly, this Council has done a great job sounding the alarm. When President Eisenhower created the Council back in the 50’s he wanted to draw attention to the low levels of fitness among American children compared to their European counterparts. If the fitness level in America was a problem in the fifties, it is a crisis today. We have some great Council Members who put in a lot of time and effort to help spread the word.
PCPFSNews: Obesity rates have risen and people remain sedentary (or fail to engage in enough physical activity to attain health benefits). As a business man, is there anything you suggest the public or private sectors focus on to help improve participation in physical activity and decrease overweight and obesity (that may be a break from how these things traditionally have been addressed)?
JB: Great question. My work on the Council helped increase my awareness of what I could be doing for my employees. Businesses in America can make a difference in short order. Two years ago we had one of our best workers at Trek die at the age of 46. He left behind a wonderful wife and two great kids. Obesity was listed as the cause of death on the death certificate. A few months later the husband of one of our best employees had a stroke at the age of 48. He will never be the same. He had high blood pressure, was overweight and never did anything about it. Last January, I addressed all of our employees and shared these stories. Trek started a campaign to improve our company’s physical health with mandatory health risk assessments, nutrition classes, optional fitness classes, and the list goes on. Our cafeteria was great, but we made it even better by lowering the prices of all healthy foods and increasing the prices on or eliminating the bad foods. We have made a difference, we have changed lives. For the past five years, the increase in our health insurance averaged 14%. This year the number is 4% because all of our health numbers at Trek are significantly better. Companies have a lot of influence and should use it!
PCPFSNews: Speaking of your work at Trek. Do you have a Trek bike of which you are most proud?
JB: My dad started Trek. When it was just a small company he always dreamed that Trek would sell 100,000 bikes in a single year. In 1987 the company was not doing so well and he put me in charge of sales and marketing for the company at the age of 24. We had a great team of people and we turned the sales around in a hurry. In 1989 we sold just over 100,000 bikes. For giving me the chance, I presented, as a gift to my father, the bike that put us over the 100,000 mark. He passed away in March and I will always remember that bike.
PCPFS News: On to your active pursuits. What do you like most about the triathlon?
JB: Other than getting to eat what I want on race day, since I’m a very slow swimmer and a pretty good biker, it has to be the start of the bike. I pass a lot of people and that feels really good.
PCPFSNews: Best race?
JB: The best triathlon is the Ironman Wisconsin. I have done it twice and it is amazing. The swim in Lake Monona is absolutely beautiful right next to the city skyline. I love the bike course. Up and down, up and down. The run through the city and the University is great.
PCPFSNews: I'd guess your service with the Council isn't the first time you've been to Washington? Is there anything associated with your work on the Council that has left a lasting impression?
JB: The people. I have served on the Council since 2002. I appreciate the great work of all of our members. The energy of Denise Austin is something I will not forget. Charlie Moore.... how often do you get to work with a guy who won a gold medal in Helsinki in 1956? Dr. Dot Richardson, who won two gold medals. I played softball in grade school. I am not sure that we won two games, let alone two gold medals. I was lucky enough to meet the President a few times. A great person, he is probably our most fit President in history. He put time and effort into the Council. Whenever I asked him for help he always came through.
PCPFSNews: Where will you be July 4, 2009?
JB: I will be in France for the Tour. Trek has been lucky enough to win eight Tour De France titles and I hope this summer we see number 9.
FEATURE ARTICLE
Physical Activity and Academic Performance
The following article appeared in the November issue of the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) newsletter. The article, entitled: A mother’s untold story: Need for better physical education for children with disabilities, can be found at http://www.ncpad.org/director/fact_sheet.php?sheet=656&PHPSESSID=75e92c0b3dd14c0e4c9ba7feed792645
“I am writing to say thank you for your publication in “Developmental Neurorehabilitation.” [Rimmer, J.H. & Rowland, J.L. (2007). Physical Activity for youth with disabilities: A critical need in an underserved population. J Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 11(2), 141-148.] I found it yesterday and couldn’t contain my excitement as I read it. You see, I am the mother of a disabled child and have a personal mission with my son’s school regarding physical education and the challenges it poses to children with disabilities.
To make a long story short, over the past three years PE has been a very frustrating part of the school day for my son. Finally, after broken glasses, welts and skinned knees I took steps to get a doctor’s note to have him removed from PE. He has a VP (ventriculoperitoneal) shunt and needs to avoid head trauma, he has no depth perception so getting hit by balls instead of catching them was common, he has very low muscle tone and doesn’t have the strength to compete with peers. The school was surprised that I was so determined to have other options for him and actually stated ‘well now we have to do something.’ The result was walking with a pedometer during PE, or putting him in a separate room to do push ups and sit ups. I only found out about the “sit up room” after the nurse called me because he hit his head on a chair and had a nice goose egg. He had been left alone. I could go on forever with examples of experiences from myself and other moms in which the fitness aspect of school is not only not working for their kids, it works against their kids having a successful day in school altogether. A child’s frustration comes out as anger, anger leads to outbursts, and these are the children spending time in detention.
Last year my son moved into the middle school and I am working with the PE department to add a fitness room that will have room for 40 children to work out simultaneously. I volunteered to do the legwork and write grant requests as I recently left my career to stay home and work with my son. In searching for statistics and data I found your paper.
Until I presented the doctors note to remove him from gym, I was told repeatedly that gym was a state requirement and they had no options. The psychological effects for him daily were heartbreaking. The kids would say the type of things that little boys do when they are competitive – ‘I don’t want you on our team,’ ‘you suck, ’and a variety of other names. He would walk out of gym into the hall crying and kick the wall, and then he would be sent to the office and get punished for walking out. Typically he would sit in the office for the balance of the day and miss the rest of his classes. So I asked if anyone ever watched the PE environment to see what was happening. The answer was no – but that they would. When they did go into the gym to observe, their findings were that the kids were great to my son and nothing was going on. But when I questioned their observation I found that it was done when the class knew they were being observed.
I requested his gym teacher attend my son’s IEP (individualized education program) meeting. His body language expressed that this meeting was a big waste of his time. He crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair and said, ‘John [pseudonym] can do what every other boy does.’ I wanted to jump across the table as that just confirmed his lack of awareness to his students. You see John’s muscle strength doesn’t allow him to push a basketball high enough in the air to even get near a basket, not to mention that I had repeatedly told him about his shunt and the need to stay out of harm’s way. And this is a well funded suburban school.
I believe all schools should have fitness options for the disabled that will lead to increased intellectual functioning, increased self esteem and most importantly lessons in building a healthy lifestyle into adulthood. Frankly, these fitness centers (or at least a few pieces of equipment) should be in all schools from middle school up to get the kids ‘moving’ in the right direction for life.
I felt alone in my endeavors as even the special education coordinators at the schools seem uninterested in focusing on the fitness aspect of the school day. But thanks to you I now have found a wealth of data from your publication and from Center on Health Promotion Research for Persons with Disabilities.
So you know a little about me – I recently left a successful career of 17 years with a large company. I moved across the country in various positions of responsibility with my final position being that of managing another large business with $1.2B in sales annually with 160 people under my responsibility. I have a deep passion for what I’ve started with my son’s school and they are on board and as excited as I am."
This article is reproduced from the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability at www.ncpad.org. It may be freely distributed in its entirety as long as it includes this notice but cannot be edited, modified, or otherwise altered without the express written permission of NCPAD. Contact NCPAD at 1.800.900.8086 for additional details.
Mark Your Calendar
January
10- Winter Trails Day http://www.wintertrails.org
18- Application deadline for the Built Environment Assessment Training Institute, June 21-26, 2009, San Diego, CA http://www.sph.emory.edu/BEAT/
February
American Heart Month http://www.heart.org
4- Girls and Women in Sports Day http://www.aahperd.org/ngwsdcentral
6- Wear Red Day http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth
25-27 National Leadership Summit on Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health, National Harbor, MD http://www.omhrc.gov/npasummit2009/
March
National Nutrition Month http://www.eatright.org
23- May 17 National President’s Challenge http://www.presidentschallenge.org
24- Diabetes Alert Day http://www.diabetes.org
16-19 Art and Science of Health Promotion Conference http://www.healthpromotionconference.org
16-19 IHRSA International Convention http://www.ihrsa.org
25-28 ACSM Health and Fitness Summit http://www.acsm.org
31- 4/4 AAHPERD National Convention http://www.aahperd.org
Plan Ahead
“Be Active Your Way in May” is the theme for National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Use the May Month Toolkit to help you plan your activities. http://www.fitness.gov/resources/toolkit/index.html
June
9-12 Childhood Obesity Conference, Los Angeles, CA http://www.childhood-obesity.net
Grant Applications:
National Institutes of Health
Interactions between Physical Activity and Drug Abuse (R01)
(RFA-DA-09-013)
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Application Receipt Date(s): January 28, 2009
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DA-09-013.html
Interactions between Physical Activity and Drug Abuse (R03)
(RFA-DA-09-014)
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Application Receipt Date(s): January 28, 2009
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DA-09-014.html
NINR Program Projects in Symptom Management Research and Program Projects in Health Promotion/Disease Prevention Research (P01)
(RFA-NR-09-003)
National Institute of Nursing Research
Application Receipt Date(s): April 16, 2009
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-NR-09-003.html
Public Health Conference Support Program [CDC-PA-HM09-901]
The purpose of the program is to provide partial support for specific non-Federal conferences in the areas of health promotion and disease prevention, educational programs, and applied research. This announcement is only for domestic conferences planned to occur within the date range of May 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010. Approximately $2.6 million is available (subject to availability of funds) to fund approximately 70 to 100 awards with the average award being approximately $20,000 to $75,000 for CDC and $8,000 for ATSDR for the 12-month budget period. Letter of Intent Deadline: Cycle A: November 10, 2008; Cycle B: February 2, 2009. Application Deadline: Cycle A: December 8, 2008; Cycle B: March 2, 2009.
http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/HM09-901.htm
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities is a national program with the primary goal of implementing healthy eating and active living policy and environmental change initiatives that support health communities for children and families in the United States. Approximately 60 grants will be awarded. Grantees are required to secure up to a 50% match of the entire grant award. Approximately half of the grants will be awarded to communities in the 15 states with the highest rates of childhood obesity: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.
Proposal deadline: February 3, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the RWJF Grantmaking Online system. To learn more visit: http://www.healthykidshealthycommunities.org.
Another opportunity with RWJF is through the Salud America! program. Salud America! supports research on environmental and policy solutions to the epidemic of obesity among Latino children. The deadline for the call for proposals is February 6, 2009. For more information, please visit: http://www.rwjf.org/applications/solicited/cfp.jsp?ID=20506&c=EMC-FA138
More information on grants and other governmental funding mechanisms can be found on Grants.gov. In addition, the NCPPA E-newsletter lists grants available from a variety of national organizations.
President's Challenge Program Updates
Awards Information
Certificates and other award items with the signature of the new President will be available as soon as White House approval is obtained following President-elect Obama’s inauguration on January 20, 2009. Any orders placed before this date will be sent certificates with the current President unless otherwise noted on the order. The President’s Challenge program administrators will do their best to have the new certificates available as quickly as possible.
The President’s Challenge now offers Presidential, National, and Participant Physical Fitness Award emblems with a year on them. The emblems are a great way to commemorate the year in which an award was earned. This new offering replaces the #1-12 Presidential emblems. The numbered emblems will be available for purchase until they’re sold out. Visit the Order Center at https://www.presidentschallenge.org/order_center/index.aspx
Grant Information
The General Mills Foundation is accepting applications for its Champions for Healthy Kids grant program. In partnership with the American Dietetic Association and the President’s Challenge program, the General Mills Foundation will help youth develop good nutrition and physical activity habits. Fifty grants of up to $10,000 each will be awarded to community based organizations nationwide. In addition, the Foundation sponsors up to 50,000 kids to be active in the President’s Challenge Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards program.
Grant applications are due January 15, 2009. The grant application is available at http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/commitment/champions.aspx.
Science Board News and Notes
Member Updates
The PCPFS is proud to announce the three new Science Board members whose terms will begin in 2009. Those individuals are I-Min Lee, MD, Sc.D., Matt Mahar, Ed.D., and Diane Wiese-Bjornstal, Ph.D. Dr. Lee is an associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard University and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Mahar is a professor and director of the Activity Promotion Laboratory at East Carolina University. Dr. Wiese-Bjornstal is an associate professor in the School of Kinesiology at the University of Minnesota.
Members whose terms expire at the end of 2008 are Drs. Barbara Ainsworth, Maureen Weiss, and Weimo Zhu. Dr. Weiss served as chair of the board in 2008. Dr. Ainsworth has served on the editorial board of the Research Digest since 2007. We greatly appreciate their service to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
Get Informed
ACSM Health and Fitness Summit: Jacqueline Epping, M.P.E., with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will talk about the Physical Activity Guidelines. The Summit is scheduled for March 25-28, 2009. http://www.acsm.org/Content/
NavigationMenu/Education/Conferences/HealthFitnessSummit/Summit.htm
AAHPERD National Convention: Science Board members Thom McKenzie, Ph.D., Patty Freedson, Ph.D., and Greg Heath, DHSc. will talk about the applications of the Physical Activity Guidelines to school and after-school programs. Their talk is part of the AAHPERD Research Consortium program. The convention takes place March 31-April 4, 2009. http://www.aahperd.org/research/template.cfm?template=08_submissions.html
Want to recognize an individual who has made significant contributions to the advancement of the science of physical activity? Nominate that individual for the Science Honor Award. For information on the award and the nomination process, please visit:
http://www.fitness.gov/news-honorawardprocess.htm
What's New at HHS
Healthfinder.gov
A newly designed Healthfinder.gov, the health information website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was launched at the end of September. Visit http://www.healthfinder.gov
Healthy People 2020
Join the Healthy People Consortium and help in the quest for a healthier US. Originally established in 1988 by the Public Health Service, the Consortium is a diverse, motivated and dedicated group of agencies and organizations committed to working together to help achieve Healthy People goals and objectives. The Consortium also serves to help expand the reach of the Healthy People initiative as widely and broadly as possible.
Consortium members actively participated in the development of the health objectives, integrated Healthy People objectives into programs and initiatives, and used Healthy People as the basis for program planning. A vital networking and communication tool, the Consortium helps members to continually stay informed about various Healthy People activities at the federal, state, local and tribal levels.
To sign up, visit www.healthypeople.gov.
Healthy People 2010
The Physical Activity and Fitness progress review (round 2) summary is available on-line. Read the summary to learn more about efforts to meet the Healthy People 2010 targets for measures of physical activity and fitness. Visit http://www.healthypeople.gov/data/2010prog/focus22/
Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
Visit http://www.health.gov/paguidelines or http://wwwhealthfinder.gov for Physical Activity Guidelines professional and consumer materials including the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and Be Active Your Way: A Guide for Adults. In addition sign-up to be a Physical Activity Guidelines Supporter and receive a copy of the Guidelines toolkit as well as access to an on-line supporter community, which will launch in January. More than 1,000 organizations and individuals have signed on as supporters thus far.
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) is the recipient of a $12 million, four-year grant to establish a National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play. The National Center will help Head Start programs evaluate their playgrounds and educate children and their families about the value of healthy food and structured physical activity. The center will assist the Head Start program in creating healthy learning environments, both in and outside the classroom, through structured and unstructured physical activity that leads to the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of young children.
The National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play, to be operated by AAHPERD, will provide direct support Head Start programs with training and technical assistance and grants of up to $5,000 to Head Start grantees for improvements and construction of playgrounds and outdoor play spaces. It will also provide information and support to ACF’s Office of Head Start in setting national priorities and developing policies.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Obese school-age kids and teens can lose weight or prevent further weight gain if they participate in medium- to high-intensity behavioral management programs. Medium- to high-intensity programs entailed more than 25 hours of interaction, usually once or twice a week for 6 to 12 months. Effective programs included techniques to improve dietary and physical activity habits, with some featuring strategies such as goal setting, problem solving and relapse prevention.
The report, Effectiveness of Weight Management Programs in Children and Adolescents, is available at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/chwghttp.htm. Copies of the report may be ordered free of charge by calling the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse at 1-800-358-9295 or sending an E-mail to AHRQPubs@ahrq.hhs.gov.
Also available from AHRQ: a free DVD for families and children age
5 to 9 called Max's Magical Delivery: Fit for Kids. The 30-minute DVD teaches children and their parents about smart eating and physical activity. Copies are available by calling 1-800-358-9295 or E-mailing AHRQPubs@ahrq.hhs.gov.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Study Finds Community Physical Activity Programs are Money Well Spent
Community-based physical activity interventions designed to promote more active lifestyles among adults are cost-effective in reducing heart disease, stroke, colorectal and breast cancers, and type 2 diabetes, according to a study by the CDC, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Using a rigorous economic model developed to assess the cost-effectiveness of community-based physical activity interventions, the study found these interventions to be cost-effective; reducing new cases of many chronic diseases and improving quality of life.
View the full press release at: http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2008/r081114.htm
Social Marketing Course Available
The Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity at CDC has a new online training course: Social Marketing for Nutrition and Physical Activity.
The course is available free of charge at http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/socialmarketing/index.htm
Continuing education credits (CHES and CEU’s) are available for those who register, complete the course, and fill out an evaluation through the CDC/ATSDR Training and Continuing Education Online system (http://www2a.cdc.gov/tceonline).
Communities Selected to Address Chronic Disease
CDC selected 12 communities to be supported as Strategic Alliances for Health. These communities will develop models and strategies for how local communities can take action to address chronic disease, with a focus on physical activity, nutrition, tobacco use, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
The communities will create Action Guides to guide other communities in replicating the effective strategies. These as well as other tools for community action will be available via the internet.
The 12 Communities are:
- The State Department of Health Alabama, which will support Dallas County, Perry County, and Sumter County.
- The State Department of Health of New York, which will support Albany County, Broome County, Orange County, and Schenectady County.
- DeKalb County, GA
- Hamilton County, OH
- New York City, NY
- Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, MI
- Cherokee Nation, OK
Effective approaches will be spread further across the nation through ACHIEVE (Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and EnVironmental ChangE). Four national organizations have been selected to collaborate with CDC in conducting ACHIEVE. These national organizations will select 40 new communities per year (10 per organization) to participate in ACHIEVE, and will support community action teams in those communities through their local affiliates. Communities will receive technical support from national organizations as well as national experts in community-level change for chronic disease prevention.
National organizations selected to participate in ACHlEVE include:
- The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD)
- The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
- The National Recreation and Parks Association
- The YMCA of the USA
Promoting Health Equity: A Resource to Help Communities Address Social Determinants of Health
This workbook was created to support new and existing partnerships to address the social determinants of health inequities. It highlights lessons learned by communities and provides information and tools to develop, implement and evaluate interventions that address social determinants of health inequities. It was designed for a wide range of users interested in achieving health equity.
The workbook (PDF) can be downloaded at: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dach/chaps/
To order a free copy (maximum of 10), visit: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/pubs/CHAPS.aspx
Morbidity Mortality Weekly Report
Prevalence of self-reported physically active adults—United States, 2007. Vo.57(48) 1297-1300
“Under the 2008 (Physical Activity) Guidelines (for Americans), the minimum recommended aerobic physical activity required to produce substantial health benefits in adults is 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity. Recommendations for aerobic physical activity in the 2008 Guidelines differ from those used in Healthy People 2010 (HP2010) objectives, which call for adults to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, 5 days per week, or 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, 3 days per week (2). To establish baseline data for the 2008 Guidelines and compare the percentage of respondents who reported meeting these guidelines with the percentage who reported meeting HP2010 objectives, CDC analyzed data from the 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that, overall, 64.5% of respondents in 2007 reported meeting the 2008 Guidelines, and 48.8% of the same respondents reported meeting HP2010 objectives. Public health officials should be aware that, when applied to BRFSS data, the two sets of recommendations yield different results. Additional efforts are needed to further increase physical activity.”
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5748a1.htm?s_cid=mm5748a1_e
Self-reported prediabetes and risk-reduction activities—United States, 2006. Vo. 57(44)1203-1205
“This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which determined that, although at least one fourth of U.S. adults are known to have prediabetes through surveys that included laboratory testing, in 2006, only an estimated 4% of U.S. adults had been told they had prediabetes. Among those who had been told they had prediabetes, 68% had tried to lose or control weight, 55% had increased physical activity or exercise, 60% had reduced dietary fat or calories, and 42% had engaged in all three activities.”
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5744a3.htm?s_cid=mm5744a3_e
Prevalence of selected risk behaviors and chronic diseases. Vol. 57/ No. SS-11
“Overall, the estimated prevalence among respondents aged >18 years who reported engaging in moderate physical activity for >30 minutes at least five times a week or who reported engaging in vigorous physical activity for >20 minutes at least three times a week ranged from 42.0% (95% CI = 38.7--45.3) in New Orleans, Louisiana, to 62.2% (95% CI = 59.0--65.3) in Jefferson County, New York (median: 51.1%) (Table 11). The nationwide 2005 BRFSS median was 49.1%; this median was exceeded by 22 Steps communities.” http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5711a1.htm?s_cid=ss5711a1_e
Preventing Chronic Disease—October articles of interest
1. Swift Worksite Assessment and Translation (SWAT) evaluation method
Dunet DO, Sparling PB, Hersey J, Williams-Piehota P, Hill MD, Hanssen C, et al. A new evaluation tool to obtain practice-based evidence of worksite health promotion programs. Prev Chronic Dis 2008;5(4). http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2008/oct/07_0173.htm.
2. Use of SWAT to identify promising practices in the promotion of a healthy weight at small to medium-sized worksites
Hersey J, Williams-Piehota P, Sparling PB, Alexander J, Hill MD, Isenberg KB, et al. Promising practices in promotion of healthy weight at small and medium-sized US worksites. Prev Chronic Dis 2008;5(4). http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2008/oct/07_0172.htm.
3. Relationship between bouts (session of 10 minutes or more) and non-bouts (less than 10 minutes) of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity and waist circumference and BMI
Strath SJ, Holleman RG, Ronis DL, Swartz AM, Richardson CR. Objective physical activity accumulation in bouts and nonbouts and relation to markers of obesity in US adults. Prev Chronic Dis 2008;5(4). http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2008/oct/07_0158.htm.
4. Utah’s Gold Medal Schools program, which targets policy and environmental changes that promote healthy lifestyles
Neiger BL, Thackeray R, Hanson CL, Rigby S, Hussey C, Anderson JW. A policy and environmental response to overweight in childhood: the impact of Gold Medal Schools. Prev Chronic Dis 2008;5(4). http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2008/oct/07_0163.htm.
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
The HRSA Office of Women's Health has new consumer tools that are a part of the Bright Futures for Women's Health and Wellness (BFWHW) Physical Activity and Healthy Eating domain for young and adult women living in rural areas. The tools include an Adult Women's Guide, a set of ten Tip Sheets, a Young Women's Guide, and a bookmark.
The HRSA Information Center has limited FREE copies available of the 2 Guides and the bookmark. To order, please contact http://ask.hrsa.gov/ or 1-888-ASK-HRSA.
The HRSA Office of Women's Health is currently working with a contractor to make the tools available in Section 508 compliant (HTML) and PDF formats in the near future.
For more information about BFWHW, please see http://mchb.hrsa.gov/about/owhbf.htm
Women’s Health USA Data Book
HRSA released Women’s Health USA 2008, the seventh edition of the Women’s Health USA data book. To reflect the ever-changing, increasingly diverse population and its characteristics, Women’s Health USA selectively highlights emerging issues and trends in women’s health, including physical activity. To access the data book, please visit: http://mchb.hrsa.gov/
National Institutes of Health
NIDA to Research How Exercise Helps to Prevent Addiction
It is well known that exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but can it also prevent substance abuse and addiction? The National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, held a conference in June to explore the possible role for physical activity in substance abuse prevention. As part of this effort, NIDA announced a $4 million grant initiative to spur further research on this emerging area. More than 100 scientists from around the country gathered for the two-day conference to discuss how physical activity may affect mood, motivation, attention, and impulse control, among other factors that may play a role in substance abuse.
For more information about NIDA, including research opportunities and other initiatives, please visit: http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDAHome.html.
And elsewhere…
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
The USDA now offers MyPyramid for Preschoolers. The on-line resource targets parents and caregivers of children aged 2-5. A customized MyPyramid can be created by entering some simple information about a child, such as age and sex. Kitchen activity ideas and sample meal plans are also available. http://www.mypyramid.gov/preschoolers/index.html
Department of the Interior (DOI)
DOI, the US Department of Agriculture and the Army Corps of Engineers announced the “Get Outdoors, It’s Yours” initiative. Get Outdoors, It’s Yours encourages children and adults to experience nature firsthand in an effort to reconnect children with nature, increase awareness about opportunities and places to be active outdoors, and foster the next generation of conservationists. Visit http://www.getoutdoorsitsyours.gov
Department of Transportation
The Federal Highway Administration released Guide to Promoting Bicycling on Public Lands. The guide explores ways to address some of the environmental impacts of increasing automobile use on some Federal lands and safe and viable options for promoting bicycling in these public spaces. To download a copy of the guide, please visit http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/library/details.cfm?id=4358.
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
ACSM and the National Society of Physical Activity Practitioners in Public Health (NSPAPPH) announced their plans to offer a specialty certification for professionals promoting physical activity in a public health setting. To learn more, please visit the NSPAPPH website at http://www.nspapph.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=1
Bikes Belong
Bikes Belong released figures on its Freehweelin initiative, a partnership with Humana to supply 1,000 bikes to the Democratic and Republican national conventions. The two goals of this effort were: 1.) To demonstrate the convenience of bicycling for short trips and 2.) To focus attention on bicycling on a national stage and generate positive media with the hope of inspiring more people to ride a bicycle. Bikes Belong reported that during the two conventions, people representing 50 states and 37 countries took 7,523 rides, pedaled 41,724 miles, burned 1,293,429 calories, reduced their carbon footprint by 14.6 metric tons, and reported no accidents or injuries. Source article available at http://www.bikesbelong.org/node/1235673
National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA)
NATA issued recommendations on how to avoid cold-weather related injuries and illnesses. The recommendations and actions to take if such injuries or illnesses occur are featured in the November/December issue of the Journal of Athletic Training. The position statement is available at: http://www.nata.org/statements/position/
environmentalcoldinjuries.pdf
Partnership for Prevention
Real Health Reform Starts with Prevention is a series of recommendations to Congress and the Executive Branch for strengthening the role of disease prevention and health promotion in the America. The report is a series of policy papers written by topic area experts. The executive summary, policy papers and full report can be found at: http://www.prevent.org/content/view/197/
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
The report, Active Transportation for America: A case for increased federal investment in bicycling and walking quantifies the benefits of enhancing the nation’s bicycling and walking infrastructure. The report suggests that among the benefits to be gained are reductions in automobile emissions and increased physical activity. To access the PDF, please visit:
http://www.railstotrails.org/resources/documents/whatwedo/atfa/ATFA_20081020.pdf
University of Illinois Chicago- Request for Research Participants
The University of Illinois at Chicago is looking for Children with disabilities aged 12-18 and their parents/caregivers to complete an internet-based survey on the lifestyle and environment of adolescents with disabilities. This survey can be found by visiting the following link: www.healthforyouth.org and entering the access code: PCPFS. For more information, or if you have difficulty accessing the survey, please contact Brienne Davis in the Department of Disability and Human Development at bdavis7@uic.edu or 312-355-4054.