10,000 Steps is a free health promotion program that encourages the use of step-counting pedometers to monitor your daily physical activity levels.
Pedometers are promoted to help set goals and monitor daily activity levels.
This is a great site to send clients or patients to or to sign up as an individual.
As a representative of your organization/workplace or community, you can access the resources and materials to help implement 10,000 Steps in your area.
Action Schools! BC is a best-practices model. This program helps schools create individualized action plans to promote healthy living and provide more opportunities for more children to make healthy choices.
100 pages Published: May 2009 GeoOrigin: International
The policy approaches and resources within this toolkit represent a collection of current best approaches that have been identified, reviewed and selected by Leadership for Healthy Communities and the 11 policy-maker organizations participating in the program.
A hard copy is also available in the Centre library: Health/Well-Being--Community Health, Report ID #1310.
On this webpage of the Arthritis Society, you will find a variety of promotional and educational resources about arthritis. Some resources are provided in other languages as well.
Be Fit for Life (BFFL) Network includes nine regional centres that provide services, programs, education and resources to promote Albertans to more physically activity.
They work with schools, workplaces and the community. Connect with your local BFFL today!
Seven steps to initiate a design, implementation and control of programs to influence the acceptability of a social idea or practice by a target group.
A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Health/Well-being--Social Marketing [file cabinet], ID #584
This council provides resources, tools, and expertise to active living and health professionals in Canadian workplaces. This web site include many resources and tips about improving employee health and wellness through active living in the workplace.
Community Health Network-Works! is a national forum for community health professionals to promote networking among practitioners, researchers and decision-makers.
Their most notable resource is their "Fire-Side Chats," online discussions allowing professionals to come together to learn about topics of interest.
Membership is free and allows you to access resources and to register for the Fire-Side Chats.
This is a toolkit for community leaders who are concerned about how individuals are included in their community and how their community is included in society.
A hard copy is also available in the Centre Library: Health/Well-Being--Health Determinants, Report ID #1316.
PDF file, 2 pages Published: Jul 2009 GeoOrigin: Alberta
This Research Update article provides an overview of the development and scientific validation of a survey to measure Canadians' nutrition behaviours and how these behaviours relate to their attitudes and knowledge around nutrition.
This survey is called the Canadian BANKS (Behaviours, Attitudes and Nutrition Knowledge Survey).
This resource provides information on diabetes and includes suggestions on how to deliver this information to youth in Grades 5 or 6. The information reinforces healthy lifestyles choices, including quality daily activity and proper nutrition.
A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Population Groups--Aboriginals, ID #1288
pdf file, 35 pages Published: 2006 GeoOrigin: International
Do More, Watch Less! is a toolkit for after school programs and organizations serving youth between the ages 10 and 14.
This tool provides step-by-step guidance on incorporating more screen-free activities into children's lives while reducing the time they spend watching TV, surfing the Internet and playing video games.
pdf file, 2 pages Published: Oct 2003 GeoOrigin: Alberta
On page 3 of this WellSpring issue, the article describes Ever Active Workplaces, a project designed to help workplaces build a supportive environment for physical activity pursuits, education, and events. The project, developed by the Alberta Be Fit For Life (BFFL) Network, also includes a customized tool kit to customize the program to fit each workplace's goals.
Get some ideas from across the Atlantic. This is a website produced by the British Heart Foundation aimed at getting adults in the workplace more active and healthy.
Make sure to check out their resources, many of which you can download.
Hamilton, S., Martin, J., Guyot, M., Trifonopoulos, M., Caughey, A., & Chan, H.M. (2004). Healthy living in Nunavut: An on-line nutrition course for Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 63, 243-250.
Healthy U is a public information and education website to support and encourage Albertans to lead healthier lifestyles by providing them with access to information on healthy eating and active living.
The website has three sections where you can find general information and tips on:
Active Living.
Healthy Eating.
Healthy Places (Workplace, Schools, Communities).
You will also find access to various resources and tools, Alberta's nutrition guidelines and information about funding for community activities.
Great website for your clients, patients, family and even yourself.
Want to know how your school shapes up? This is a self-assessment and planning guide for schools.
The guide will help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your school policies and programs. It will also help you develop an action plan to improve student health and create a healthy school environment.
You can do the assessment on-line, or print a hard copy off (PDF). You will also find links to other great resources for schools.
Parks and Recreation Ontario designed HIGH FIVE, a program committed to ensuring that children have positive sport and recreation experiences for healthy children development. HIGH FIVE provides parents and recreation workers with tools, training and resources. The HIGH FIVE Quality Assurance Process is an accreditation system for recreation and sport programs.
PDF file, 4 pages Published: Dec 2012 GeoOrigin: Alberta
Using the Internet to deliver physical activity programs is becoming increasingly common. This Research Update article presents research findings and insights about the effectiveness of web-based programs in increasing physical activity levels in adults.
Provides some suggestions on how to be physically active on a regular basis, including making a commitment, making it fun and keeping a log. Includes links to related resources. Production of this material has been made possible through a financial contribution from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
This handy resource has been developed for workplaces, community groups, conferences and workshops where your participants may be sitting for long periods of time and need to refresh themselves with the occasional energizing active break.
The videos can be played right on the site, or you can download your own free copy.
JUMP is a nationwide program that encourages children and youth to be active and to stay active while raising money for an important cause.
The website allows you to register your school or child in this event. You will find resources and tools under the "Teacher" section.
Students can access the "Kids" section, which provides a variety of fun, interactive activities to help motivate them for this event.
The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed the "Kids Walk-to-School" program that encourages parents, teachers, and community members to work together to create safe walking routes to school in groups accompanied by adults. Check out the resource materials.
This unique online tool helps take the confusion away by allowing you to compare the nutrition information on packaged foods to the Alberta Nutrition Guidelines.
This workbook is designed to help a community evaluate the inclusiveness and accessibility of the community. It also discusses how to work together - with the involvement of community memmbers - to set goals for improvement.
A hard copy is also available in the Centre library: Population Groups--Persons with a Disability (filing cabinet).
This provides fitness leaders the strategies needed to keep their participants' active and contains ideas, handouts, inventories and checklists that can be used in leaders' fitness classes.
A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Physical Activity--Adherence [file cabinet], ID #716
The Be Fit For Life Network has created the Move & Play through Physical Literacy cards to assist activity leaders interested in integrating Physical Literacy into a variety of programs, activities and environments.
Over 75 cards are included in this set, focusing on Active Start, FUNdamentals, and Learn to Train stages of the Long Term Athlete Development Model.
The goal of the Nutrition Resource Centre is to strengthen the capacity of nutrition practitioners to deliver quality nutrition programming in a health promotion context.
Here you will find resources produced by the NRC, which may be useful in your work. You can also learn about initiatives taking place in Ontario.
pdf file, 2 pages Published: Apr 2002 GeoOrigin: Alberta
Osteoporosis is a disease that causes fractures under the least pressure because of bone loss. This disease affects more women than men over the age of 50. This WellSpring article discusses the importance of an active lifestyle in preventing this disease. The article also presents a sample physical activity program for people with osteoporosis and shows how they can improve their quality of life by increasing their strength, coordination, balance, and flexibility.
The toolkit includes various plain language resources you can use as handouts when counselling clients about different aspects of physical activity. In addition, you can also look up references and follow helpful links to other practical resources.
The resources include:
Taking the first step: deciding to be physically active
pdf file, 73 pages Published: 2002 GeoOrigin: International
Evaluation is a key component of physical activity programs and initiatives. This handbook can help you to learn about resources and successful strategies and to develop future plans.
This handbook outlines six steps for agencies and community-based organizations to evaluate their physical activity programs.
The website's tools, examples and resources will help your evaluation process.
Saskatchewan In Motion is a province-wide movement aimed at increasing physical activity for health benefits. Communities, workplaces, schools, and physicians are involved. This is a great source of ideas on how to use the web to promote active living in your community. The website provides benefits and fit facts for all population groups, as well as a media section. The walking workout has self-assessments, walking tips, a place to log your walking, and a place to submit your own success stories.
This toolkit was developed to help individuals and organizations make their communities more supportive of physical activity through active, healthy community design.
A hard copy is also available in the Centre library: Community Development, Report ID #1314.
This is a program designed to help shiftworkers adapt to the challenges of shift work in a healthy manner and contains a variety of resources to assist the employee and trainer.
A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Workplace Wellness--Shift Work, ID #486.
Stairway to Health is a physical activity program that could be implemented in your workplace.
The website has it all!! It provides steps, fact sheets, posters, Powerpoint presentations, tools, and resources to help set-up, manage and evaluate your stair-climbing program.
This website offers a wide range of active living and healthy eating information for the public. It also offers information tools and resources for recreation facilities across B.C., and for program leaders in local government buildings in B.C. Information and resources for food and beverage suppliers is also provided. The website promotes a collaborative approach to promote a wider range of healthy choices.
The Healthy Eating Manual has been developed for leaders who have the opportunity and desire to incorporate healthy eating information into programs they are currently running or planning.
The learning activities developed for this manual will appeal to anyone looking for fresh approaches to teaching nutrition and healthy eating.
This web site, founded on the principles of community-based social marketing, offers specific tools, case studies, and a planning guide for helping people adopt habits that promote health and/or are more environmentally friendly. The tools provide fundamental ways of motivating people to take the action you wish them to take. The step-by-step planning guide includes
setting objectives;
developing partners;
getting informed;
targeting the audience;
choosing tools of change;
financing the program;
measuring achievements.
Each step offers plenty of examples.
This web site will help you include in your programs the best practices of many other programs, practices that have already been successful in changing people's behaviour.
pdf file, 2 pages Published: Sep 2010 GeoOrigin: Alberta
This Research Update article discusses the effectiveness of different computer-tailored messaging strategies that have been used to help motivate Dutch citizens towards increased physical activity.
pdf file, 4 pages Published: Apr 2010 GeoOrigin: Alberta
This Wellspring article explores the idea of a smart phone (e.g., a BlackBerry, iPhone or Android mobile device) and the Internet adding value to an outdoor activity, helping to promote participation. The author suggests that social networking tools, online mapping tools and mobile devices can enable increased community building around outdoor activities, potentially contributing to increased physical activity among the general population.
This is a quick, handy tool. Designed originally for real-estate purposes, the Walk Score also allows you to gauge the walkability of your neighbourhood.
PDF file, 36 pages Published: 2003 GeoOrigin: Alberta
Welcome to the Workplace Physical Activity Framework! This tool provides a blueprint for developing a physical activity program in your workplace. You will find:
Program Standard, and
Audit Tool
both of which can be used to create and continuously improve your program.
The Framework is a free download. It is also available in French (translated by the City of Ottawa, Public Health):
