February 5, 2010

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

There will not be a Physical Activity Information Round-Up next week. The Roundup will resume on February 19, 2010.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Bicycling and Walking in the U.S.: 2010 Benchmarking Report
Many of the benchmarks featured in this report contribute to making communities more bicycle and pedestrian friendly by changing the built environment, culture, attitudes, and behaviors.

Canada Walks
Our Mission: to change the current social paradigm so that walkable communities are the cultural and social norm in Canada.

On the Move in the Community: Canada’s first active transportation conference
Montreal June 3rd and 4th, 2010.
The conference will bring together forty local and international speakers and specialists. These experts in the field will present winning formulas that have proven successful in public awareness campaigns and cyclist- and pedestrian-friendly urban planning endeavors.

Pedestrian Forum: Safe Pedestrians and a Walkable America
VOL. 49, Winter 2010
The latest edition of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Pedestrian Forum Newsletter. It highlights efforts by the FHWA and its partners to improve the safety of walking and bicycling as a mode of transportation.

CHILDREN
Obesity: Recent Trends in Children Aged 2-11y and 12-19y: Analysis from the Health Survey for England 1993 – 2007
Comparing the HSE (2000-2007) data set shows a significantly healthier picture than the data up until 2004. The overall picture is positive for all age groups and genders. There are some gender differences with 12-19y females faring significantly worse than their 2-11y counterparts and with males where there is little difference between the two age groups.

Parks and open space: For the health and wellbeing of children and young people
See the contribution parks and open space can make to the health & wellbeing of young people, part of the Action for Young Australians program.

Urban Thinkers: Empowering people to walk and cycle
Urbanthinkers is a sustainable transportation think tank based in East Vancouver, BC with over a decade of international experience. We believe that walking and cycling to school can be fun, safe and invigorating – and that student leaders themselves will generate the shift away from a current over-reliance on driving to school.

CHRONIC DISEASE
Prevention of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease: targeting risk factors
A new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) focuses on targeting disease risk factors such as physical inactivity.

COMMUNITY
Effects of Park Improvements on Park Use and Physical Activity: Policy and Programming Implications
American Journal of Preventive Medicine Vol 37, Iss 6, Dec 2009, Pages 475-480

Improvements to parks may not automatically result in increased use and physical activity, especially when programming decreases. Multiple factors contribute to park use and need to be accounted for in future community-level interventions. Further, improving perceptions of safety alone is unlikely to result in increased park use.

DISABILITY
Participation in Sport by People with a Disability
This fact sheet presents information on disability and participation in sport by people with a disability. It also compares their participation rates with people with no disability and examines whether participation rates vary with sex, age and the type of disability. December 2009 from Australia

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Adjusting step count recommendations for anthropometric variations in leg length
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport- Article in Press
Michael W. Beets, Stamatis Agiovlasitis, Christopher A. Fahs, Sushant M. Ranadive and Bo Fernhall

“In conclusion, notable differences in the total number of steps to achieve the recommended levels of physical activity were observed when accounting for variations in leg length. These estimates developed herein provide preliminary evidence that adjusting for anthropometric differences can provide the public with a closer approximation of their individualised steps min threshold required to meet recent physical activity recommendations.”

Blueprint for an Active Australia
The Blueprint for an Active Australia provides key actions, based on evidence of effectiveness, that can increase physical activity levels in Australia from 2010 to 2013. This document draws on available evidence that supports the need for implementation of a comprehensive range of actions at national, state and local levels. These actions address the barriers to physical activity and create opportunities for all Australians to be active in their homes, neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces and communities.

Evaluation of the Ramblers Family Walking Programme – Furness Families Walk4Life
Overall, the project was successful at engaging young families, who reported positive experiences of the program. The evaluation report highlights 34 implications for future practice. These recommendations, (which may be useful for other organizations looking to implement a walking intervention) have been broken down into clear and concise categories.

Let's get physical: The economic contribution of fitness centres in Australia
Find out the potential health and economic savings relating to fitness centres.

Physical Activity Resource Centre (PARC) New website
The PARC website has a new look and a new web address. The new and improved PARC website features include:
• Streamlined navigation to make it easier to find the content you need
• Downloadable workshops that are easier to navigate
• Brighter, cleaner design

RESEARCH TOOLS
The Cochrane Library publication frequency
Effective January, 2010, Cochrane has made the much-anticipated change to monthly publications of The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR).

Health-Evidence
This site provides current research evidence relevant to public health in a searchable online registry. If you use Health-Evidence, you don’t need to go to Cochrane because all the research in the Cochrane database that is relevant to public health is listed in Health-Evidence.

NICE Guidelines (narrowed by topic to public health)
Based on high-quality systematic reviews; several new topics are added every year.

Pubmed – using the Clinical Queries tool
Clinical Queries uses some “behind the scenes” search strategies to help you find the best evidence for your question.

Pubmed without Clinical Queries tool
You may end up with a lot of hits, but you can use limits (language, human, dates, methods) to narrow down the number.

TRIP (Turning Research into Practice)
Searches across evidence-based resources (synopses, guidelines and systematic reviews); originally clinically based, but expanding to include community prevention.

URBAN DESIGN
Abu Dhabi Urban Street Design Manual
The manual builds on similar efforts in Germany, the UK, Australia, and the US….. it introduces the concept of the pedestrian realm as an integral part of the overall street composition, and shows how this and the traveled way are combined to provide a balanced street network for all modes of transport. In this regard the manual is perhaps one of the most progressive in the world.

Risking Success Through Flexible Design
"What comes to mind when you picture a livable community? Many people probably imagine scenes of bicyclists riding the streets, children walking to school, perhaps riders hopping on streetcars to go to work or run errands, friends meeting in front of storefronts, or diners sitting at outdoor cafes. Roadway congestion and lengthy distances to destinations probably do not spring to mind."

WORKPLACE
What Works in Worksite Health Promotion - Systematic Review Findings and Recommendations from the Task Force on Community Preventive Services
American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume 38, Issue 2, Supplement 1, Pages A1-A8, S223-S302 (February 2010)

“An important milestone has been achieved through the publication of the Task Force review of workplace health promotion programs in this issue. The thoughtful and rigorous analysis of the literature determined that well-designed, evidence-based, and theory-grounded programs can bring about health improvement, risk reduction, lower levels of healthcare use, and improved worker productivity….”

January 28, 2010

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
8 - 80 Cities, (formerly Walk & Bike for Life)
8 - 80 Cities is a Canadian based non-profit organization with an international outlook. (Their) goal is to contribute to the creation of vibrant cities and healthy communities, where residents live happier and enjoy great public places. (They) promote walking and bicycling as activities and urban parks, trails and other public spaces as great places for ALL.

The 8/80 rule:
Step 1: Think of a child that you love and care for who is approximately 8 years of age. This could be a child, grandchild, sister, brother, cousin etc.
Step 2: Think of an adult, approximately 80 years of age who you love and care for. This could be a parent, grandparent, friend etc.
Step 3: Ask yourself: Would you send that 8 year old along with the 80 year old on a walk, or a bike ride on that infrastructure? If you would, then it is safe enough, if you would not, then it is not safe enough.

CHILDREN
CFLRI 2008 Physical Activity Monitor: Getting Kids Active Bulletins are now available
Three new bulletins have been released: Main location for PA, Barriers to PA and Awareness of PA guides for children.

Kids Can Play Bulletin #1: Activity Levels of Children and Youth
The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute's Canadian Physical Activity Levels Among Youth (CANPLAY) study measures physical activity levels of
children and youth by using pedometers to measure daily steps. Most of the analyses in this bulletin are based on combined data collected in Years Three and Four (2007 - 2009) of data collection, unless otherwise stated.

COMMUNITY
Parks and recreation programs declining as obesity, health concerns rise
"Research is now showing there's a close correlation between public health and recreational opportunities, both close to home and in state parks,"….. snip

DISABILITY
Free2BMe Physical Activity for Kids and Teens
Our goal is to provide opportunities for children and youth to participate in physical activity and fitness programs, to develop skills and knowledge towards health and wellness while asserting autonomy and independence in a fun and social environment.

MISCELLANEOUS
CPHA Centenary Web site
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) marks its centenary in 2010. This voluntary, non-governmental organization was formed 100 years ago by a small group of doctors who were concerned about the state of public health in Canada.

Mythbusters
Mythbusters is a series of two-page articles that summarize the best available evidence to challenge widely held beliefs about issues in Canadian healthcare.

OLDER ADULTS
Older Adults' Perspectives on Home Exercise after Falls Rehabilitation: Understanding the Importance of Promoting Healthy, Active Ageing
Health Education Journal, v68 n3 p207-218 2009

This study helps us to acknowledge that from an older adult's perspective, independence is highly valued, and encourages us to consider how we can then adopt this as a motivator for participation in healthy, active ageing. When working with older people, professionals need to adopt a holistic approach to their health, using a person-centred approach to promote positive, active ageing.

Prevention of Falls in Older Persons
From the American Geriatrics Society and British Geriatrics. A multi-factorial fall risk assessment is recommended for older adults who have had a fall, who have been identified as having gait and balance problems, or who report difficulties with gait or balance. Includes information on recommended evaluations and interventions, and the key role of evidence-based strength and balance training.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
CFLRI 2008 Physical Activity and Sport Monitors Bulletins are now available.
Eight new bulletins have been released, including such topics as PA Levels of Canadians, Beliefs about the benefits of PA and Social norms for walking.

CFLRI Lifestyle Tips: Seasonal Variations in Physical Activity
Cold weather is no excuse to be inactive. In fact, Canadian winters offer a wide range of exciting activities that you can’t do in the warmer seasons. Try some of these … snip

CFLRI Research File: Seasonal Variations in Physical Activity
It’s fun to get outside and be active on a lovely summer day, but just how much more active are we when the weather is good and how much does season affect our activity levels?..... snip

URBAN DESIGN
Healthy Planning Guide
This guide is intended to help public health and planning departments collaborate on strategies to promote healthier communities. Each page links health risks to aspects of the built environment, outlining ways to ensure that neighborhoods are designed to support health equity and community well-being.

Janaury 22, 2010

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
America Walks’ Position Statement: Walking is More Than Local
Investment and policy decisions that encourage or discourage walking are made at the local, regional, state and federal levels. Likewise, the public health, environmental and quality of life impacts of walking or not walking extend beyond local borders……

Go here to see their other position statements.

Calm Traffic before Traffic Calming
A film taken from a streetcar traveling down Market Street in San Francisco in 1906, a few days before the earthquake/fire destroyed the area. “It's worth taking 7 minutes of your life to watch (but one or two minutes is good enough) ... no paved roads, no driving rules, no traffic lights, no pedestrian crosswalks. But it all works because the pace is slower." -- John Cinatl

Congestion Road Tax and Physical Activity
American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume 38, Issue 2, February 2010, Pages 171-177

The results from this study on the influence of a congestion road tax on levels of physical activity, though inconclusive, suggest that policy changes such as a congestion road tax might promote improvements in physical activity levels in individuals with motorized vehicles.

Mobile phone use while cycling: Incidence and effects on behavior and safety
Ergonomics, Volume 53, Issue 1 January 2010 , pages 30 – 42

Although perhaps mainly restricted to flat countries with a large proportion of cyclists, mobile phone use while cycling has increased and may be a threat to traffic safety, similar to phone use while driving a car. In this study, the extent of the problem was assessed by observing the proportion of cyclists using mobile phones, sending questionnaires to accident-involved cyclists and an experimental study was conducted on the effects of mobile phone use while cycling.

CHILDREN
A One of a Kind Walking, Biking School Opens in Canada
With the dawn of the new year, a newly opened elementary school in Ontario is heralded as the nation's first school that requires nearly all of its students to get to and from school using their own two feet.

Healthy Eating/ Physical Activity/Healthy Weights DRAFT Guidance Document
From the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion. The purpose of these documents is to summarize current evidence to assist boards of health in the implementation of the Ontario Public Health Standards. An online consultation is currently underway with Public Health Units and will conclude January 31, 2010. We anticipate the release of the final Guidance Documents on March 31, 2010.

Mapping the Walk to School Using Accelerometry Combined with a Global Positioning System
American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume 38, Issue 2, February 2010, Pages 178-183

(Their) results provide evidence that the journey to school is purposeful and contributes to higher total physical activity and MVPA in children. Combining accelerometer and GPS data may aid our understanding of the environmental context of physical activity.

Physical Literacy for Preschoolers – It’s All About Me Me Me! ... A Multi- Movement Approach to Teaching Preschool Recreational Activities
This presentation from the 2009 Recreation Nova Scotia Annual Conference, focuses on the importance of multi-movement learning opportunities for preschool-aged children to promote Physical Literacy and examines the different teaching styles that can accommodate learning styles and developmental stages of preschool-aged children in a ‘child-centered’ recreational learning environment.

Play Matters: A study of the Best Practices to Inform Local Policy and Process in Support of Children’s Play
In municipalities across America, engaged citizens and civic leaders are actively seeking innovative ways to improve the accessibility, quality, and quantity of play and play spaces for children. To help cities build awareness & political capital and develop a policy on play, KaBOOM! identified 12 relevant and innovative best practices in play.

CHRONIC DISEASE
Launch of Updated Canadian Best Practices Portal for Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention
On January 20, 2010, a new and improved version of the Canadian Best Practices Portal, went live. The Public Health Agency of Canada’s Portal is a virtual front door to community and population health interventions related to chronic disease prevention and health promotion that have been evaluated, shown to be successful, and have the potential to be adapted and replicated by other health practitioners working in similar fields.

COMMUNITY
Development of the Community Healthy Living Index: A tool to foster healthy environments for the prevention of obesity and chronic disease
Preventive Medicine Volume 50, Supplement 1, January 2010, Pages S80-S85

This paper presents a new, comprehensive tool for communities to assess opportunities for active living and healthy eating. The Community Healthy Living Index (CHLI) covers five major sectors where people live, work, learn, and play: schools, after schools, work sites, neighborhoods, and the community-at-large. CHLI and the accompanying procedures enable community teams to assess programs, the physical environment, and policies related to healthy living, and to plan improvement strategies.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Physical Activity Research Updates from the USC Prevention Centre
A listing of past and current research published in the area of Physical Activity. This is a GREAT resource.

Special Issue of Preventive Medicine: Active Communities for Youth and Families: Using Research to Create Momentum for Change
Preventive Medicine Volume 50, Supplement 1, Pages S1-S126 (January 2010)

The 15 papers presented at the Active Living Research conference and published in this issue are divided into the following subsections covering various aspects of promoting physical activity in communities:
• Translating Research to Policy Award
• Parks and Recreation
• Youth and Schools
• Transportation and Land Use
• Measurement Advances

URBAN DESIGN
National Geographic New Suburban Design
Explore this interactive learning tool that compares the differences between urban sprawl type design and new urbanism.

Neighborhood determinants of self-efficacy, physical activity, and body weights among Canadian Children
Health & Place, Article in Press
Z. Davidson A, Simen-Kapeu and P.J. Veugelers (U of A Researchers)

Both infrastructural investments such as in recreational facilities, sidewalks and parks, as well as health education to promote self-efficacy may increase PA and prevent overweight among children.

New Urban News
They have created a one-stop location for news, resources, and case studies on designing walkable, complete streets

Urban sprawl and health: Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean healthier
A Healthy Public Policy Information Sheet from Alberta Health Services.

December 18, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

Welcome to the final Physical Activity Information Round-Up for 2009. We’ll be taking a couple weeks off for the holidays. From all of us here at the Centre, we'd like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
The Links between Public Health and Sustainable and Active Transportation
This issue paper summarizes the most relevant research on the links between Canadians’ health and their access to and use of sustainable and active transportation infrastructure.

Portland Bike Count Information
Information on the 2009 Bike count, how to do a bike count, forms and much, much, more. Portland, Oregon is a well recognized city for its work on active transportation. They are a great example to model after.

CHILDREN
Children’s Fitness Tax Credit
This is not a new program, just a reminder where to find the information.

Healthy Active Living for Children and Youth – Cdn Pediatric Society
To help combat the growing problem of physical inactivity among Canadian children and youth the CPS has developed tools and resources to help paediatricians and other health care professionals educate parents and patients about the benefits of physical activity, good nutrition and an active lifestyle. Here you’ll find information, resources and web links that you can use in your practice, with your patients and their families, and in your communities.

Parental influences on physical activity behavior in preschool children
Preventive Medicine Article in Press, Uncorrected Proof
Paul D. Loprinzia and Stewart G. Trost

The authors conclude: Family-based interventions targeting preschoolers should include strategies to increase parental support for PA. Parents who perceive their child to have low physical competence should be encouraged to provide adequate support for PA.

Social participation of children with disabilities
A new paper out from Stats Canada. Organized sports and physical activity/sports: Takes part in organized sports with coach or instructor; takes part in other physical activities with coach or instructor, e.g. dance or gymnastics.

CHRONIC DISEASE
Physical Activity, Body Mass Index, and Diabetes Risk in Men: A Prospective Study
The American Journal of Medicine Vol 122, Issue 12, December 2009, Pages 1115-1121

The authors conclude: Active men with normal and overweight BMIs had lower diabetes hazards than their inactive counterparts, but no difference by weekly activity was seen in obese men. Elevated BMI is a key driver of diabetes risk, with relatively modest attenuation by activity.

COMMUNITY
Creating Healthy Communities: Tools and Actions to Foster Environments for Healthy Living
This guide was prepared by Smart Growth BC, in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of experts from the health and land use planning fields. It recommends 116 land use policies and programs that local governments can adopt to promote healthy living in our communities. It also includes specific examples of these programs and policies in action, as well as quick links to specific policy documents and language that can be used as templates.

OLDER ADULTS
Exercise and Physical Activity: Getting Fit For Life
From the National Institute on Aging.

Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging
This guide shows you many types of exercise and physical activity. It also has lots of tips to help you be active in ways that suit your lifestyle, interests, health, and budget, whether you’re just starting out, getting back to exercising after a break, or fit enough to run a 3-mile race. It’s for everyone — people who are healthy and those who live with an ongoing health problem or disability.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY
Validity of Self-Reported Height, Weight, and Body Mass Index: Findings From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001-2006
Preventing Chronic Disease 2009;6 (4)
The authors conclude: Men and women significantly over report their height, increasingly so at older ages. Men tend to overestimate their weight, but women underreport their weight, more so in younger ages. Corresponding BMI is underestimated, more so for women than for men at each age and increasingly so with older age for both sexes.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Exercise and cancer rehabilitation: A systematic review
Cancer Treatment Reviews - Article in Press, Corrected Proof
Rosalind R. Spence, Kristiann C. Heescha, and Wendy J. Brown

The authors conclude: Although the methodological limitations of studies in this new field must be acknowledged, initial evidence indicates that exercise is feasible and may provide physiological and psychological benefits for cancer survivors during the rehabilitation period. Future studies with rigorous study designs are now required to advance the field.

Minnesota Department of Health – Physical Activity Resources
There is a lot of great information here.

National Society of Physical Activity Practitioners in Public Health
A professional organization dedicated to growing the capacity of physical activity practitioners in public health.

Physical Activity: An Investment That Pays Multiple Health Dividends
Arch Intern Med. 2009; 169 (22):2124-2127.

Comment on "Combined Effects of Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Not Smoking, and Normal Waist Girth on Morbidity and Mortality in Men," "Physical Activity and Survival in Male Colorectal Cancer Survival," "Effects of a Television Viewing Reduction on Energy Intake and Expenditure in Overweight and Obese Adults," and "Physical Activity and Rapid Decline in Kidney Function Among Older Adults"

Physical Inactivity Cost Calculator
Developed by East Carolina University they have developed a very easy-to-use tool that can provide an estimate of the financial cost of physically inactive people to a particular community, city, state or business. They also provide companion resources and information you need to re-allocate resources and plan for healthier workplaces and communities that are more supportive of physical activity

WHO global strategy on diet, physical activity and health: a framework to monitor and evaluate implementation.
This document sets out an approach to measure the implementation of the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (DPAS) at country level and proposes a framework and indicators for this purpose.

URBAN DESIGN
2009 BC Sprawl Report: Walkability and Health
This report is the third in Smart Growth BC’s Sprawl Report series and focuses on how the physical design of neighbourhoods affects walking and biking in BC’s communities, and whether this has any impact on individual health.

Sprawl and Smart Growth in Greater Vancouver
Produced by the Sightline Institute in collaboration with Smart Growth BC, this report maps population density trends throughout the Greater Vancouver area, using data from the last four Canadian censuses. The researchers found that in the 1990s a combination of factors helped Greater Vancouver limit the type of low-density sprawl that marred many comparably-sized US cities during that decade. But in recent years, the pace of compact growth slowed.

WORKPLACE
Preventing Noncommunicable Diseases in the Workplace through Diet and Physical Activity
This WHO report summarizes the current evidence available in addressing the different dimensions of the workplace as a key setting for interventions designed to prevent NCDs through diet and physical activity.

Walking Works
The Walking Works campaign is one in a series of Living Streets' campaigns that aim to get us all walking more in our daily lives. Walking Works aims to encourage more people to walk to and from work, and to walk more during their working day

Workplace Physical Activity Toolkits
A CDC compilation. The toolkits in this section are designed specifically for work sites to encourage physical activity and may contain checklists, step-by-step guides, budgets, and other tools that aid in program planning, design, and management.

December 4, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ABORIGINAL
Recreational Tool Kit for Rural, Northern & Remote Aboriginal Communities
This toolkit contains information and resources to help guide you through creating, planning, implementing and evaluating your Recreational Programs. It is designed in a way to educate and remind individuals of the four aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Within each section you will find information pertaining to personal, emotional, spiritual and physical growth.

CHILDREN
Couch Kids: The nation's future
A new report from the BHF which serves to outline the current picture of children’s physical activity levels in the UK. This comprehensive report includes the latest statistics and evidence relating to: Activity levels among children and young people in the UK and why physical activity is so important; Differences in participation by gender, age, socio-economic status and ethnic origin; Screen based sedentary behaviour; and Prevalence of overweight and obesity and trends over time.


Healthy Hearts
An initiative of the Black Gold Regional School District, designed to help parents and teachers connect with resources that will help create and maintain a healthy learning environment.

Shaping the Future
The first Ever Active Schools Health Promoting Schools Conference is taking place Jan. 14-16, 2010

COMMUNITY
An Innovative Approach to Great Neighbourhoods
After researching leading practices across North America, the City of Edmonton is embarking on a new, comprehensive approach to creating and sustaining great neighbourhoods. All city departments will work together, and with its partners and citizens, to deliver services more effectively and efficiently, synchronize planning efforts and facilitate improved two-way communication with residents

Attitudes Toward Physical Activity
New Data discussion from the 2008 CFLRI Physical Activity Monitor

Bridging the Terminology Gap in Support of Active Communities: Land-use Planners and Public Health Professionals
This report will be of interest to those working in the area of: land-use planning; built environment; active transportation and chronic disease prevention through community design. Includes an overview of the development of a joint glossary of terms for land-use planners and public health professionals based on provincial terms. This joint glossary of terms consists of an alphabetical listing of 130 terms and their corresponding sources.

Understanding Your Community: The Key to Building an Impactful, Sustainable Coalition
Through research, extensive experience and practical application, LiveWell Colorado has gained tremendous insight into coalition building, serving as a champion of the importance of community partners, as well as utilizing the broad reach of community members.

HEALTH GENERAL
What Does it Take to Make a Healthy Province?
A benchmark study of jurisdictions in Canada and around the world with the highest levels of health and the best health behaviors.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Fit vs. Fat – Acting on Your New Year’s Resolutions – CFLRI Lifestyle Tips
The new December issue,

The Gift of an Active Lifestyle – CFLRI Research File
The new December issue.

Making the Link from Transportation to Physical Activity and Obesity
This research brief presents an overview of findings demonstrating the potential impact of infrastructure investments and other transportation programs on walking and bicycling for transportation, and on related health outcomes. It focuses on public transit, greenways and trails, school-related infrastructure and programs, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and efforts to manage car traffic.

Rating Canada’s Regional Health
Latest statistics from CFLRI

Social Determinants of Health and Physical Activity – Online workshops
This workshop will present information and considerations on ways to address the social determinants of health when developing physical activity programs and services.
January 14th and February 3rd, 2010.
By the end of the workshop you should:
1. Have a good understanding of what the social determinants and health inequities are and the connection to physical activity.
2. Be aware of some existing physical activity programs that address the social determinants of health.
3. Understand how to create physical activity programs that address the social determinants of health.
4. Have increased knowledge of current research in the area of physical activity and the social determinants of health.

URBAN DESIGN
Future Health: Sustainable Places for Health and Well-being
Future health tells us how good design makes healthy places. It brings what CABE has learned about sustainable, health-promoting environments together with the latest thinking about health and well-being.

November 26, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Objective versus subjective measures of the built environment, which are most effective in capturing associations with walking?
Health & Place, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 14 November 2009
The results showed that objective measures of the built environment had stronger associations with walking than subjective measures.

CHILDREN

Associations between physical activity, fitness, and academic achievement
Volume 155, Issue 6, December 2009, Page A1
These results suggest that physical activity and fitness can be beneficial to school performance.

Take Action: A guide for those working towards getting children and youth more physically active
This guide is intended to help you take the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity recommendations further and turn the research into action. This is for all of us who are working towards getting children and youth more physically active—from NGOs to public health to sport organizations and municipal recreation departments,

CHRONIC DISEASE

Alberta Diabetes Atlas 2009 – Launch
The Alberta Diabetes Atlas provides information on the number of people living with diabetes in Alberta, their related health conditions, and the health services they use.

COMMUNITY

Advocacy update: top ten reasons parks are important: the values of public parks and recreation in America.
This list of values encompasses the range of why public parks and recreation are an essential part of the national heritage, and the value provided to all citizens.

The Excellent City Park System.: What Makes it Great and How to Get There
Identifies seven factors as key to city park excellence. These factors are explored in detail in this publication and are also embellished with vignettes of “excellent practices” from cities around the country.

Neighborhood Land Use Diversity (LUD) and Physical Activity in Adjacent Parks
Health & Place, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 14 November 2009
This paper investigated whether parks were more likely to be used for PA if surrounded by greater LUD, as well as the interaction of LUD with the number of facilities in the park for predicting use of the park for PA.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Does a population-based multi-factorial lifestyle intervention increase social inequality in physical activity? The Inter99 study
Br J Sports Med doi:10.1136/bjsm.2009.064840
The authors conclude: A population-based multi-factorial lifestyle intervention did not influence social inequality in physical activity

Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks
It is interesting to note that physical activity ranked as the fourth most important risk factor contributing to global deaths…… This report provides some interesting data on physical inactivity, particularly its risk contribution in developing countries as well as middle income and developed countries. For this reason it is an important report, because it profiles the relative importance of physical inactivity, independent of, and at least as important (or slightly more important) than obesity to global death.

Promotion of Physical Activity in the European Region: Content Analysis of 27 National Policy Documents
Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2009, 6: 805-817
This paper provides a useful snapshot of the current state of physical activity policy in Europe. It is promising that a recent increase in physical activity policy development has occurred in the region. It is also promising that many policies contain recommended components and actions.

THENAPA
Thematic Network "Educational and Social Integration of Persons with a Handicap through Adapted Physical Activity ".

THENAPA II: "Ageing and disability - a new crossing between physical activity, social inclusion and life-long well-being"
The aim of our project is to collect and bring together on European level, the information concerning physical activity and sport for older adults and to make possible the identification and the fulfillment of relevant educational programs in the students’ curricula.

October 30, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
ACS journey to work results for the 70 largest US cities
This is a great table with lots of data. The tables show the share of commuters for 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and their percent change over time

ACS journey to work results for the 50 US states
Use the tabs at the bottom for bicycle commuters and walking commuters. The sheets also include the amount of federal dollars spent on bicycle and pedestrian project between 2000 and 2008.

American Community Survey Bicycle Commuting Trends, 2000 to 2008
Overall, the results of the 2008 ACS travel data show that bicycling to work is becoming more popular. Locations that had relatively high shares of bicycle commuting in 2000 showed no signs of leveling off. In fact, those communities increased their shares of bicycle commuters at above average rates.

Creating a RoadMap for Producing & Implementing a Bicycle Master Plan
This document will serve as a starting point for discussion and as a guide to developing a BMP. Readers are encouraged to change, add, or ignore steps as necessary to meet local needs. Many of the suggested steps can be done simultaneously, while others may require a more linear process.

Healthy, Equitable Transportation Policy: Recommendations and Research
In this project, leading academic researchers and advocates working at the intersection of transportation policy, equity, and public health identify opportunities for creating transportation systems that promote health and equity. This report synthesizes their insights and offers concrete recommendations for change.

How to Develop a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan
This guide is primarily a reference for improving pedestrian safety through street redesign and the use of engineering countermeasures as well as other safety-related treatments and programs that involve the whole community.

The impact of transportation infrastructure on bicycling injuries and crashes: a review of the literature
Environmental Health 2009, 8:47
Evidence is beginning to accumulate that purpose-built bicycle-specific facilities reduce crashes and injuries among cyclists, providing the basis for initial transportation engineering guidelines for cyclist safety. Street lighting, paved surfaces, and low-angled grades are additional factors that appear to improve cyclist safety.

No Excuse Zones
Based on a series of test rides, zones around the CBDs of major cities were mapped to measure the distance a healthy person can cycle within half an hour. The maps are surprisingly far reaching and provocatively suggest that if a person lives within this zone and works in the CBD, then they should try cycling to work a few days a week and enjoy the benefits. While only cities in Europe and Australia have been zoned to date there are many good resources on this site to check out.

Research to Learn More about Bicycling
Surveys such as: retailers and advocacy, a review of bicycle safety campaigns, Do trails lead to sales? and more.

UK Cyclist Awareness tests
These are good! You may remember the one with the ape and the basketball but there are others that are new.

CHILDREN
Everyone Jump: Kids Changing Diabetes
A resource, music CD and Educational Challenge that raises awareness of the importance of regular physical activity and proper nutrition in preventing type 2 diabetes. Everyone Jump 2009/2010 is available to all public and Catholic schools in British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland Ontario and Saskatchewan.\

COMMUNITY

How to Engage Inactive Communities in Physical Activity: Top Tips from the BHFNC 8th Annual Conference
This booklet includes both generic tips, relevant to practitioners working across a broad range of communities and/or groups, and specific tips for engaging key target groups, for example people with disabilities, girls and young women, older adults, people with mental ill-health, black and minority ethnic communities and socially deprived communities.

NCBW / ALRC Environmental Scan for Active Community Implementation
Communities looking to become more walkable and bike-friendly have a host of tools, projects and programs available to help them on the path towards their goals… This document is a guide to these resources, suggesting their utility for different needs and user groups.

NCBW / ALRC Roadmap for Active Community Implementation
Designed to be a guide to using and implementing the wide range of active living tools, resources, projects and programs that put communities on the path toward fashioning themselves as active living environments.

OLDER ADULTS
Finding Balance Alberta
This website is dedicated to helping seniors prevent a fall before it happens so they can stay active and independent.

URBAN DESIGN
The Built Environment and Physical Activity Levels: The Harvard Alumni Health Study
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 37: 293-298.
It has been theorized that people who are more physically active self-select neighborhoods more conducive to physical activity and these results support this idea as change in sprawl index over time did not lead to more physical activity. From this study alone, the importance of the built environment on physical activity cannot be confirmed yet studies with larger numbers of people who move from one type of neighborhood to another may provide clearer evidence.

WORKPLACE
Meta-Analysis of Workplace Physical Activity Interventions
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 37: 330-339.
These findings document that some workplace physical activity interventions can improve both health and important worksite outcomes. This latest evidence can assist in making the case to organizations of the importance of physical activity in this setting.

October 23, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Centre for Sustainable Transportation
This edition of the newsletter highlights the past spring and summer activities on the Centre, as well as local events in and around Winnipeg.

The Top 10 Facts on Bicycling and Walking in the United States
Although these are US statistics, they are helpful because, in most cases, equivalent Canadian numbers do not exist.

CHILDREN
Active After-school Communities
An Australian initiative that provides primary school-aged children with access to free, sport and other structured physical activity programs in the after-school time slot of 3.00pm to 5.30pm.The program aims to engage traditionally inactive children in sport and other structured physical activities, and through a positive and fun experience, develop a love of sport that inspires them to join a local sporting club

BMI report cards: will they pass or fail in the fight against pediatric obesity?
Research does not suggest that BMI report cards will be effective in reducing rates of pediatric overweight and obesity. Instead, recent findings show that the potential for harm may outweigh possible benefits. States and countries that mandate the use of BMI report cards should make evaluation of these policies a priority."

Built4kids - A good practice guide to creating child-friendly built environments
An Australian resource developed to help create built environments with and for children and young people. It can be used by local councils, government agencies, planners, schools, architects, developers and other professionals.

Environmental correlates of children's active transportation: A systematic literature review
This systematic review investigated the environmental (physical, economic, socio-cultural and political) correlates of active transportation (AT) among young people aged 5-18 years to better inform the promotion of active living.

Keeping children safe: rethinking how we design our surroundings
Injury is the leading cause of death among children in North America, many of them traffic-related injuries that can be traced back to poor community design decisions, like locating a school on the wrong side of a busy street, says Dr. Andrew Howard in a paper published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

COMMUNITY
How to Engage Inactive Communities in Physical Activity: Top Tips from the BHFNC 8th Annual Conference
This booklet provides practical ‘tips’ for engaging inactive communities in physical activity. It includes generic tips relevant to practitioners working across a broad range of communities and/or groups, and specific tips for engaging the following key target groups: People with disabilities, girls and young women, older adults, people with mental ill-health, black and minority ethnic communities and socially deprived communities.

Sport in the Neighborhood resources
A guide is designed to help implement a grass-roots sport and physical activity program in a local community. There are many resources here including reports, brochures, factsheets, templates and useful links.

DISABILITY
The Key to Getting Services Right for People with Disabilities
This presentation goes step by step through a demographic study undertaken by Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation to reach out to those who are disenfranchised through disability - developmental, intellectual, physical, cognitive, emotional, mental and social.

HEALTHY EATING
BC Food Security Gateway
The Food Security Gateway is designed to be a “one stop” Web resource for food security practitioners and others in British Columbia who want to make “healthy eating the easy choice” and build food-secure communities.

MISCELLANEOUS
A user’s guide to advocacy evaluation planning
Developed for advocates, evaluators, and funders who want guidance on how to evaluate advocacy and policy change efforts. This tool takes users through four basic steps that generate the core elements of an advocacy evaluation plan, including what will be measured and how.

Australian Public Service Social Inclusion Policy Design and Delivery Toolkit
While not specifically related to physical activity – this web resource is a gold mine of information J

Challenges of evidence-based policy-making
In the real world, policy is developed in a fluid environment, is subject to competing vested and political interests, and can be driven by pressure to act quickly to solve headline-grabbing problems. Ideally, we need systems that are informed by evidence at each stage of policy development, from when an issue is first identified, to the development of the most appropriate response, and subsequent evaluation of its effectiveness.

Health and Wellness related maps for British Columbia
A partnership between the University of Victoria and the BCStats agency, with support from the BC Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport has resulted in a the creation of a website that gives the ability to construct a variety of health and wellness related maps for BC, and compare the relationship between wellness indicators.

The National Collaborating Centres for Public Health: Strengthening public health by learning from each other

OLDER ADULTS
Active Aging Week – Resources from ICAA
Links to numerous fact sheets, handouts and other resources as part of its celebration of Active Aging Week.

Clear Print Accessibility Guidelines
From CNIB - Readability shouldn’t be an afterthought when producing materials.
It should be the first step in making your merchandise, service, location or information accessible to everyone.

Continuing Care in the Edmonton Region: A Research Inventory
The inventory, prepared by the Alberta Centre on Aging at the University of Alberta, includes information on funding sources as well as summaries of the results and conclusions of each research project.

Dynamic exercise programs (aerobic capacity and/or muscle strength training) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 4, 2009
Based on the evidence, aerobic capacity training combined with muscle strength training is recommended as routine practice in patients with RA.

How to select an age-friendly fitness facility
From ICAA this is a comprehensive checklist to assist in comparing and rating local facilities, with sections on facilities operations, equipment, programming and staff.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Canadian Health Measures Survey
The Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) aims to collect important health information through a household interview and direct physical measures at a mobile clinic.

Could this be the fittest generation?
[O]n the eve of their golden years, could this be the most active generation of 50-year-olds Canada has ever seen? Health experts are anticipating the definitive answer early next year, when Statistics Canada releases fitness data from a project called the Canadian Health Measures Survey, the most comprehensive study ever to look at fitness levels among Canadians of all ages.

Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey (ERASS)
Australia - First conducted in 2001, the ERASS collects information on the frequency, duration, nature and type of activities that are participated in by persons aged 15 years and over for exercise, recreation and sport during the 12 months prior to interview. Participation means active ‘playing’ participation, and does not include coaching, refereeing and being a spectator or activities related to work, household chores or gardening duties. (Note: the 2008 report was in the round up earlier this year; this link lets you see each of the yearly reports).

Intensity and timing of physical activity in relation to postmenopausal breast cancer risk: the prospective NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study
BMC Cancer 2009, 9:349
A high level of recent, but not historical, physical activity of moderate-to-vigorous intensity is associated with reduced postmenopausal breast cancer risk. More precise recall of recent physical activity than activity in the distant past is one possible explanation for our findings.

Let’s get moving - a new physical activity care pathway for the NHS: commissioning guidance
The commissioning guidance sets out an evidence-based behaviour charter model Let’s Get Moving encouraging local commissioning of physical activity interventions in primary care.

August 19, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ABORIGINAL
Balancing the Medicine Wheel through Physical Activity
This article highlights the findings of a research project based on the medicine wheel teachings of balance between the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional aspects of oneself. Specifically, this traditional approach to understanding health was used to explore the impacts of physical activity on emotional, spiritual and mental well-being.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Bicycle Boulevard Planning & Design Guidebook
This new guidebook was designed to serve as a planning and conceptual design guide for planners, engineers, citizens, advocates and decision makers who are considering bicycle boulevards in their community.

International Scan Summary Report on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety and Mobility
Follow up to a project first reported in Info Round Up June 11th. A sample of findings include: (1) Implementing foreign practices in the U.S. will require a careful, evidence based approach. (2) Numerous factors contribute to higher rates of pedestrian and bicyclist safety improvements and higher walking and biking mode splits in the host countries (3) “Safety in numbers” (also called “awareness in numbers”) is a clear motivator behind the promotion of walking and bicycling as a safety improvement strategy.

Transit for Livable Communities
A nonprofit organization working to reform Minnesota's transportation system. Through advocacy, organizing, and research, we promote a balanced transportation system that encourages transit, walking, bicycling, and thoughtful development.

Walking and Cycling International Literature Review: Final Report
This report presents the findings from an extensive literature review aiming to help professionals and researchers in the State of Victoria understand barriers to walking and cycling as well as infrastructure and policy supports for non-motorized transportation.
The research team located almost 500 articles, papers, and reports assessing walking and cycling infrastructure, policies, programs, and models. We reviewed over 300 of them…..

CHILDREN
Engaging Parents to Increase Youth Physical Activity: A Systematic Review
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 37: 141-149.
The researchers found that a lack of uniformity in way of reporting outcomes, multiple pilot studies relative to full trials and varied measurements of physical activity outcomes meant that systematic conclusions could not be drawn. However, they suggested that interventions with educational or training programs during family visits or via telephone communication with parents appear to be promising strategies.

Obesity and the Impact of Marketing on Children: Developing an Intersectoral Policy Consensus Conference
A OHPE feature article by Manuel Arango, co-chair of the Consensus Conference on Obesity and the Impact of Marketing to Children, that describes the background issues, process, and outcomes of this March 2008 event.

COMMUNITY
Healthy Spaces and Places Web-Resources (Australia)
A national guide for planning, designing and creating sustainable communities that encourage healthy living.

Healthy Spaces and Places. A National Guide to Designing Places for Healthy Living: An Overview
This overview provides a summary of the information available on the Healthy Spaces and Places website (above), which is the primary resource.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
Health and the Natural Environment (Natural England)
Growing medical evidence shows that access to the natural environment improves health and wellbeing, prevents disease and helps people recover from illness. Experiencing nature in the outdoors can help tackle obesity, coronary heart disease and mental health problems. A great web-site with links to many more resources, feature subject pages.

OLDER ADULTS
ACSM Position Stand Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults
Physical activity – even at a moderate level of intensity – can greatly improve quality and life and longevity for adults over age 65, according to an updated Position Stand from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Growing Smarter, Living Healthier: A Guide to Smart Growth and Active Aging
Issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is a user-friendly handbook intended to inspire older adults to become involved in how their communities grow and develop to ensure they become more 'age-friendly.' Age-friendly communities use Smart Growth principles (development that improves the community, environment, economy, and public health) to become healthier places to grow old in - and better places for people of all ages. In addition to addressing the basic principles of neighborhood and town design, the guide helps readers understand why community design matters, and how becoming involved in decisions about growth can make better places in which to grow older.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
CFLRI Lifestyle Tips: Health Benefits of Physical Activity for Adults
Offers practical suggestions for integrating physical activity into one's daily life….

CFLRI Research File: Health Benefits of Physical Activity for Adults
Provides summaries of research findings on various topics related to physical activity…

URBAN DESIGN
Rethinking the Street Space: Why Street Design Matters
Nicely summarizes the importance of street design as a public space asset rather than just a place for driving. The article discusses why this approach to street design can be difficult, gives examples of the new trend, and identifies the benefits it brings for local economies, the environment, and physical and psychological health.

August 15, 2009

By Rosanne Prinson, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

CHILDREN
Keeping Pace – Volume 1 Issue 1
This summary is the first in a series that highlights some of the key findings from the Physical Activity and Dietary Intake of Children and Youth in Nova Scotia (PACY) surveillance studies

Six year follow-up of students who participated in a school-based physical activity intervention: a longitudinal cohort study
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:48
Six years after the 12-month MIGI intervention, whilst intervention students had increased their advantage relative to controls in one skill, and appeared to maintain their advantage in two, they lost their advantage in two skills and were no more active than controls at follow up.

Translating Physical Activity Recommendations for Overweight Adolescents to Steps Per Day
American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume 37, Issue 2, Pages 137-140
Depending on the Moderate to Vigorous PA criteria used, these data suggest that overweight adolescents are likely to meet national MVPA recommendations if they accumulate between 10,000 and 11,700 steps per day.

CHRONIC DISEASE
Health-Care Cost Projections for Diabetes and other Chronic Diseases: The Current Context and Potential Enhancements
As awareness of the significant impact of chronic diseases on health and health care costs has grown, policymaker interest in exploring the role public policy might play in reducing the toll also has increased. Certainly, there is great public interest to find ways to ease the disease burden – and possibly the cost burden as well.

COMMUNITY
2009 Playful City USA Communities announced
In the third year of this annual program, 32 of 93 Playful City USA communities were repeat honorees from 2008, while 22 cities were cited for the third consecutive year. Thirty-nine new communities have joined others in making a commitment to children, These 93 communities created and implemented programs to positively impact childhood wellness, public safety and the quality of life. Also be sure to click on the ‘home’ tab (top left) to check out the Kaboom web-site.

Living Streets Aotearoa
Living Streets Aotearoa is the New Zealand organization for people on foot, promoting walking-friendly communities. We want more people walking and enjoying public spaces be they young or old, fast or slow, whether walking, sitting, commuting, shopping, between appointments, or out on the streets for exercise, for leisure or for pleasure.


DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
Key indicators of progress for chronic disease and associated determinants
To date, information about chronic disease (and determinants) has been problematic in terms of consistency and comparability. This report describes the key indicators of progress for chronic disease and associated determinants (the Indicator set), and is a reference tool for anyone who wishes to measure and report the progress in the prevention of chronic disease in Australia.

Primer to Action: Social Determinants of Health
An electronic resource that helps us understand and influence how the social determinants of health impact chronic disease. Set in an electronic, easy to read format, with hundreds of links and resources, it is a practical resource for busy health and community workers, activists, in their capacity as staff, volunteers or community members.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
Call for a National Charter for Health (Australia)
Effective health promotion and prevention have the capacity to improve health, manage the expenditure pressures of preventable chronic disease, enhance economic productivity, bridge the health divide between different population groups and add healthy years to life expectancy.
Despite these prospects and a growing clamour for greater attention to prevention, it has always remained on the periphery of the healthcare system. Its funding support seems at odds with the compelling evidence base and its power base often too small to influence priority setting.
Partly because of the longer lead time to achieve improved health outcomes, health promotion has been unable to extract significant financial support from funders who face more immediate political and consumer demands for treatment and hospital services…...

MISCELLANEOUS
Nonprofits and Policy Advocacy: Learning from Success
This paper begins by defining what is meant by the term ‘policy advocacy’. In the second section, it looks at why policy advocacy is so important for the non-profit sector. In the third section, it presents examples of successful policy advocacy campaigns, and draws out some of the lessons that can be learned from these successes. Lists of coalitions and further resources are contained in the appendices.

Wellness is……
A 48 pg booklet from the Calgary Health Region which they hope “provides some inspiration to everyone who wishes to improve their health, healing and well-being.”

OLDER ADULTS
Analysis of Individual Social-ecological Mediators and Moderators and Their Ability to Explain Effect of a Randomized Neighborhood Walking Intervention
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:49
Using data from the SHAPE trial, a randomized 6-month neighborhood-based intervention designed to increase walking activity among older adults, this study identified and analyzed social-ecological factors mediating and moderating changes in walking activity.

Efficacy of progressive resistance training on balance performance in older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Although some studies showed significant improvements in balance performance for groups receiving progressive resistance training, the data did not consistently show that the use of progressive resistance training in isolation improved balance in the elderly.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY
Canadian Obesity Network – Nutrition
The purpose of this affiliated web site is to provide a central information and networking area for health professionals who are interested in nutritional aspects of obesity prevention and treatment for children, adolescents and adults.

Factors associated with obesity and coronary heart disease in people with intellectual disabilities
Intellectual functioning and behavioral problems were not associated with greater odds of these conditions.

The obesity epidemic: analysis of past and projected future trends in selected OECD countries
Canada is mentioned 76 times in this 81 page document.

Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States
This report describes the expert panel process that was used to identify 24 recommended strategies for obesity prevention and a suggested measurement for each strategy that communities can use to assess performance and track progress over time.

Recommended community strategies and measurements to prevent obesity in the United States: Implementation and measurement guide
The guide includes measurement data protocols, a listing of useful resources, and examples of communities that successfully implemented each obesity prevention strategy.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Are people in Scotland becoming more active? Combined results from Scotland's routine national surveys
This report provides an assessment of long term trends in physical activity amongst adults aged 16-64 in Scotland. Combining data from three Scottish Health Surveys (1995, 1998 and 2003) and ten Health Education Population Surveys (spanning 1996 to 2006), regression analysis is used to examine whether there has been any change in the proportion meeting the recommendations for physical activity between 1995 and 2006.

British Heart Foundation Physical Activity & Health Update August 2009
Latest issue of their monthly newsletter.

Cost-Effectiveness of Interventions to Promote Physical Activity: A Modelling Study
The findings presented in this study suggest that the assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a combination of interventions designed to promote physical activity might provide policy makers with some guidance about the best way to reduce the burden of disease caused by physical inactivity.

The Economic Costs of Overweight, Obesity and Physical Inactivity Among California Adults – 2006
Just released July 9th this study “found the total annual estimated cost to California for overweight, obesity and physical inactivity was $41.2 billion – $21.0 billion for overweight and obesity, and $20.2 billion for physical inactivity.”

Participation in Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey: 2008 Annual Report
Take a look at the latest results on participation in physical activity for people aged 15 years and over in Australia.

URBAN DESIGN
The Place Doctor- Fred Kent
Fred Kent, founder of the Project for Public Spaces, is on a mission to put soul back into communities, one park bench at a time……

Squeezing innovative green spaces into crowded cities requires looking for land in unexpected places
Are you regularly told that your city is “all built out” and has no room for new parks, even though there seem to be plenty of new high-rises, parking lots, and shopping malls?
Is it perhaps time to start looking for new urban parkland in untraditional places?
That is exactly what’s beginning to happen in densely packed cities. Here are a few of the innovations.

July 30, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc


Rosanne will be taking some time off to photosynthesize in the sun :) Info Round Up will return August 14th.

Alberta Centre of Active Living

ABORIGINAL
Effective chronic disease prevention interventions for Aboriginal populations

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Active Commuting and Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Archives of Internal Medicine 2009;169(13):1216-1223
In what may be the first large U.S. study of health and commuting, the researchers found only about 17 per cent of workers walked or bicycled any portion of their commute. Those active commuters did better on treadmill tests of fitness, even when researchers accounted for their leisure-time physical activity levels, suggesting commuter choices do make a difference.

Association for Commuter Transportation in Canada
Link to their first newsletter. “We aim to provide timely and meaningful news to TDM practitioners and other transportation-related professionals across the country working to promote suite sustainable modes of transportation - by transit, in carpools, by bike, on foot, or through telework.”

International Scan Summary Report on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety and Mobility
In May 2009, a team of 12 transportation professionals with expertise in bicycling and walking from the United States (U.S.) visited five countries in Europe to identify and assess effective approaches to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety and mobility. The scan team identified numerous possible approaches to improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety and mobility in the U.S.

Michigan Smart Commute
A new Michigan web resource has arrived on the scene, complete with tools, information and inspiration to help community leaders encourage residents to 'Smart Commute' (walk, bike, carpool, or use public transit).

Victoria Walks
This Australian website has an extensive array of resources and tools to assist people to work together to make their neighbourhoods better for walking.

CHILDREN
Child Friendly Communities: Position Statement
From the Planning Institute of Australia. Planners have the ability to help create child friendly cities and communities that can contribute positively to the development of a child's, happiness and wellbeing. With the increasing focus on Australia’s ageing population, it is important that policy makers and planners do not neglect the interests of children when managing the structure and form of Australian cities. The physical, social and economic dimensions of urban environments impacts on a child’s life by shaping their ability to form social relationships and by influencing their physical, mental and emotional health.

The Influence of the VERB Campaign on Children's Physical Activity in 2002 to 2006
American Journal of Public Health, published online 16 July 09
The authors conclude that health messages can be successfully marketed to children by applying the same savvy marketing strategies that are used to sell products to children. As in product marketing, when children are reached by an engaging message, their interest is piqued and their attitudes and behaviors can be affected if the choice for action is appealing and easy. Whereas the advertising made physical activity an appealing choice, by promoting physical activity and giving children ideas on how to ‘‘sample the product’’ in their backyards and playgrounds, the intention was for the choice to seem easy and more accessible.

PlaySport
Ophea's PlaySport is an English/French website with all kinds of great activities designed to teach kids games by playing games! PlaySport games encourage fun, free play while helping kids develop the skills needed to not only participate in all kinds of sports, but also to be healthy and active citizens throughout their lives.

Renewed elementary H&PE curriculum for Ontario
A renewed elementary H&PE curriculum for Ontario will be released this Fall. Mandatory implementation of this policy will be required by elementary schools by Fall 2010. A renewed curriculum for secondary schools will also be released in 2010 with mandatory implementation in 2011. The vision of the renewed curriculum is that students will be physically and health literate and have the comprehension, commitment and capacity to lead and promote a healthy active life in an ever-changing global society.

Study Suggests Parents Lack Confidence Necessary to Implement Healthy Behavior Changes for Children
A study published in the journal Pediatrics suggests that parents often lack confidence in implementing and enforcing the behavior changes necessary to reduce their child's risk of obesity.

CHRONIC DISEASE
Public Health Agency of Canada – Chronic Disease Infobase - Profiles
If you get a runtime error message click refresh. Once the main page comes up choose Alberta from the left hand nav column…. Lots of stats there including Leisure Time PA

PHAC Chronic Disease Infobase (homepage)
Chronic Disease Infobase profiles the epidemiology of major non-communicable diseases in Canada, including the most current cancers; and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases; by province/territory and by regional health unit. Every page that is generated retrieves data from the database on the fly, which means that every time you come back to Chronic Disease Infobase, you may get new information; since the database is updated as data become available.

PHAC Chronic Disease facts and figures
Links to many different data sources on many different chronic diseases here.

Power to Prevent: A Family Lifestyle Approach to Diabetes Prevention
Physical Activity is mentioned 236 times in this 253 page document.
It is a diabetes prevention program aimed at African Americans at increased risk for diabetes, This curriculum provides resources and activities that can help people enjoy a way of life that includes healthy eating and increased physical activity. It is designed to give people who want to adopt healthier habits a range of useful information to support their personal decisions to change their lifestyles. The program provides information on diabetes prevention; ideas for tasty and healthy eating; tools for making changes one step at a time; and suggestions for physical activities that are within reach, easy to do, relaxing, and fun.

COMMUNITY
Creating Caring Communities: A guide to establishing intergenerational programs for schools, care facilities and community groups.
This resource contains practical information and resources to support educators, care providers and community agencies in coordinating successful intergenerational (IG) programs that promote learning, understanding, and mutual respect between generations.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
CDC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity
The CDC's DNPAO takes a public health approach to address the role of nutrition and physical activity in improving the public's health and preventing and controlling chronic diseases.

CDC Public Health Image Library
A free collection of photos, illustrations, and other media. I searched using "walking" and "exercise".... Got some strange false positives but also some useable photos. Might be worth book marking :)

Core Competencies for Health Promotion Practitioners
This is a set of health promotion core competencies for health promotion practitioners, organisations, employers, and educators. It identifies competencies for health promotion at beginner practitioner level.

Health promotion spending in US budget
Sweeping healthcare legislation working its way through Congress is more than an effort to provide insurance to millions of Americans without coverage. Tucked within is a provision that could provide billions of dollars for walking paths, streetlights, jungle gyms, and even farmers' markets. The add-ons -- characterized as part of a broad effort to improve the nation's health 'infrastructure' -- appear in House and Senate versions of the bill.

Obesity, Physical Activity and Weight Control Glossary
From the National Institutes of Health this glossary defines words that are often used when people talk or write about obesity, physical activity, and weight control. It is written for people who are overweight or obese, or interested in learning more about obesity, physical activity, nutrition, and weight control.

MENTAL HEALTH
Specific associations between types of physical activity and components of mental health
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Volume 12, Issue 4, July 2009, Pages 468-474
These findings further our knowledge of the mental health benefits of physical activity, demonstrating the greater positive effects from sporting activity. They also suggest the potential worth of specific health recommendations for physical health and for mental health separately in different population subgroups.

OLDER ADULTS
Wheeling Walks
Wheeling Walks is a theory- and media-based community campaign that uses paid advertising to encourage walking among sedentary older adults.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY
F as in Fat 2009 How Obesity Policies are Failing in America
Adult obesity rates increased in 23 states and did not decrease in a single state in the past year, according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009, a report released by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). In addition, the percentage of obese or overweight children is at or above 30 percent in 30 states.

Prediction of Leisure-time Physical Activity Among Obese Individuals
Obesity (2009) 17 4, 706–712. doi:10.1038/oby.2008.599
Participation in leisure-time physical activity is explained primarily by a person's intentions to perform this behavior. The results also suggest that people are more able to translate their perception of control into action if they perceive the built environment as favorable, although this additional gain in prediction is small relative to intention.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Are Obesity and Physical Activity Clustered? A Spatial Analysis Linked to Residential Density
Obesity (2009) Published online 23 April 2009.
The aim of this study was to examine spatial clustering of obesity and/or moderate physical activity and their relationship to a neighborhood's built environment. Overall, the study indicates that the relationship between the urban environment and obesity is not direct.

Effectiveness of the 2006 Commonwealth Games 10,000 Steps Walking Challenge
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2009, 41: 1673–1680
These results demonstrate initial effectiveness of the challenge linked to an international sporting event. Long term sustainability only applied for a small number of participants.

iStep Log Study
The 10,000 Steps team would like to invite all iPhone and iPod Touch users to participate in an exciting study looking at the usefulness and usability of the iStepLog app developed specifically for 10,000 Steps members.

National Physical Activity Guidelines for Ireland
These guidelines provide clear, concise and user friendly guidance to support the public, professionals and policy makers to Get Ireland Active. They present a unique opportunity to create a shared vision and framework to support everyone to be as active as they can and enjoy the innumerable benefits.

Total mortality after changes in leisure time physical activity in 50 year old men: 35 year follow-up of population based cohort
British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2009; 43: 482.
These findings, from a well-designed, high quality study, highlight the fact that it is never too late to start being physically active as those who increase activity levels in middle age and older have a similar reduced rate of mortality to those who were active as younger adults and maintained their activity, at least in men. This message should be communicated to populations as a motivator for initiating and maintaining physical activity.

URBAN DESIGN
Assessing urban and rural neighborhood characteristics using audit and GIS data: derivation and reliability of constructs
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:44
Measures to assess neighborhood environments are needed to better understand the salient features that may enhance outdoor physical activities, such as walking and bicycling for transport or leisure. The purpose of this study was to derive constructs to describe neighborhoods using both primary (neighborhood audit) and secondary (geographic information systems) data.

The Built Environment and Walking: Position Statement
From the Australian Heart Foundation. The built environment can either facilitate or discourage walking: land use systems, transportation systems and urban design coalesce to create a pedestrian environment that impacts upon people’s decisions to walk. There are two key conduits for increasing walking: encouraging more walking for transport, and/or encouraging more walking for recreation.

Civilised Streets
A briefing presenting a future that is about removing the dominance of the car – creating civilised streets that work for all.

This way to better residential streets
For the past 50 years we have thought only of the car, in effect providing parking spaces and access routes for drivers between home and the outside world. Things have to change – we must not let the car dominate when a well designed street can help create sustainable communities, enable people to get around, promote walking and cycling, civic pride and identity, provide safe play for children and allow the community to interact.

WOMEN
Australian Womensport and Recreation Association
The Australian Womensport and Recreation Association Inc (AWRA) is an enthusiastic and dynamic national volunteer association "to provide leadership and advocacy for Australian women and girls in sport and active recreation". AWRA is linked with the International Association for Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women.

Count Us In: Developing Physical Activity Programs for Women
This guideline has been developed on findings from a three year research project titled 'Count Us In: Developing Physical Activity Programs for Women' conducted by Victoria University, Australia. The guidelines are targeted for program providers in private, community and leisure organisations, located in metropolitan and regional areas.

WORKPLACE
Do walking strategies to increase physical activity reduce reported sitting in workplaces: a randomized control trial
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:43
Interventions designed to increase workplace physical activity may not automatically reduce high volumes of sitting, a behaviour independently linked to chronic diseases such as obesity and type II diabetes. This study compared the impact two different walking strategies had on step counts and reported sitting times.