May 8, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

I Walk in My Street: A Guide to Planning Successful Pedestrian Streets in New York City
The pedestrian streets that began to crop up around New York in the summer of 2008 have been a long-time coming, and their arrival was widely celebrated. But care must be taken if their continuation and expansion is to be ensured; if their reintroduction is poorly managed, they could easily meet the same fate as the pedestrianizations of the 1970’s.

Making the Case for Active Transportation
Eight information bulletins have been developed by CFLRI for professionals and community members who want to build a case for active transportation in their community. Each bulletin includes evidence that supports the investment of time and resources for active transportation opportunities at the local level. They focus on designing communities for moving people and not cars. Recommended actions to increase and strengthen collaborative partnerships for active transportation are also included.

New Urban News
A professional newsletter for planners, developers, architects, builders, public officials and others who are interested in the creation of human-scale communities. If you click on “past articles” in the left hand column you will find some interesting articles.

Pedestrian Forum - Spring 2009
The latest edition of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Pedestrian Forum Newsletter is now available. The newsletter highlights efforts by the FHWA and its partners to improve the safety of walking and bicycling as a mode of transportation.

Valuing the health benefits of active transport modes
Land Transport New Zealand has released a report that explores the per-kilometer value for the health benefits of active transport modes, such as walking and cycling.

CHILDREN

A healthy active childhood: giving children the best chance of a cancer-free future
This report published for World Cancer Day 2009: Explains the link between cancer and excess body weight, poor diet and physical inactivity, Calls on parents, teachers, and decision - makers to take action now to encourage healthy habits among children……

Design for Play - A guide to creating successful play spaces
The guide shows how to design good play spaces, which can be affordably maintained, which give children and young people the freedom to play creatively, and yet still allow them to experience risk, challenge and excitement.

Encouraging kids to live an active childhood
A factsheet.
Free play: Improving children's physical health
This briefing for the play sector highlights the official recommendations (England) on obesity that relate to free play, leisure opportunities and access to open space

Play and health: Making the links
This briefing for health improvement specialists, primary care teams and healthy schools coordinators, provides information on why play is crucial to children's health and explores possibilities for joint working between the health and play sectors.

Play for a change - Play, Policy and Practice: A review of contemporary perspectives
Play England has published a comprehensive review of the evidence underpinning current thinking on play. It provides a detailed analysis of research and literature published since 2001 that underpins contemporary understandings of the importance of play and how this relates to social policy and practice.

Using Child-friendly Maps to Promote Active Transportation
A feature article on the Ontario Health Promotion E-Bulletin.

CONFERENCES

2009 Weight of the Nation Conference
The CDC’s inaugural conference on obesity prevention and control will be held in Washington, DC July 27th – 29th. The event is designed to provide a forum to highlight progress in the prevention and control of obesity through policy and environmental strategies and is framed around four intervention settings: community, medical care, school, and workplace.

HEALTH GENERAL

Cancer-related beliefs and behaviors in eight geographic regions
This report provides the first internationally comparable data of people's beliefs about screening, diagnosis and behaviors that increase cancer risk, such as smoking, drinking and being overweight.

MENTAL HEALTH
Up and Running? Exercise therapy and the treatment of mild or moderate depression in primary care
The Mental Health Foundation calls for patients with depression to be offered exercise on prescription. Substantial evidence shows that exercise therapy can be an effective treatment for depression. Includes a report, booklets and FAQ’s.

OLDER ADULTS

Interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community
Exercise interventions reduce risk and rate of falls. Research is needed to confirm the contexts in which multifactorial assessment and intervention, home safety interventions, vitamin D supplementation, and other interventions are effective.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY

2009 Annual Evidence Update - Obesity - Childhood obesity: surveillance and prevention (England).
The current update demonstrates of the growth of evidence within this field, with reviews now covering broader issues around the environment, policy and practice. Although the systematic reviews vary in their quality assurance and inclusion criteria, collectively the available evidence base remains weak, due to the inconsistencies and heterogeneity of available studies. To a certain extent this is indicative of the complexity of the obesity however, the evidence from these systematic reviews will continue to build a foundation for future research and help to inform practice and policy.

Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: One Year On
This report reviews progress on the delivery of Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A Cross-Government Strategy for England (published January 2008) and sets out priorities for the future. One Year On builds on the five themes from Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives, but demonstrates how we have developed our thinking over the last year to keep up momentum in tackling unhealthy weight. (Physical activity in mentioned throughout).

Primary care physicians' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices regarding childhood obesity: a systematic review.
Obesity Reviews 2009 Mar; 10(2):227-36
From this review, it is obvious that there is a need for education of primary care physicians to increase the uniformity of the assessment and to improve physicians' self-efficacy in managing childhood obesity.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The 2007 Physical Activity and Sport Monitor
The CFLRI bulletins are now released in their entirety. There are eleven different bulletins including topics such as social norms, barriers, attitudes, beliefs, intentions etc.

Active Halton
Formally the Halton Active Living Network, is now Active Halton. The network is a group of individuals and organizations who have an interest in promoting the adoption of active lifestyles for all ages in the Halton community. Active Halton has an ambitious plan to increase the physical activity levels of Halton residents by 20% by 2012.

Modeling the lifetime costs and health effects of lifestyle intervention in the prevention and treatment of obesity in Switzerland
This study compared a lifestyle program for overweight or obese patients with the standard care. Patients on the lifestyle program attended dietitian sessions and supervised exercise sessions for the first three years. The lifestyle intervention consisted of regular physical activity and healthy eating, including a diet rich in fruit and vegetables.

May 2, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

CHILDREN

Accessible play spaces
Annex H of the CSA playground standard that includes information for people who want to incorporate accessibility into new or redeveloped play spaces.

Creating active playgrounds in primary schools
This case study has demonstrated that a supportive process enables environmental changes to be undertaken in primary school playgrounds that may increase students' physical activity levels.

It's not about the weight: It's about the person
This presentation encourages the participation of overweight and obese youth in physical activity, explains how to use language and develop attitudes in activity instruction that support increased participation, and how to identify and address self-handicapping issues.

Residential proximity to school and the active travel choices of parents
Despite the overall low prevalence of walking to school by parents, health-enhancing benefits may be achieved even when other modes of transport are used in conjunction with walking.

The contribution of preschool playground factors in explaining children’s physical activity during recess
Discover which aspects of the playground environment are associated with increasing physical activity in pre-schoolers.

Value of playgrounds to children
An explanation of the value play spaces provide to children.

CONFERENCES

Ophea’s kids’ health conference - Building active healthy school communities
Alliston, Ontario, October 16-18, 2008.

HEALTH PROMOTION

Beyond masculine stereotypes: Moving men's health promotion forward in Australia
The health promotion community needs to critically reflect on theoretical commentary relating to hegemonic masculinity and, more recently, multiple masculinities. This will provide greater capacity to tailor health promotion interventions to the most disadvantaged and marginalised populations of men in Australia.

MENTAL HEALTH

Effects of a walking program in the psychiatric in-patient treatment setting: A cohort study
Introducing a program of walking in a psychiatric in-patient setting is a potentially low-cost, low-risk, well-tolerated intervention that may have benefits extending beyond mental health.

The relationship between organised physical recreation and mental health
A literature review was undertaken to explore evidence relating to the mental health benefits of participation in organised physical recreation.

NUTRITION

Eating and activity: the importance of family and environment
The aim of this paper was to examine the eating behaviours, physical exercise and television viewing of secondary school students, and to investigate their relationship with parental monitoring and family cohesion.

Translated Canada's food guides now available
Canada’s Food Guide is now available in 10 languages in addition to English and French. Translated directly from the 2007 Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide, they are available in Arabic, Chinese, Farsi (Persian), Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, and Urdu.

OLDER ADULTS

Joint pain survey results
Results of an arthritis survey done by the Active Living Coalition for Older Adults. “The research examined Canadians' feelings and perceptions about active living - awareness and understanding of the benefits of active living, thoughts about changing activity levels as they age, and barriers to living an active life at any age.”

Stay active – Stay independent
This article provides an example of a physical activity promotional program effectively targeting a key age group demographic.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GENERAL

Active living better practice case studies
Specific considerations to help create environments for active living are summarized for six key environments.

Participation in sports and physical recreation – Australia
Regular physical activity is beneficial to people's health and wellbeing. This article investigates the types of sports and physical recreation Australians engage in. Using data from the 2005–06 Multi-Purpose Household Survey, it focuses on the characteristics of participants as well as the main motivators for involvement and the main constraints given for not participating.

WOMEN

A brief report of attitudes towards physical activity during pregnancy
The study has clear indicators for developing education and health promotion programs that enable women to make informed choices about physical activity levels during pregnancy.

March 14, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

CHILDREN

After school programs in the 21st century
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/afterschool
/resources/issuebrief10/
Do afterschool programs make a difference and if they do what is it about the program that makes it work?

CONFERENCES

CDPAC 3rd national conference – Call for abstracts
http://www.cdpac.ca/media.php?mid=393
Ottawa November 24th – 26th 2008

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

A review of public exercise stations and trails in the ACT
http://catalogue.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/nhf/
publicexercisestations.pdf
A user survey of a select range of facilities clearly indicated that the use of the stations is low and that the cost of a regular maintenance regime would be high relative to the low usage. The majority of trails on the other hand (with or without stations) are used frequently for walking/cycling/jogging. This finding is consistent with evidence that the majority of people prefer to walk as a regular form of activity.

A field survey undertaken to evaluate condition, safety and effectiveness of each of the stations and trails revealed that the majority of exercise stations have not been maintained and are in poor working order. There are safety risks associated with poorly maintained and/or inappropriately designed/located exercise equipment.

HEALTH

Unnatural causes
http://www.pbs.org/unnaturalcauses/
A new PBS series about “why some of us get sicker more often and die sooner and what causes us to fall ill in the first place….. Compelling personal stories illustrate obstacles and inequities in society but they also point the way to new possibilities, as individuals and communities organize to gain control over their destinies and their health.

Airing nationally four consecutive Thursdays (March 27, April 3, 10, 17 at 10 PM) on most PBS stations.

HEALTH LITERACY

A vision for a health literate Canada
http://www.cpha.ca/en/portals/h-l.aspx
Links to the executive summary and full report from the Canadian Public Health Association.

HEALTHY WEIGHT

Measured BMI data now available
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/surveill/atlas/index_e.html
Choose “view maps for each indicator” from the right hand navigation column to go to the statistics.

State of the evidence review on urban health and healthy weights
http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=GR_1929_E
“The resulting analyses provide a high-level overview of the strengths of and gaps in the research on associations between urban environments and healthy weights.”


URBAN PLANNING

Complete streets bill introduced in US senate
http://blog.smartgrowthamerica.org/?p=137
“The Complete Streets Act of 2008 would encourage towns, cities, and metropolitan planning organizations to consider the needs of all users when building new roads or improving existing roads.”

MISCELLANEOUS

The Interviewing Cheat Sheet: 100 Resources for interviewers and candidates http://www.hrworld.com/features/interviewing-cheat-sheet-092507/
Resources for interviewers, answers for candidates, types of interviews, interviewing techniques and advice, interviewing strategies for candidates and more.

March 7, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Economic assessment of transport infrastructure and policies: Methodological guidance on the economic appraisal of health effects related to walking and cycling
http://tinyurl.com/2nll3h
This new document from the WHO provides guidance on approaches to the inclusion of health effects through transport-related physical activity in economic analyses of transport infrastructures and policies.

CHILDREN

Assessment of an after-school physical activity program to prevent obesity among 9- to 10-year-old children: a cluster randomized trial.
http://tinyurl.com/3e3zf2

Gym class can boost other grades
http://tinyurl.com/2oy6ac
The Vancouver Sun (Fri 29 Feb 2008 Source: Reuters) reports on a new U.S. study that suggests spending time in gym class can actually help to boost elementary school children's grades.

Outcomes of Switch-Play: A trial to prevent excess weight gain, reduce screen behaviors and promote physical activity in 10-year olds
http://tinyurl.com/yuja9s
Learn about the effectiveness of the Switch-Play intervention that is based in Melbourne, Victoria.

Unplug + Play parent campaign
http://tinyurl.com/ytvysd
The Heart Foundation's Unplug + Play Parent Campaign targets parents' awareness of the need for children to spend more time in active play and less time using TV, electronic games and the Internet.

CONFERENCES

International conference on childhood obesity: Evidence and practice from Exercise Science
http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/spe/obesity
2008/announce_eng.html
Target Attendants: Exercise scientists, health professionals, PE teachers, policy makers, researchers, students in related areas, and those who have an interest in the prevention and intervention of childhood obesity.

COMMUNITIES

Age-friendly rural and remote communities: A guide
http://tinyurl.com/3dlwxz
The federal/provincial/territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors and the Public Health Agency of Canada, in partnership with nine provinces, the Nova Scotia Department of Seniors and Guysborough County, have developed the Age-Friendly Rural and Remote Communities: A Guide. Complementing this guide is a research report detailing the focus group findings specifically from Guysborough County.

Measuring up
http://www.2010legaciesnow.
com/measuring_up/
Measuring Up helps B.C. communities assess and improve how accessible and inclusive they are for people with disabilities and for the whole community.

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Motivators and constraints to participation in sports and physical recreation
http://tinyurl.com/2895kb
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has produced a new report on the associations between participation in sport and activity and motivations and constraints across different demographic groups.

Promoting or creating built or natural environments that encourage and support physical activity
http://tinyurl.com/3dm629
From the U.K. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence – 2008

With moderate exercise, you can lower your stroke risk
http://tinyurl.com/2uhff8
By engaging in moderate exercise, new research finds both men and women can lower the risk of stroke.

HEALTHY EATING

Using healthy eating and active living initiatives to reduce health disparities
http://tinyurl.com/3atplv
“Healthier eating and being physically active can significantly improve health. In low income communities and communities of color, it can reduce health disparities. This report identifies key lessons from eight (USA) national programs for making healthy eating and active living initiatives successful in reducing health disparities.”

HEALTHY WEIGHT

Motivators and constraints to participation in sports and physical recreation
http://tinyurl.com/2895kb
The Australian Bureau of Statistics have produced a new report on the associations between participation in sport and activity and motivations and constraints across different demographic groups.

MISCELLANEOUS

Mythbusters teaching resource
http://www.fcrss.ca/mythbusters/
teaching-resource.php
The CHSRFoundation's new online Mythbusters Teaching Resource is a resource to facilitate instructors of graduate-level classes to teach students how to write plain-language research summaries for policy makers, managers and others.

February 15, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

CHILDREN

Exercise balls replace chairs at Simcoe elementary school
http://tinyurl.com/2jn3ft
The Simcoe Reformer reports that students are bouncing off the wall over their new seating arrangement at Elgin Avenue Public School …

Nova Scotia pumps up phys-ed. requirements
http://tinyurl.com/2tn6yu
The Cape Breton Post reports that starting next fall, new Nova Scotia high school students will be expected to enrol in at least one full credit of physical education in order to graduate …

CONFERENCES/ LEARNING

National Physical Activity Institute
http://www.canadainmotion.ca/
registration.php
June 23-25, 2008: In Motion Manulife National Physical Activity Institute, hosted at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Clinic-based support to help overweight patients with type 2 diabetes increase physical activity and lose weight
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
pubmed/18227359?dopt=Abstract

ParticipACTION newsletter needs a name
http://www.lin.ca/resource-details/9919

Statistics Canada Report on Sport Participation
http://www.lin.ca/resource-details/9917
Barely three out of every 10 Canadians aged 15 and over participated regularly in one or more sports in 2005, a dramatic decline from the early 1990s when the proportion was closer to one-half ….

HEALTHY WEIGHT

The Heart and Stroke Foundation's new national healthy waists initiative is live!
http://tinyurl.com/3y34xg
What is Healthy Waists all about? The purpose of the Healthy Waists website is to help Canadians understand that they may be at increased risk for heart disease and stroke if their waistlines exceed a certain size. The website displays a video as well as written instruction to explain how to measure waists properly.

URBAN DESIGN

Safety benefits of smart growth design
http://www.planetizen.com/
node/28523
Includes references to Larry Frank’s work.

Speeding on arterial roads
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001wPHqVN6_pjik8iPScRF
1eiUB3tIWWjy7jtlO7yhdVXJ1YeI2keMbD-f
DNj5NtV3qZynIPMQqo-i_kzg3u3MK9ZFdi_
SmmLfSTybwIKBQ2SIjyh9UC7q0GA==
Forty-five per cent of speeding deaths occur on arterial roads. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety last year looked at arterial roads with posted limits of 40 or 45 mph in Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, Omaha, Tampa, and Washington, D.C. Arterial roads aren't built to the same safety standards as interstates and have much higher crash rates.

WALKING

A meta-analysis of pedometer-based walking interventions and weight loss
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
pubmed/18195317?dopt=Abstract

Interventions to promote walking: systematic review
http://health-evidence.ca/
articles/show/17214

Pedestrians 2007
http://tinyurl.com/2l87wl
The Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2002 "includes 16 papers that explore a healthier way to travel, level of service of the urban walking environment and pedestrian route choice behavior, estimating nonmotorized travel demand, pedestrian counting methods at intersections, deficiencies in Florida pedestrian crash data, and methods to prioritize pedestrian high-crash locations.” Cost: $55.

WELLNESS

BC atlas of wellness (updated Jan. 10, 2008)
http://www.geog.uvic.ca/wellness/
This Atlas presents data on the geography of wellness in British Columbia. The Atlas covers topics such as:

• Assets and determinants.
• The geography of smoking behaviours and policies in B.C.
• The geography of nutrition and food security in B.C.
• The geography of physical activity in B.C. (this part is 37Mb)
• The geography of healthy weight in B.C.
• The geography of healthy pregnancy in B.C.
• The geography of wellness outcomes in B.C.

WORKPLACE

Workplaces in Motion launches in Manitoba
http://tinyurl.com/2rrsgn
Workplaces in Motion is a new component of the Manitoba in motion program that will encourage employees and employers to build physical activity into their daily lives at work …

February 1, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Resource Coordinator, Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

A synthesis of research addressing the view of children, young people and parents on walking and cycling for transport.
http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/
Default.aspx?tabid=942

CHILDREN

Clinton Foundation: Go healthy challenge
http://tinyurl.com/33cjlh
“The Go Healthy Challenge is a comprehensive on-air, online and grassroots campaign that encourages kids across the country to make their lives, friends and family, and communities healthier.”

NFL Rush
http://www.nflrush.com/
Interactive website geared toward children.

BEST PRACTICES/EVIDENCE

EPPI Centre
http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/
Default.aspx?tabid=56
“The EPPI-Centre conducts systematic reviews of research evidence across a range of topics and works with a large number of funders. Major areas include: Education, Health Promotion.”

New & improved health evidence website
http://health-evidence.ca/
An updated website from Health-Evidence.ca.

INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES

Healthy Johor Bahru City 2005
http://tinyurl.com/384e4a
“Healthy City Program
People in cities, particularly the poor, experience stresses and exposures that result in health problems ranging from communicable diseases and malnutrition to mental illnesses and chronic respiratory diseases.

“Conditions that contribute to this situation include poverty, inadequate food and shelter, insecure tenure of land, physical crowding, poor waste disposal, unsafe working conditions, inadequate local government services, overuse of harmful substances and environmental pollution.”

National centre for health statistics (U.S.A.)
http://tinyurl.com/2njdwz
Scroll down the page a bit to see the 2005-06 questionnaire files for physical activity & physical activity individual activity file information.

Physical health law of the People's Republic of China
http://english.gov.cn/2006-02/
08/content_182552.htm
“The Nationwide Physical Fitness Program has set targets that, by 2010, about 40 percent of China's population will participate in regular physical exercise, there will be a clear improvement in the national physique and a major increase in the number of fitness sites so as to satisfy people's needs for keeping fit.”

January 25, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Dependence on cars in urban neighbourhoods: Life in metropolitan areas
http://tinyurl.com/2kscd8
As cities grow, sometimes neighbourhood design and public transportation schemes do not keep pace, resulting on more reliance on cars.

CHILDREN

Energy expenditure in adolescents playing new generation computer games
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/AusPAnet_Article_Commentary_3
This study compared the energy expenditure of teenage boys and girls when playing sedentary (XBOX 360) and new generation active computer games (Wii Sports).

CHRONIC DISEASE

Chronic disease prevention: Looking back on 2007 and ahead to 2008
http://tinyurl.com/3c48ae

COURSES

Manulife national physical activity institute
http://tinyurl.com/36fvza
The Manulife National Physical Activity Institute is being hosted at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

The institute will take place from June 23-25, 2008. The focus of the institute, will be on providing resources and tools that can be utilized to mobilize populations to be more physically active for health benefits.

GENERAL HEALTH

Combined impact of health behaviours and mortality in men and women: The EPIC-Norfolk prospective population study
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/AusPAnet_Article_Commentary_9

Indicators of well-being in Canada
http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/home.jsp?lang=en
Indicators of Well-being in Canada gathers data from different sources and presents a comprehensive, up-to-date picture of the well-being of Canadians and Canadian society.

You will find a wide range of indicators, or statistical measures, that show how things are going for Canadians.

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

2008 American Council on Exercise (ACE) fitness trends predictions
http://www.acefitness.org/media/
media_display.aspx?CMP=HET_0108&NewsID=277

Active living network website – no longer operating
http://www.activeliving.org/
Message from the Network January 10:

“I'm writing to thank you for your support and commitment to advancing active living and to let know you that this month's Active Living Update will be our last. While the Network will no longer operate after Jan. 10, 2008, you may continue to access archived resources, tools, profiles and storybank projects,”


Case studies from "Go for your life" physical activity grants program
http://tinyurl.com/2lunta
Read about success stories from the "Go for your life" physical activity grants program in Victoria, Aus.

This is the first large study to show the combined effects of four key health behaviours: non-smoking, physically active, moderate alcohol intake and recommended fruit & vegetable consumption.

Get out there magazine: Launches online editions
http://www.getouttheremag.com/about.php
With editions in Ontario and western Canada, Get Out There serves as a local resource for amateur sports, outdoor recreation and adventure pursuits.

Links to even more research
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/AusPAnet_Article_Commentary_4

MENTAL HEALTH

Diet and exercise prescribed to aid psychotic patients
http://tinyurl.com/2l9h9p
Quebec research which claims that excess weight gain provoked by antipsychotic drugs can be avoided with a nutrition and exercise program. Instead of packing on the pounds, patients actually lost weight, a study by the Université Laval faculty of medicine shows.

NUTRITION

Obesity and the eating habits of the Aboriginal population, 2005
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/080123/d080123a.htm

WALKING

Does walking in the neighbourhood enhance local sociability?http://usj.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/44/9/1677

WORKPLACE

Get moving at work – A resource kit for workplace health and wellbeing programs
http://www.getmoving.tas.
gov.au/article.php?article_id=138
The Get Moving at Work resource kit is a simple-to-use guide for organizations, particularly employers, wishing to develop a health and wellbeing program for their organisation. (Part of Get Moving Tasmania - lots of other good resources here too!)

January 18, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Edmonton 2005/2006 bicycle user survey report
http://tinyurl.com/3b8ds4

The Household Travel Survey conducted by the City of Edmonton in 2005 showed a 150% increase in the number of cycling trips taken per day (from 10,000 trips per day to 25,000 trips per day) between 1994 and 2005.

With such a marked increase in cycling in the City of Edmonton, the 2005/2006 Bicycle User Survey provides some insight into the habits and preferences of these cyclists.

CHILDREN

Characteristics of school campuses and physical activity among youth
http://tinyurl.com/yrp7k3

Previous research suggests that school characteristics may influence physical activity.

However, few studies have examined associations between school building and campus characteristics and objective measures of physical activity among middle school students.

The childcare environment and children’s physical activity
http://tinyurl.com/29zkzg

Previous research indicates that the childcare center that children attend significantly affects physical activity behaviour.

The current findings extend this evidence by identifying aspects of the childcare environment that relate to the physical activity behaviour of children.

These factors should be considered when identifying determinants of physical activity and designing interventions.

Ever Active Schools: Updated website
http://www.everactive.org/

“The staff at Ever Active Schools are excited to launch our new and improved website. Our intent was to make our site more user friendly and ensure it supplies our visitors with valuable resources and helpful information.”

Ever Active Schools: Winter newsletter:
http://www.everactive.org/assets/
pdfs/Bulletins/BulletinWinter2007.pdf

COMMUNITY HEALTH PROMOTION INITIATIVES/PROGRAMS

Effects of “10,000 Steps Ghent” A whole-community intervention
http://tinyurl.com/2zam2t

“A multi-strategy community-based intervention was implemented in 2005 with follow-up measurements in 2006 to promote physical activity to adults.

“A local media campaign, environmental approaches, the sale and loan of pedometers and several local physical activity projects were concurrently implemented …”

DISABILITY

Physical activity and the deaf
http://tinyurl.com/2syxvf

“The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) has produced a report on physical activity and the Deaf community.

“This report focuses on the relationship of hearing loss, communication skills and the development of motor skills in deaf or hearing-impaired children and adults and makes recommendations for physical educators on the challenges of integrating and involving the deaf and hearing- impaired in community sport and recreation activities.

Providing physical education programs to help individuals develop healthy and active lifestyles is a critical issue for the deaf community.”


GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The effect of question order on reporting physical activity and walking behaviour
http://tinyurl.com/2wtpah

“Estimating PA and walking across sociodemographic strata with differing patterns of PA requires asking moderate-PA and vigorous-PA questions before walking questions.

“Asking walking questions first might lead to bias, especially for moderate PA. Walking, added to a survey with BRFSS moderate and vigorous PA items, should be placed after moderate and vigorous PA.

“Walking questions first may cause bias, especially for moderate PA.”

Efficacy of a theory-based behavioural intervention to increase physical activity in an at-risk group in primary care (ProActive UK): a randomised trial.
http://tinyurl.com/2lmucc

“Interpretation: A facilitated theory-based behavioural intervention was no more effective than an advice leaflet for promotion of physical activity in an at-risk group; therefore health-care providers should remain cautious about commissioning behavioural programmes into individual preventive health-care services.”

Exercise is medicine
www.exerciseismedicine.org

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Medical Association (AMA) have launched a new program designed to encourage patients to incorporate physical activity and exercise into their daily routine.

It calls on doctors to prescribe exercise to their patients.

Leisure-time activities shift over 12 years
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_
poll/index.asp?PID=835

“For 1,052 adults ages 18 and over, each week contains 45 hours of work and 20 hours of leisure time.

"In 2007, the 2 or 3 most favorite leisure-time activities were reading (29%), watching television (18%) and spending time with the family/kids (18%).

“Compared to 1995, the largest increases in popularity were computer activities (up 7 points from 2% to 9%), watching sporting events (up 4 points), exercise (up 3 points) and crafts (up 3 points).”

Promoting physical activity through hand-held computer technology
http://tinyurl.com/yt8463

Results from this first-generation study indicate that hand-held computers may be effective tools for increasing initial physical activity levels among underactive adults.

Step up to better health
Register at http://aarp.stepuptobetterhealth.
com/default.asp

“Step Up to Better Health” incorporates a step counter to help users build up to walking 10,000 steps per day by virtually travelling along one of four famous trails: Lewis & Clark, Alaska Highway, Highway 50 or the Appalachian Trail.

Two on-line activity trackers
Register to participate at http://aarp.getfitonroute66.com/

“Get Fit on Route 66” Virtually trace the legendary highway that runs from the shores of Lake Michigan to the California coast by recording exercise minutes online; minutes convert to highway miles.”

Understanding dog owners’ increased levels of physical activity: Results from RESIDE
http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/
abstract/98/1/66?etoc

“We examined the influence of dog ownership on physical activity, independent of demographic, intrapersonal, and perceived environmental factors, in a cross-sectional survey of 1813 adults.

“Although only 23% of the dog owners walked their dogs 5 or more times per week, the adjusted odds of achieving sufficient physical activity and walking were 57% to 77% higher among dog owners compared with those not owning dogs (P< .05).

“Dog ownership was independently associated with physical activity and walking. Actively encouraging more dog walking may increase community physical activity levels.”

MENTAL HEALTH

The relationship between organized physical recreation and mental health http://healthpromotion.org.au/
journal/articles/article9.php

“This review supports the development and maintenance of organized sport and recreational activities that are socially and culturally appropriate.

“An increase in valid and reliable evaluations of sport and physical recreation programs would contribute to the international body of evidence of the mental health benefits of organized physical recreation.”

NUTRITION

Ready-to-use presentation for educators on Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide - First Nations, Inuit and Métis
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-
aliment/educ-comm/_fnim_pnim/ppt_e.html

“... a new ready-to-use PowerPoint presentation to help nutrition educators introduce and share the information about healthy eating and physical activity found in Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide - First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

OLDER ADULTS

The Friendly Corner
http://tinyurl.com/39ztqu

The Friendly Corner (TFC) is a successful partnership between the St. Laurent Centre Mall in Ottawa, the Canadian Public Health agency, and 24 volunteers.

TFC is a bilingual, health information and activity centre, open in this mall since 1994.

It provides opportunities for older adults to take charge of their health and improve their quality of life through physical activity, healthy eating, social connectivity and positive mental health.

URBAN PLANNING/RECREATION

Active neighborhood checklist
http://prc.slu.edu/iafc.htm

“This practical checklist helps residents, community groups, government officials and others determine whether their neighborhoods are activity friendly.

The checklist rates communities on land use, presence of public recreational facilities, availability of public transportation and quality of the environment.”

(Scroll to the Tools section – the titles underneath are all hyper-linked.)

Healthy landuse plans
http://tinyurl.com/2pv75d

“A new toolkit details various strategies for creating healthy communities, from building relationships and assessing existing conditions, to creating policy language for implementation of these strategies.

“It is designed for training advocates in the relationship between the built environment and public health, such as improving community health by ensuring that farmers' markets and neighborhood grocery stores are supported, or by promoting sidewalks, parks and other environmental components that encourage physical activity.”

Land use impacts on transport
http://www.vtpi.org/
landtravel.pdf

“This paper examines how various land use factors such as density, regional accessibility, mix and roadway connectivity affect travel behavior, including per capita vehicle travel, mode split and nonmotorized travel.” (Published 10 January 08)

Measuring the performance of transit-oriented developments in Western Australia
http://www.vtpi.org/renne_
tod_performance.pdf

“This new report summarizes factors to consider when evaluating TOD transport, economic social and environmental impacts.

"It recommends longitudinal measurement of performance indicators in six categories, including travel behaviour, the local economy, the natural environment, the built environment, the social environment and the policy context.”

Planning for healthy places fact sheets
http://www.healthyplanning.org/
factsheets.html

Smart growth e-learning portal
http://www.moodleserv.com/
smartgrowthca
“An educational program describing various smart growth concepts and implementation strategies, developed by the Smart Growth Canada Network, sponsored by Natural Resources Canada.”

WOMEN/GIRLS

Long-term effects of a physical activity intervention in high school girls
http://tinyurl.com/2e8w4n

“Physical activity (PA) decreases during childhood and adolescence, and PA levels are significantly lower in females than males, particularly during adolescence.

“Schools are attractive settings in which to implement interventions designed to promote PA in girls and young women, but few studies have tested the sustained effects of such interventions.”

Updating the evidence on physical activity and health in women
http://tinyurl.com/yurejo

“There is strong evidence of a role for PA in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers in women.

“There was no evidence of additional health benefits from vigorous-intensity PA, over and above those achieved from walking or moderate-intensity PA.

“This may be because, in most studies, there was limited reporting of vigorous PA by women.

“For some health outcomes, the amount of PA required for health benefits in middle-aged and older women might be lower than current national recommendations.”

December 21, 2007

Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

Welcome to the final Info. Round-up for 2007. 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

Inverse associations between cycling to work, public transport and overweight and obesity
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/
AusPAnet_Article_Commentary_1

Find out the associations between active commuting behaviour and overweight and obesity in New South Wales.

CHILDREN

Active Living Resource Center (ALRC) 2007 City-SRTS pilot project city reports
http://www.activelivingresources.org/
saferoutestoschool8.php

In 2006, the ALRC staff began work on an SRTS program for diverse populations in heavily urbanized environments where schools are typically located in the middle of cities with row homes, multi-family dwellings and industrial neighbours.

A series of pilot workshops were presented in communities across the United States. You can download and read the reports from the first and second year of the program.

Renewed Nova Scotia Active Kids Healthy Kids strategy

• Press Release: http://www.gov.ns.ca/news/details.asp?id=20071212001
• Strategy (scroll down a bit): http://www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/index.asp

CHRONIC DISEASE

Why health care renewal matters: Learning from Canadians with chronic health conditions
http://www.healthcouncilcanada.ca/en/

Canada must strengthen efforts to prevent chronic health conditions and support patients as active partners in their own care, says the Health Council of Canada’s latest report.

If governments act now, they can curb the growing epidemic of chronic illness such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

COMMUNITY HEALTH PROMOTION INITIATIVES/PROGRAMS

(If you know of any others, please let me know at rosanne.prinsen@ualberta.ca.)

• Active City Campaign, Surrey (http://tinyurl.com/ypxab)
• BC Healthy Communities
  (http://www.bchealthycommunities.com
  /content/home.asp)
• Calgary Commuter Challenge (http://www.calgarycommute.ca/
  commuterchallenge/)
• Do It Well - Healthy Living Hamilton (http://www.doitwell.ca/)
• First Nations Get Fit Challenge (http://www.claybruno.com/
  0000pg.asp/ID/8369/SID/1264)
• Get Active Mississauga (http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/residents/
  getactivemississauga)
• Get Active — NWT Community Challenge 2007 (http://tinyurl.com/2z32a2)
• Go2 — Calgary (http://www.go2calgary.com/)
• Go Healthy Newfoundland (http://gohealthy.ca/en/)
• Healthy Living Niagara (http://www.healthyliving
  niagara.com/index.htm)
• Healthy Ontario (http://www.healthyontario.com/
  home.aspx)
• Inverness County on the Move — N.S. (http://tinyurl.com/yvl4vd)
• Manitoba in Motion (https://www.movingaroundmanitoba.ca/)
• Move More — Halifax (http://www.halifax.ca/recreation/
  MoveMore.html)
• Move This Way — City of Fredericton (http://www.movethisway.ca/
  main-e.asp)
• Niagara Region — A Great Place to Be Active
  (http://www.regional.niagara.on.ca/living/
  health_wellness/physicalactivity/faq.aspx#3)
• Northern Links — Recreation Connection for Rural, Remote and Aboriginal Communities (http://www.northernlinks.org/index.cfm?fa=nl.main)
• Ottawa Walking Info (http://ottawa.ca/
  residents/health/environments/
  workplace/activity/pedometer_en.html)
• Spring Into Action — Atlantic (http://www.horizonscda.ca/
  events.html)
• Recreation and Parks Association of the Yukon (http://www.rpay.org/content.php?id=18)
• Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation (http://www.torontocat.ca/TCAT%20Home.html)
• U of A on the Move (http://www.onthemove.ualberta.ca/)
• Vision 2020 Hamilton (http://www.myhamilton.ca/
  myhamilton/Cityand
  Government/ProjectsInitiatives/V2020)
• Walking Programs in Lambton County (http://www.lambtonhealth.on.ca
  /Active/6_2_Walking_%20Programs.asp)

NUTRITION

Dietary practices, dining out behavior, and physical activity correlates of weight loss maintenance
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/
2008/jan/06_0158.htm

Conclusion: The behavioural strategy of reducing consumption of fast foods could help people k weight off.

The combined approach of consuming five or more fruit and vegetable servings per day and attaining 150 minutes or more per week of physical activity was a common strategy among adults successful at weight loss maintenance.

OLDER ADULTS

Cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity as mortality predictors in older adults
http://tinyurl.com/yq6dq5

In this study population, fitness was a significant mortality predictor in older adults, independent of overall or abdominal adiposity.

Clinicians should consider the importance of preserving functional capacity by recommending regular physical activity for older individuals, normal-weight and overweight alike.

Developing a telephone assessment of physical activity (TAPA) questionnaire for older adults
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2008/
jan/06_0143.htm

Conclusion: The pilot test demonstrated that the TAPA questionnaire is a promising instrument for use as a brief, telephone-based questionnaire for assessing physical activity in older adults.

It is our exercise family: Experiences of ethnic older adults in a group-based exercise program
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/
2008/jan/06_0170.htm

Conclusion: Findings from this study suggest strategies for developing community-based physical activity programs for older adults from ethnically diverse communities.

Translating a community-based motivational support program to increase physical activity among older adults with diabetes at community clinics: A pilot study of physical activity for a lifetime of success (PALS)
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2008/
jan/07_0142.htm

Interpretation: A community-based referral and support program to increase physical activity among elderly, ethnically diverse, low-income people with diabetes, many of whom are not English-speaking, may be thwarted by unforeseen barriers.

Those who enrol and participate in the PALS program appear to increase their level of physical activity.

Walking inside-out
http://tinyurl.com/2e3qbl

AARP advice for walking indoors or outdoors during winter months.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY — GENERAL

America Walks!
http://www.americawalks.org/

America Walks launches new website. This is the latest piece in the America Walks 2007 technology upgrade.

Please explore the site and come back to see the numerous additions planned over the coming weeks and months.

Can newly acquired healthy behaviors persist? An analysis of health behavior decay
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/
2008/jan/07_0031.htm

Conclusion: During an 18-month period, participants’ physical activity and dietary behaviors improved significantly. Even though behaviour improvement tended to be greater at six weeks, most healthy behaviours did not return to baseline levels after 18 months.

CJSR to revive bicycle traffic reports
http://www.cjsr.ualberta.ca/

From a recent announcement from the University of Alberta student radio station:

“Join CJSR Bicycle Traffic Reporters Daryl Richel and Karly Coleman as they head out every Thursday morning to check on bicycle traffic on the bike paths and streets of Edmonton.

"The Bicycle Traffic Report also includes interviews and features about cycling issues around town and around the world.

"You can listen to the Bicycle Traffic Report on Peter Chapman's new morning show Full English Breakfast heard Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Listen to the Bicycle Traffic Report and avoid those nasty bicycle bottlenecks on your bike commute to work. Two wheels good, four wheels bad.”

Get active and stay injury free
http://www.ophea.net/Ophea/PARC/upload/
PARC_InjuryPreventionDecThemePARC_21NV07.pdf

This article will first highlight the cost of injury in Ontario due to physical activity, as outlined in The Economic Burden of Injury in Ontario, released in 2006 by SMARTRISK.

They also offer tips on how to take part in physical activity while avoiding injury from the Canadian Health Network.

Inactive Australia
http://www.sma.org.au/pdfdocuments/
PfizerHealthReport_07.pdf

Find out the current activity levels of adult Australians in this newly released report from Pfizer and Sports Medicine Australia.

ISBNPA Conference '08
http://www.isbnpa.org/abstract.cfm

Next year's conference of the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) takes place in Canada in May. The deadline for submission of abstracts is 15 January.

Ongoing physical activity advice by humans versus computers: The CHAT Trial
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/AusPAnet_
Article_Commentary_2

Are real people more effective than computers in providing advice on being physically active?

URBAN PLANNING/RECREATION

A survey of policies and local ordinances supporting physical activity in Hawaii countieshttp://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/
2008/jan/06_0153.htm

Interpretation: The most populous county, Honolulu, had the most policies in place, although discrepancies existed between reported and written policies.

This baseline measure of physical activity–related policies will help focus efforts of county coalitions to increase opportunities for physical activity. Additional policies should be tracked with population behaviour surveillance.

Cities, sustainability and health
http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/226/
issue/4094.htm

Cities, sustainability and health is the focus of the latest issue of the N.S.W. Public Health bulletin.

Neighbourhood walkability and TV viewing time among Australian Adults
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/AusPAnet_
Article_Commentary_3

Another publication from the PLACE study shows the links between neighbourhood environments and sedentary behaviour.

Trail-building toolbox
http://tinyurl.com/2fr66d
Building trails is not always a simple, straightforward task. Transforming former railroad tracks into a vibrant rail-trail requires technical know-how, support from your community, guidance from experienced trail builders and successful strategies to overcome barriers.

Whether you are new to the trail movement, or a seasoned trail builder, use Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's resources to find answers to technical questions or to guide you through the trail-building process.

WORKPLACE

Get Moving at Work Tasmania
www.getmoving.tas.gov.au/article.
php?article_id=138

This kit for workplace health and wellbeing programs was launched in October 2007. The audit tool has also been based very closely on the work of the Alberta Centre for Active Living.

December 14, 2007

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc (Alberta Centre for Active Living)

CHILDREN

Active Education Physical Education, Physical Activity and Academic Performance

http://tinyurl.com/2kbwmm

There are competing schools of thought in relation to the importance of research linking physical education and academic achievement.

Early Life Determinants of Physical Activity in 11 to 12 Year Olds: Cohort Study
http://tinyurl.com/295ryl

This piece of research looks at factors in early life (up to the age of 5 years) that are associated with objectively measured physical activity in 11-12 year olds.

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The Effect of Season and Weather on Physical Activity: A Systematic Review http://tinyurl.com/yuja9s

“This review looked at previous research concerned with the effect of seasonality and the weather on physical activity participation, as an influencer of conditions of the built environment.”

Effectiveness of Exercise-Referral Schemes to Promote Physical Activity in Adults: Systematic Review
http://tinyurl.com/35rwtd

“Despite the health benefits of physical activity, most adults do not take the recommended amount of exercise.”

Ontario Society of Physical Activity Promoters in Public Health [OSPAPPH)
Announced Dec 12/07 (no website address yet)

“Our mission is to elevate physical activity as a public health priority in Ontario through engagement, education, advocacy and strategic alliances.

“This organization builds on the strengths of an established infrastructure and mandate within the public-health system, as well as the partnerships formed at the community, provincial and national levels with the ultimate purpose of increasing physical activity levels in Ontario.
“We look forward to working more closely with our members and partners in pursuit of a healthier, more active Ontario!”

HEALTH

Financial Health
Financial health is often a topic overlooked by people when they are considering an assessment of their “health.” We also know that when people are a victim of investment fraud, aside from financial loss, mental and physical health are the next casualties.

The following documents, are available from the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC), and provide helpful information:

• The Basics of Investing


• Choosing Your Financial Adviser


• Investing and the Internet - Be Alert to Signs of Fraud


• Characteristics of Various Types of SecuritiesMutual Funds - What You Need to Know


• The Prospectus - Being Informed is Being Protected

To understand more about the impact of fraud on victims and their families, read the Executive Summary from ASC’s national investor study.

For more tips on investing and your financial health, visit the For Investors section on the ASC's website at http://www.albertasecurities.com/

Health Effects of Exercise
http://tinyurl.com/34lqxn

If you missed ABC Radio National's interview with leading physical activity researcher Professor Steven Blair, who visited Australia from the U.S.A., you can access the transcript here.

It's Your Health Web Site: Update
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/index_e.html

The changes to the site were based on suggestions received from subscribers and Healthcare, Educational and Internal Advisory Committees.

You will now find articles organized under themes (such as Diseases, Food & Nutrition, Lifestyles) and audiences (such as Seniors, Parents & Children, Women).

MENTAL HEALTH

Leisure Program for Mental Health Sufferers in Calgary
http://tinyurl.com/2s3oum

The Calgary Herald reports on a leisure recreation program run by the Canadian Mental Health Association Calgary Region and funded by the United Way of Calgary and Area.

NUTRITION

Cost of Eating in B.C. 2007: The Bite Nutritious Food Takes From the Income Pie
http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca/url.php?i=4477&f=News&l=En

This report is published by Dietitians of Canada, B.C. Region in partnership with the Community Nutritionists Council of B.C.

The report demonstrates that some groups within our population are denied the right to safe and nutritious food due to limited financial resources.

Health Check Launches New Website
http://tinyurl.com/2u9qy9

“With over 1,300 licensed products , including many of Canada’s leading brands, the Health Check symbol can be found in every food group, in virtually every grocery store aisle across the country and on a growing number of restaurant menus.

"Health Check’s growth is making it easier for Canadians to find healthy choices in grocery stores and in restaurants.”

URBAN PLANNING

Planning for Health: The Built Environment (Australia)
http://tinyurl.com/2joxkc

“The Public Health Bulletin South Australia is a publication of the South Australian
Department of Health.

“The Bulletin aims to provide current data and information to practitioners and policy makers emphasizing the value of orienting services towards prevention, promotion and early intervention and to support effective public health interventions.”

WALKING/PEDOMETERS

Safe to Walk? Neighborhood Safety and Physical Activity Among Public Housing Residents
http://tinyurl.com/36mqkw

“Despite its health benefits, physical inactivity is pervasive, particularly among those living in lower-income urban communities.

“In such settings, neighborhood safety may impact willingness to be regularly physically active. We examined the association of perceived neighborhood safety with pedometer-determined physical activity and physical activity self-efficacy.”

December 7, 2007

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Small Step
http://www.smallstep.gov/index.html

“SmallStep.gov has recently been redesigned to better suit your needs. Re-launched this fall, the Web site includes updated information on health tips, eating better, ways to get active and portion control. SmallStep.gov can also provide a range of informational resources to assist you in achieving your health goals.”

Check out the “Get the Facts” section and link to Small Steps’ activity tracker.

Workbook for Influencing Physical Activity Policy – Now

http://www.ophea.net/parc/policy.cfm

The PARC Workbook for Influencing Physical Activity Policy is for anyone venturing to create a physical activity policy in their community, school or workplace.

It is suitable for all levels of experience or comfort with policy development. This workbook follows the Health Communication Unit’s (THCU) eight-step policy development model.

Although policy development is often resource intensive, this systematic approach can make it easier and the long-term benefits of policy make it a worthwhile investment.

NUTRITION

Obesity and Genetics: What We Know, What We Don’t Know and What It Means
http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/training
perspectives/files/obesknow.htm

“Rising rates of obesity seem to be a consequence of modern life, with access to large amounts of palatable, high calorie food and limited need for physical activity. However, this environment of plenty affects different people in different ways.

Some are able to maintain a reasonable balance between energy input and energy expenditure. Others have a chronic imbalance that favors energy input, which expresses itself as overweight and obesity. What accounts for these differences between individuals?”

WALKING/PEDOMETERS

Using Pedometers to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Health: A Systematic Review
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/
short/298/19/2296

Bravata D.M., Smith-Spangler C., Sundaram V., Gienger A.L., Lin N., Lewis R., Stave C.D., Olkin I., & Sirard J.R. (2007). Using pedometers to increase physical activity and improve health: A systematic review. JAMA 298 (19), 2296–2304.

Context: Without detailed evidence of their effectiveness, pedometers have recently become popular as a tool for motivating physical activity.

Objective: To evaluate the association of pedometer use with physical activity and health outcomes among outpatient adults.

Data sources: English-language articles from MEDLINE, EMBASE, Sport Discus, PsychINFO, Cochrane Library, Thompson Scientific (formerly known as Thompson ISI), and ERIC (1966-2007); bibliographies of retrieved articles; and conference proceedings.

Study Selection: Studies were eligible for inclusion if they reported an assessment of pedometer use among adult outpatients, reported a change in steps per day, and included more than five participants.

Conclusions: The results suggest that the use of a pedometer is associated with significant increases in physical activity and significant decreases in body mass index and blood pressure. Whether these changes are durable over the long term is undetermined.

Walk and Bike for Life
http://www.walkandbikeforlife.org/

Walk & Bike for Life is a non-profit organization dedicated to create awareness of the benefits of walking and cycling as activities.

The organization also promotes urban parks and trails as great places, as they improve our environment, advance economic development, enhance our transportation systems, raise the recreation levels for all and improve our personal and public health.

WOMEN

Active & Free: Young Women, Physical Activity and Tobacco
http://www.caaws.ca/activeandfree/e/index.cfm

This resource is for leaders who care about young women’s health. English and French versions of the resource are available free of charge in a downloadable PDF from the CAAWS website.

November 30, 2007

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

CHILDREN

Active parents raise active kids

http://tinyurl.com/2pm8yb

The Agence France Presse English (Thu 22 Nov 2007) reports on the results of a new study published today of more than 5000 10- and 11-year olds, which suggests active parents can, by their example, encourage their children to be physically active, but the effect is less than widely thought.

Birth of inactivity? A review of physical activity and parenthood

http://tinyurl.com/yuja9s

How does being a parent affect physical activity levels? This review explores this new area of research.

Childhood obesity: Views on who can make a difference

http://tinyurl.com/yqjto2

This WSJcomHarris Interactive survey finds that most adults believe parents, schools and the food industry can make a difference in battling childhood obesity.

Social support for youth physical activity

http://tinyurl.com/295ryl

Find out about the impact that social support, family, friends and school has on participation in physical activity of high school students.

Talking back to grownups: Healthy children, healthy communities — Report on the social determinants of health and middle childhood in Canada

http://www.unac.org/hchc/files/
Talkingbacksm.pdf

This resource is the concluding report to the research that the Healthy Children, Healthy Communities project conducted between May 2006 and March 2007.

Throughout this time, the project team travelled to 12 communities across Canada engaging with child health stakeholders and with young people themselves in order to understand the perceptions and priorities which exist around the health of children (age nine to 12).

In addition, UNA-Canada surveyed 1,200 Canadian adults to understand how they are thinking about the health of this age group.

The study showcases the social determinants of health with the largest impact on children’s lives (such as parental involvement and attachment to the community) and provides recommendations for tackling health disparities from a population health perspective.

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Advancing the future of physical activity measurement and guidelines in Canada

http://www.csep.ca/main.cfm?cid=574
&nid=8363

Provided is the link to the press release and backgrounder.

Community exercise classes and adherence

http://tinyurl.com/2svvav

This intervention, implemented over a 20-week period, aims to increase exercise participation and adherence in sedentary, middle-aged adults.

Exercise adherence

http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwfit/
adherence.html

A web resource with lots of information from Georgia State University.

“Exercise is Medicine” program

http://tinyurl.com/37duzu

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Medical Association (AMA) have launched a new program to encourage physicians to prescribe exercise to patients.

Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer

http://www.dietandcancer
report.org

A report from the American Institute for Cancer Research, “Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective” ...

This report, based on the most comprehensive study of the association between cancer and obesity, concludes that excess body fat triggers up to a third of all cancer cases.

The consumption of even moderate amounts of alcohol, red meats and processed meats were also found to be associated with cancer.

Healthy eating — Healthy action

http://www.moh.govt.nz/healthyeating
healthyaction

Healthy Eating — Healthy Action (HEHA) is the New Zealand’s Ministry of Health’s strategic approach to improving nutrition, increasing physical activity and achieving healthy weight for all New Zealanders.

Healthy living e-bulletin

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/
ebulletin/index-eng.html

The E-bulletin is a quarterly newsletter designed to inform healthy living stakeholders about efforts to promote physical activity, healthy eating and healthy weights across the country.

It is produced by the Public Health Agency of Canada on behalf of the Healthy Living Issue Group of the Intersectoral Healthy Living Network.

OLDER ADULTS

Global age friendly cities: A guide

http://www.who.int/ageing/publications/
Global_age_friendly_cities_Guide_English.pdf

WHO regards active ageing as a lifelong process shaped by several factors that, alone and acting together, favour health, participation and security in older adult life.

Informed by WHO’s approach to active ageing, the purpose of this Guide is to engage cities to become more age-friendly to tap the potential that older people represent for humanity.

Retraining promotes physical fitness in seniors

http://tinyurl.com/34sbnw

The CBC.CA News (Sun 18 Nov 2007) writes that “attribution retraining” may be the key to convincing seniors that advanced age is no excuse for being physically unfit, according to American researchers.

Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, used the technique, which changes a person's perceptions and patterns to boost seniors' activity levels.

RECREATION/COMMUNITY

Community-based participatory research training manual

http://individual.utoronto.ca/sadaf/
resources/cbpr2007.pdf

Based on a training workshop for community workers, the authors adapted their training modules and handouts, and consolidated them into a comprehensive training manual for building the research capacity of community-based team members.

Journal of park and recreation administration

http://hotel.unlv.edu/recreation/journal/index.html

The Journal of Park and Recreation Administration has issued a special issue call for papers on Physical Activity, Health and Wellness.

WALKING/PEDOMETERS

Using pedometers to increase physical activity and improve health

http://tinyurl.com/35y9a9

This study evaluated the association of pedometer use with physical activity and health outcomes among outpatient adults.

The results suggest that the use of a pedometer is associated with significant increases in physical activity and significant decreases in body mass index and blood pressure.

Whether these changes are durable over the long term is undetermined.

WORKPLACE/COMMUNITY

Physical activity in the workplace

http://www.bhfactive.org.uk/
workplace/index.html

From the British Heart Foundation ... Be sure to check out all the different resources (you’ll find the links in the left hand Navigation column.)

Think fit – Be active

http://www.bhf.org.uk/thinkfit/
index_home.asp?SecID=1590

A website from the British Heart Foundation …