March 19, 2010

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

Info Round Up will return on April 1, 2010

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Get Active Mississauga – Active Transportation
Lots of good info here – be sure to go to the Get Active homepage too.

CHILDREN

Effect of school based physical activity programme (KISS) on fitness and adiposity in primary schoolchildren: cluster randomised controlled trial
BMJ 2010;340:c785

Conclusion: A school based multi-component physical activity intervention including compulsory elements improved physical activity and fitness and reduced adiposity in children.

Let’s Move
Check out this new childhood obesity program in the US with the involvement of First Lady Michelle Obama.

Neighborhood determinants of self-efficacy, physical activity, and body weights among Canadian children
Health & Place Volume 16, Issue 3, May 2010, Pages 567-572

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.

Physical activity and adolescents: An exploratory randomised controlled trial investigating the influence of affective and instrumental text messages
British Journal of Health Psychology

The findings suggest that for adolescent individuals who are inactive, receiving messages about affective gains from physical activity are more effective than receiving messages about the potential health benefits.

CHRONIC DISEASE

Management of Low Back Pain
The Alberta Ambassador Program has produced practice guidelines for acute and chronic low back pain which are housed on the Toward Optimized Practice web site of the Alberta Medical Association. The guidelines are available in a two page summary form as well as longer more detailed versions. There are also patient information sheets available.

Type 2 Diabetes: Poverty, Priorities and Policy: The Social Determinants of the Incidence and Management of Type 2 Diabetes
Brand new 2010 report. Physical activity is mentioned many times – including specific tables/figures. (Note: when you go to the link it may ask you to install an add on to open the document – it’s safe to do so).

HEALTHY EATING

Four translations of Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide – First Nations, Inuit and Métis
This food guide is now available in Woods Cree, Plains Cree, Ojibwe, and Inuktitut. These translations are part of a broader effort by Health Canada to provide Canada’s Food Guide in a variety of languages to better reach Canadians.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY

Neighborhoods and obesity in New York City
Health & Place Volume 16, Issue 3, May 2010, Pages 489-499

These findings are consistent with the growing literature showing that area income and availability of food and physical activity resources are related to obesity.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Australian sports urged to engage all cultures
An important part of involving your community in structured sport is the work that clubs and coaches do to build awareness and promote participation within all cultures. Links provide information on how to involve multicultural communities in your locality in sport and recreation.

Health Survey for England 2008: Focus on physical activity and fitness
Released February 2010. This document summarizes the key findings from the 2008 Health Survey for England concerning the physical activity levels of adults and children.

Parks, Playgrounds and Active Living
This synthesis summarizes the growing body of evidence concerning the role of parks in shaping active lifestyles across a variety of study populations, including children, seniors, lower-income families, specific racial and ethnic groups and other populations at high risk of being inactive.

Physical activity and health fact sheet
*New* from the BHF National Centre Physical Activity + Health (UK).
This updated fact sheet provides the latest evidence on how physical activity can help to prevent a range of medical conditions including cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, some cancers, hypertension and osteoporosis. This fact sheet can be used to make the case and secure funding for physical activity intervention or for professionals to increase and update their knowledge.

Program Costing Worksheets
These worksheets provide templates for determining program costs, which include staff, facilities and additional costs. There is a section for determining cost per participant and for calculating net profit or loss at the end of the program.

Urban Green Space and Public Health
Looks at the links between urban green space and public health

Using Active Living Principles to Promote Physical Activity in Rural Areas
This document is meant for community advocates, leaders, policy makers, or any other stakeholders that are interested in creating supports for active living within rural communities.

WOMEN
Physical activity, sedentary behavior and depression among disadvantaged women
Health Education Research Advance Access published online on February 9, 2010
Megan Teychenne, Kylie Ball and Jo Salmon

This study demonstrates the associations that exist between the risk of depression in women and is novel due to its large number of participants and its focus on disadvantaged neighborhoods

March 12, 2010

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ABORIGINAL
Indigenous Sport Council Alberta
ACE Communities is working with the Indigenous Sport Council (Alberta) to support the use of recreation, sports, arts, culture and heritage in Aboriginal Communities.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Active travel strategy
The strategy highlights plans to put walking and cycling at the heart of local transport and public health strategies over the next decade. The guiding principles for the strategy are that walking and cycling should be everyday ways of getting around – not just for their own sake but also because of what they can do to improve public health, tackle congestion, reduce carbon emissions and improve the local environment.

Journal of the Transportation Research Board - Volume 2140 / 2009
There are many, many good articles dealing with pedestrians and cyclists in this issue.

Paths for All
Paths for All is a national charity promoting walking for health and the development of multi-use path networks (Scotland).

Physical activity in the Active People Survey: Developing an indicator that includes walking and cycling for transport
This paper analyses the Sport England Active People Survey data to estimate the percentage of adults participating in moderate intensity physical activity for 30 minutes or more on at least three and five occasions per week that includes walking and cycling for transport.

Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030
Bicycling creates safer streets, reduces the causes of global climate change, promotes a healthy environment, and limits the effects and health care costs related to inactivity. It provides equity and access to viable, affordable transportation options and creates fun, vibrant, and livable neighborhoods. It supports Portland’s economy and is a sound investment. (Portland is very progressive when it comes to Active Transportation!)

CHILDREN
Change4Life one year on
This document reports on the first twelve months of the Change4Life campaign. Change4Life, which launched to the public in January 2009, is the social marketing part of the Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives cross-governmental strategy for England. In its first year, Change4Life focused on those families with children aged 5-11, who were at greatest risk of becoming overweight or obese.

Descriptive epidemiology of youth pedometer-determined physical activity: CANPLAY
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: POST ACCEPTANCE, 4 February 2010
Craig, Cora L; Cameron, Christine; Griffiths, Joseph M; Tudor-Locke, Catrine

This study demonstrates the viability of using relatively inexpensive pedometers and methods for the surveillance of young people's physical activity. The resulting descriptive data provide key information regarding the population distribution of pedometer-determined physical activity that may be useful for identifying target groups for population strategies and other interventions.

The GirlStars Program: Challenges to Recruitment and Retention in a Physical Activity and Health Education Program for Adolescent Girls Living in Public Housing
Preventing Chronic Disease Volume 7: No. 2, March 2010

Although physical inactivity is a concern for all adolescents, physical activity levels are especially low among minority adolescents and minimal among girls from low-income families. After-school programs can reduce high-risk behaviors and strengthen schools, families, and communities.

Preventing childhood obesity through lifestyle change interventions: A briefing paper for commissioners
This briefing paper aims to support commissioners by providing a brief guide to current
best available evidence on effective obesity prevention interventions for children and
young people Physical activity is mentioned 12 times in this 10 page document.

Upstart: Low Cost Recreation Space
Take advantage of this Government of Alberta rental rate subsidy that helps community groups run recreational programming for children and youth during out-of-school hours in Calgary and the Rocky View.

Using accelerometers and GPS units to identify the proportion of daily physical activity located in parks with playgrounds in New Zealand children.
Preventive Medicine Article in Press, Corrected Proof
Robin Quigg, Andrew Gray, Anthony Reeder, Alec Holt, Debra Waters

These findings, using accelerometers and GPS units to investigate the location of children’s physical activity, demonstrates that only a small percentage of children’s daily physical activity levels is carried out in parks with playgrounds. It is likely that the provision of parks alone may not be enough to increase physical activity levels in children.

CHRONIC DISEASE
A prediction of obesity trends for adults and their associated diseases
the National Heart Forum Modelling Team compare trends including the most recent data from Health Survey for England (2000- 2007) to the analysis conducted for the Foresight report for adults in three age groups. Furthermore, updated predictions for the burdens of diseases that are attributable to obesity are presented, specifically arthritis, coronary heart disease, diabetes, gall bladder disease, hypertension, stroke and the following cancers: breast, colorectal, endometrial, kidney, oesophageal and liver.

MENTAL HEALTH
Do exercise and fitness buffer against stress among Swiss police and emergency response service officers?
Psychology of Sport and Exercise - Article in Press
Markus Gerber PhD, Michael Kellmann PhD, Tim Hartmann MS and Uwe Pühse PhD

The findings indicate that exercise and fitness can help foster a healthy and thriving workforce that takes less sick leaves and feels better prepared to cope with chronic stress.

Minding our bodies: Physical activity for mental health
Minding Our Bodies is a two-year project (2008-2010). Our goal is to increase capacity within the community mental health system in Ontario to promote active living and to create new opportunities for physical activity for people with serious mental illness to support recovery.

OLDER ADULTS
Changes in leisure-time physical activity and sedentary behaviour at retirement: a prospective study in middle-aged French subjects.
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2010, 7:14

These findings highlight that retirement provides opportunities to increase physical activity, but increasing leisure-time can also lead to increased sedentary behaviour.

International Federation on Aging
The IFA believes in 'generating positive change for older people throughout the world by stimulating, collecting, analyzing, and disseminating information on rights, policies, and practices that improve the quality of life of people as they age.'

WHO Age-Friendly Environments Program
The WHO is the focal point for age friendly cities/communities/environments – this website is now operational and we invite you to go online and join The Global Network. At this time the IFA is temporarily closing its AFC website and transferring relevant information to our main site over the next few weeks. Age Friendly environments remains one of IFAs key priorities and we look forward to sharing new information from the IFA 10th Global Conference in the very near future.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Pedometer Use Among Adults at High Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Finland, 2007-2008
Preventing Chronic Disease Volume 7: No. 2, March 2010

Sedentary adults can be motivated to use a pedometer if we inform them that regular users find it a useful instrument for increasing their level of exercise. These adults should set realistic goals for walking and receive adequate instructions for using pedometers.

Physical activity and physical health functioning among middle-aged Finnish employees
Preventive Medicine - Article in Press
Jouni Lahti, Mikko Laaksonena, Eero Lahelmaa and Ossi Rahkonena

The objective of the study was: “To examine whether physical activity contributes to physical health functioning five to seven years later among middle-aged employees.”

URBAN DESIGN
The Built Environment and Health: 11 Profiles of Neighborhood Transformation
Highlights neighborhood-level changes to the built environment that can have a positive influence on the health of community residents, especially in low-income communities. The profiles demonstrate how health practitioners, community members and many others can work together to improve community well-being by making changes to the built environment.

Community Health and the Built Environment
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then residents from North Central Edmonton have glowing stories to share about their community.

It takes more than stores to build a winning town center
According to a Feb. 28th Washington Post article, "The nation's two largest groups -- baby boomers shedding their houses as they become empty nesters and millennials reaching their 30s and moving into their own homes -- largely prefer densely populated, walkable communities, experts say." Urban planners project that 86 percent of the growth in new households will be single people or couples without children at home -- and neither group wants to live in remote suburbs or in houses surrounded by big lawns.

Ottawa Neighborhood Study
Evidence is mounting that the neighborhoods and communities in which we live affect both the health and the gap in health between rich and poor. Our aim is to better understand the physical and social pathways through which neighborhoods in Ottawa affect health.

WOMEN
Influence of habitual physical activity on body composition, fat distribution and metabolic variables in early postmenopausal women receiving hormonal therapy
European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology Article in Press
S. Lara, G. Casanova and P.M. Spritzer

Habitual physical activity plays a major role in preserving a favorable cardiovascular profile in postmenopausal patients using HRT.

February 19, 2010

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Walking and Biking Through Minnesota Winters
Information from a course to highlight and explore best local, national and international practices for encouraging year-round non-motorized (walking and cycling) transportation. The course included specific exploration of design, maintenance, and operations practices in similar winter climates, and was convened as a starting point for upcoming conversations exploring improvements to our year-round walking and cycling infrastructure and maintenance practices.

CHILDREN

Childhood Obesity – It’s Everyone’s Business: Separating Fact from Fiction
Includes a list of statements about childhood obesity. Each is identified as either
“fact” or “fiction,” with an explanation of the evidence for the statement.

Encouraging Walking and Bicycling through School Policies

Promoting Optimal Monitoring of Child Growth in Canada: Using the New WHO Growth Charts
Developed collaboratively by the Dietitians of Canada, Canadian Paediatric Society, The College of Family Physicians of Canada and Community Health Nurses of Canada. The statement is intended for use as a practice guideline for health professionals. The desired outcome is the promotion of consistent practices in monitoring growth and assessing patterns of linear growth and weight gain in infants, children and adolescents to support healthy child growth and development.

School Travel Planning Newsletter
News and information about the Canadian school travel planning project.

CHRONIC DISEASE
Coalitions Linking Action & Science for Prevention (CLASP)
More than 30 organizations from across Canada are forming partnerships in a $15.5-million series of initiatives designed to prevent chronic disease. The seven collaborative coalitions are to address such issues as childhood obesity, screening for chronic disease by family doctors, and the unique needs of First Nations communities.

CLASP Phase 1 Report
This report provides a detailed description of the CLASP Phase 1 consultation process as well as an outcome summary from each of the workshops, and an overview of the highest priority opportunities for collaborative action as identified by workshop participants.

The Economic Costs of Overweight, Obesity and Physical Inactivity Among California Adults – 2006.
On July 9, 2009, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA) released this report. The study found that the cost of overweight, obesity and physical inactivity had climbed to $41 billion in 2006, nearly double the amount reported in 2000.

Exercise Testing for the Prediction of Cardiac Events in Patients with Diabetes
To assess research evidence on the safety and prognostic value of exercise testing for the prediction of cardiac events in patients with chronic diseases including diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and arthritis.

Getting It Right: Case Studies of Effective Management of Chronic Disease Using
Primary Health Care Teams
Collectively, the five case studies describe a recipe for success for the design and implementation of effective, team-based primary health care for people living with chronic illness.

DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
An Economic Framework for Analysing the Social Determinants of Health and
Health Inequalities
Reducing health inequalities is an important part of health policy in most countries. This paper discusses from an economic perspective how government policy can influence health inequalities, particularly focusing on the outcome of performance targets in England, and the role of sectors of the economy outside the health service – the ‘social determinants’ of health - in delivering these targets.

HEALTH PROMOTION
Can I use this evidence in my program decision? Assessing Applicability and Transferability of Evidence (2007)
Link to Background Paper and Link to Tool
A summary of the current literature, including a process to help you evaluate the feasibility and generalizability of evidence to your public health practice. The associated tool (available separately) helps you make decisions about program priorities in your own community.

Community Health Improvement Resources (CHIR)
A web-based resource for planning, implementing and evaluating interventions to improve the health of a community. You may access information, tools and resources for health conditions and risk factors. Designed for use by public health practitioners and community stakeholders.

Health Disparities Calculator
The Health Disparities Calculator (HD*Calc) is a statistical software designed to generate multiple summary measures to evaluate and monitor health disparities (HD). HD*Calc was created as an extension of SEER*Stat that allows the user to import SEER Data

Research Tested Intervention Programs (RTIPS)
A listing of physical activity intervention programs.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Active People Survey 3
From Sport England the Active People Survey 3 began on 15 October 2008 and ran for 12 months until mid October 2009.

Disparities in Data on Healthy People 2010 Physical Activity Objectives Collected by Accelerometry and Self-Report
American Journal of Public Health - published online ahead of print
Sandra A. Ham Barbara E. Ainsworth

Conclusions. Disparities in physical activity differ from previous findings. Increased understanding of these disparities should be used to design better and more cost-effective physical activity interventions. Physical activity surveillance methods should be revised to make use of data collection methods that are more valid than self-report.

Health Survey for England - 2008: Physical activity and fitness
The 2008 Health Survey for England focused on physical activity and fitness. Adults and children were asked to recall their physical activity over recent weeks, and objective measures of physical activity and fitness were also obtained. A secondary objective was to examine results on childhood obesity and other factors affecting health, including fruit and vegetable consumption, drinking and smoking.

National policy to local practice: Working together to deliver physical activity programs
Keynote, workshop and poster presentations now available to download.

Ontario Society of Physical Activity Promoters in Public Health (OSPAPPH)
The OSPAPPH aims to be the unified voice representing public health practitioners with the mandate of promoting physical activity in their respective communities.

URBAN DESIGN
Active Design Guidelines
The Active Design Guidelines provides architects and urban designers with a manual of strategies for creating healthier buildings, streets and urban spaces, based on the latest academic research and best practices in the field.

WOMEN
Physical Activity at Midlife in Relation to Successful Survival in Women at Age 70 Years or Older
Archives of Internal Medicine Vol. 170 No. 2, January 25, 2010

Data from the ongoing cohort Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) was used. A total of 13,535 participants who were free of major chronic diseases at baseline in 1986 and were aged 70 years or older were included in the study. ……..This research demonstrates regardless of body weight, physical activity, including walking, at midlife may increase the probability of preserving optimal health in women. Maintaining a healthy body weight and high physical activity levels simultaneously at midlife is likely to increase the odds of successful survival.

January 11, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Cycling resources from Australia (Queensland Department of Transport).
This series of notes is designed to assist planners and engineers provide for cycling in their local area. (The ink takes you to a main page with links to many different documents/resources)

Integrating Bicycling and Public Transport in North America
This paper provides an overview of bike-transit integration in large American and Canadian cities. It begins with an analysis of national trends in bike-and-ride programs such as the provision of bike racks on buses, accommodation of bikes on rail vehicles, and bike parking at rail stations and bus stops. Most of the paper, however, is devoted to case studies of bike-transit integration in six large American cities (San Francisco, Portland, Minneapolis, Chicago, Washington, and New York) and two Canadian cities (Vancouver and Toronto).

Seattle Crosswalk: Tap foot, Lights blink, Cross street
A unique pedestrian-activated crosswalk that blinks as people cross. Includes video.

Bad crosswalk round about design
A 3-minute video of pedestrians and bicyclists trying to cross what appears to be the exit of a very busy roundabout. The phrase "you can't get there from here" comes to mind...

CHILDREN
Effective elements of school health promotion across behavioral domains: A systematic review of reviews
Most school health education programs focus on a single behavioral domain. Integrative programs that address multiple behaviors may be more efficient, but only if the elements of change are similar for these behaviors. The objective of this study was to examine which effective elements of school health education are similar across three particular behavioral domains.

Go Out and Play: Youth Sports in America
This study measures the nationwide participation rates of girls and boys in exercise and organized team sports. The central focus is on how the intersections among families, schools and communities are related to children’s involvement and interest in athletics and physical activity.

Safe Routes to School Putting Traffic Safety First: How Safe Routes to School Initiatives Protect Children Walking and Bicycling
From the safe routes to school national partnership (USA)

DISABILITY
Pathways Between Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Adults With Multiple Sclerosis
Health Psychology Volume 28, Issue 6, November 2009, Pages 682-689

The observed pattern of relationships supports the possibility that physical activity is indirectly associated with improved QOL through pathways that include fatigue, pain, social support, and self-efficacy in individuals with MS.

Sport and Physical Activity in the Life of a Man with Cerebral Palsy: Compensation for Disability with Psychosocial Benefits and Costs
Psychology of Sport and Exercise Article in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Cadeyrn J. Gaskin, Mark B. Andersen, and Tony Morris

The life history of (this subject) illustrates the benefits and costs of trying to compensate for disabilities through sport and physical activity. In (his) life, sport and physical activity both promoted and impeded (his) psychosocial development.

OLDER ADULTS
Effects of a physical training and nutritional intervention program in frail elderly people regarding habitual physical activity level and activities of daily living—A randomized controlled pilot study
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Article in Press, Corrected Proof
Elisabeth Rydwika, Kerstin Frändinb and Gunnar Aknerc

The present study adds data on physical activity level and ADL and indicates that physical training increased the habitual physical activity level in frail elderly people and that this increase remained over time for six months. Increase in physical activity and degree of home-based exercises were moderately related to improvements in ADL. The nutrition intervention did not add any extra benefit. Studies with larger sample sizes and targeted interventions towards behavioral and environmental factors are necessary before any further conclusions can be drawn.

OVEWRWEIGHT/OBESITY
CDC's Recommended Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States
This manual describes 24 recommended strategies by the CDC to encourage and support healthy eating and active living. In addition, a single measure is provided for each strategy to help communities track their progress over time.

Telephone intervention promoting weight-related health behaviors
Preventive Medicine Article in Press
Youngmee Kim, Joanne Pike, Heather Adams, Di Cross, Colleen Doyle and John Foreyt

The Nutrition and Physical Activity (NuPA) study was designed to promote fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and weight management for a working population.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Effective Techniques in Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Interventions: A Meta-Regression
Health Psychology Volume 28, Issue 6, November 2009, Pages 690-701

Meta-analyses of behavior change (BC) interventions typically find large heterogeneity in effectiveness and small effects. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of active BC interventions designed to promote physical activity and healthy eating and investigate whether theoretically specified BC techniques improve outcome.

Randomised controlled trial of a pedometer-based telephone intervention to increase physical activity among cardiac patients not attending cardiac rehabilitation
Patient Education and Counseling Article in Press
Susan Furber, Lyra Butler, Philayrath Phongsavan, Andrew Mark and Adrian Bauman

The findings that the pedometer-based telephone intervention was successful in increasing physical activity levels in cardiac patients who did not attend a CRP could result in major health benefits for this group of people.

WOMEN
Effects of recommended levels of physical activity on pregnancy outcomes
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Article in Press
Katarina Melzer PhD et al

Active women have better aerobic fitness as compared to inactive women. The risk for operative delivery is lower in active women compared to inactive, when controlled for birthweight, maternal weight gain, and parity. Further studies with larger sample size are required to confirm the association between physical activity and pregnancy outcomes.

WORKPLACE
Workplace physical activity and nutrition interventions
This evidence module provides an overview of the best evidence currently available about workplace health promotion programs to promote physical activity, healthy diet or both and prevent overweight and obesity. It synthesises findings and recommendations from multiple systematic reviews and recent reports.

November 12, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
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.

CHILDREN
DPA Action Tracker (ActNow BC)
An interactive tool for students in Grades 10 – 12….. the Action Tracker helps you keep track of your Daily Physical Activities and create a printed report for your teacher or school administrator.

Daily Physical Activity for Families Booklets
Four different booklets for specific age groups. The Daily Physical Activity For Families booklets are designed to help you maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. Each booklet includes basic information about Daily Physical Activity (DPA), safety tips, and age appropriate suggestions for getting more physically active

Physical Activity within the Health Promoting School: A Partnership Approach

OLDER ADULTS
Efficacy of Two Tailored Interventions Promoting Physical Activity in Older Adults
American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume 37, Issue 5, Nov 2009, Pg 405-417
The results indicate that tailoring can be an effective tool in attaining and enhancing awareness, initiation, and maintenance of physical activity among older adults. Targeting environmental determinants in addition to psychosocial determinants, however, did not result in an additional increase in physical activity behavior

Physical activity and memory functions: Are neurotrophins and cerebral gray matter volume the missing link?
NeuroImage Article in Press, Corrected Proof
While mediating factors will need to be further elucidated, these findings indicate that even low-level physical activity exerts beneficial effects on memory functions in older individuals.

Seniors Policy Handbook: A Guide for Developing and Evaluating Policies and Programs for Seniors
Prepared by the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee of Officials for the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors (Canada) and published in June 2009, the purpose of this handbook is to help policy analysts and program planners consider the perspective of seniors, the diversity of the seniors’ population, and the needs and issues facing seniors today and in the future.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Beneficial effects of exercise: shifting the focus from body weight to other markers of health
British Journal of Sports Medicine 2009;43:924-927
These data demonstrate that significant and meaningful health benefits can be achieved even in the presence of lower-than-expected exercise-induced weight loss. A less successful reduction in body weight does not undermine the beneficial effects of aerobic exercise. From a public health perspective, exercise should be encouraged and the emphasis on weight loss reduced.

Cost Analysis of Internet vs. Print Interventions for Physical Activity Promotion
Psychology of Sport and Exercise – article in press
The authors conclude: Relative to print-based interventions, Internet-based interventions may be a more cost efficient way to reach a large number of sedentary individuals.

Exercise is Medicine
Their vision: For physical activity to be considered by all health care providers as a vital sign in every patient visit, and that patients are effectively counseled and referred as to their physical activity and health needs, thus leading to overall improvement in the public's health and long-term reduction in health care cost.

Leisure-Time Physical Activity is Associated with a Reduced Risk for Metabolic Syndrome
Annals of Epidemiology Volume 19, Issue 11, Nov 2009, Pg 784-792
These results suggest that increasing levels of leisure-time physical activity, in terms of duration or intensity, are linearly associated with a reduced risk for metabolic syndrome.

Let’s Get Moving - introducing a new physical activity care pathway
The new Let's Get Moving (LGM) physical activity care pathway is based on the principles of the NICE public health guidance 2006: Four Commonly Used Methods to Promote Physical Activity, which endorses the delivery of brief interventions for physical activity in primary care as both clinically and cost effective in the long term.

The physical therapist’s role in physical activity promotion
British Journal of Sports Medicine 2009;43:99-101
Because of their training and experience, physical therapists are ideally placed to promote the health and well being of individuals and the general public through physical activity and exercise prescription. Therefore, physical therapists, general practitioners and other caregivers alike should become aware of the physical therapist’s potential in promoting safe and healthy physical activity……..

Potential strategies to improve uptake of exercise interventions in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Journal of Hepatology Article in Press, Corrected Proof –
The management of non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD) concerns lifestyle modification and exercise; however, adherence is poor. Factors such as lack of confidence to exercise, poor understanding of the benefits of exercise, and a fear of falling all influence engagement in physical activity. To increase exercise in NAFLD it is important to understand the barriers to performing it.

When will we treat physical activity as a legitimate medical therapy...even though it does not come in a pill?
British Journal of Sports Medicine 2009;43:80-81
There is no action (except abstaining from smoking) that could improve health more than being physically active, yet it remains an afterthought in clinical medicine and federal funding priorities. We continue excitably to search for health in a pill, yet we already have the readily available behavior of regular exercise that would provide enormous benefits.….

URBAN DESIGN
Key stakeholder perspectives on the development of walkable neighbourhoods
Health & Place Volume 16, Issue 1, January 2010, Pages 43-50
Evidence supports the link between the built environment and physical activity. This study investigated factors that influence the decisions made by key stakeholders as they relate to neighbourhood development. Seventeen stakeholders including public health and municipal employees, city councillors , and the private sector (e.g., land developers, food retailers) , participated in interviews.

WOMEN
The effectiveness of exercise in the management of post-natal depression: systematic review and meta-analysis
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of exercise in the management of post-natal depression. Conclusion: It was uncertain whether exercise reduced symptoms of post-natal depression.

WORKPLACE
Exercise for the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of low back pain in the workplace: a systematic review
The authors' conclusions about the evidence of benefits of exercise interventions were based on the results of small RCTs and some non-randomised trials. Although the results of the trials showed benefits of exercise in the workplace, the conduct of the majority of the trials makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions about the effectiveness of these interventions.

September 28, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

CHILDREN
After School Recreation Initiatives: Final Report
This study examines the state of afterschool recreation programming (in Alberta) and identifies opportunities for engaging recreation practitioners and allied stakeholders in developing a provincial strategy for action to create quality afterschool programs as a way to use those hours for constructive, healthy activities.

Encourage the Kids, Support the Game
A community education campaign, funded by the Victorian Government and VicHealth, which aims to stamp out poor spectator behaviour in junior sport so that players, parents, all spectators and officials can enjoy the game

Interactions of socioeconomic position with psychosocial and environmental correlates of children's physical activity
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:56
Learn how socioeconomic, psychosocial and environmental factors relate to physical activity in this new study from South Australia.

CHRONIC DISEASE
Type 1 Diabetes: Living Well with Diabetes
This section of the NHS (UK) Choices website provides information about eating a healthy diet if you type 1 diabetes. It is aimed at the general public.

Type 2 Diabetes: Diet
This section of the NHS Choices website provides information about eating a healthy diet if you type 2 diabetes. It is aimed at the general public.

DISABITLITY/ACCESSIBILITY
MS Practice - for health professionals
A series of free resources developed for health professionals & students who work with people with MS, developed by MS Australia and physiotherapy experts is now available.

HEALTHY EATING
Study Suggests Easy Access to Fast-Food Restaurants, Coupled with No Access to a Car, Prompts Weight Gain
The researchers attribute the weight variations to the fact that individuals who are less affluent and do not own cars are unable to travel the distance necessary to obtain healthier foods, resulting in overreliance on the lower-priced, higher-calorie foods available at fast-food outlets

OLDER ADULTS
Marketing and Communicating to Older Adults
This presentation from the Canadian Centre on Activity and Aging 2009 Research to Action conference provides an overview of marketing fundamentals - know your product, know your audience, have a plan - and how to apply this to the older adults market segment.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY
Disentangling the Risks Associated With Weight Status, Diet, and Physical Activity
We conclude that sufficient evidence demonstrates that the effects of weight status on cardiovascular and metabolic risk can be mediated by physical activity and CRF (5-9). As public health researchers, we should refocus our investigations to better understand the separate effects of diet and physical activity in the total population, regardless of a person’s weight status, and use the most objective measures possible. These efforts will enable us to determine the most favorable physical activity and fitness levels for all Americans to reach optimal health and prevent illness.

Validity of Self-Reported Height, Weight, and Body Mass Index: Findings From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001-2006
Men and women significantly overreport 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
Website-delivered physical activity interventions: a review of the literature
The results found some evidence suggesting that website-delivered physical activity interventions produced increased levels of physical activity. The effects of the interventions were short-term. There was limited evidence of continued changes in physical activity

URBAN DESIGN
New urban community promotes social networks and walking
This study is probably the first to show, in an academic study, such a big difference in social activity between a new urban community and a comparable suburban development. Also, it is the first to show such high rates of walking to stores.

WOMEN
Life events and changing physical activity patterns in women at different life stages
Annals of Behavioral Medicine 37(3)
See how life events can affect physical activity participation in the latest results from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

WORKPLACE
Workplace resource kit
The Western Australia Department of Sport and Recreation have produced a new resource kit for developing physical activity and health programs in the workplace. (It’s large 48.1 MB)

September 18, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Tools to Encourage Active Transportation – Kingston, ON
A report suggesting a variety of measures to encourage Kingstonians to choose active forms of transportation like walking or cycling. "Trails for Active Transportation" was developed out of a Walk & Bike for Life community workshop on Active Transportation that took place last March.

CHILDREN

Benefits of Providing SPORT 4 ALL YOUTH
Evidence that quality youth sport programs that remove the participation barriers of cost and transportation will help reduce crime, drug use, depression, and obesity.

Journal of Adolescent Health: Special Issue on Adolescent Obesity
This supplement highlights recent findings that illustrate the depth of research related to adolescent obesity prevention and its relevance for informing policy changes. The issue is free and open to the public.

Local Government Actions to Prevent Childhood Obesity
The report identifies specific actions that local (USA) governments can take to improve healthy eating and increase physical activity in communities. Highlighted are twelve policies that have the greatest potential for impact, including incentive programs to attract grocery stores to underserved areas, complete streets policies, and joint use. Many of these policies can be found in Prevention Institute’s Environmental Nutrition and Activity Community Tool (ENACT), along with tools and resources for implementation

Physical Literacy Website Launched
PHE Canada has launched a new website that targets educators and parents to support the development of physical literacy in children and youth.

SPARK Together for Healthy Kids
Spark Together for Healthy Kids is the Heart and Stroke Foundation's response to the growing epidemic of childhood obesity. This announcement also includes the release of a report card on the Heart Health of Ontario’s children.

DISABITLITY/ACCESSIBILITY

Disability Health Promotion Network
A new on-line health promotion resource from the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities (SMD). Our goal is to provide credible and timely health information for people living with disabilities and seniors living with disabilities. In the absence of the Canadian Health Network SMD thought that it was important to continue to provide an online health promotion tool for the groups of people that our organization serves.

HEALTHY EATING

The Role of the Registered Dietitian in Primary Health Care: A National Perspective
Dietitians of Canada (DC) released a report describing the integral role played by registered dietitians, as members of multi-disciplinary teams that contribute to promoting and supporting health among Canadians. The report presents evidence for the cost-effectiveness of nutrition services in the prevention and treatment of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer and heart disease.

HEALTH (GENERAL)

Health Impact Assessment e-News
Produced by the Centre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation (CHETRE), part of the Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity at the University of New South Wales, Australia.
OLDER ADULTS

Checklist of Essential Features of Age-friendly Cities
This checklist is intended to be used by individuals and groups interested in making their city more age-friendly. For the checklist to be effective, older people must be involved as full partners.

Growing Stronger - Strength Training for Older Adults
From the CDC a web-site showing a series of exercises including the warm up and cool down.

How much physical activity do older adults need?
From the CDC. As an older adult, regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It can prevent many of the health problems that seem to come with age. It also helps your muscles grow stronger so you can keep doing your day-to-day activities without becoming dependent on others.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

APHA Physical Activity Special Primary Interest Group (PA SPIG)
The groups mission is to provide a visible and credible home within APHA for PA researchers, practitioners, advocates and partners, help close the gap between science and practice, and integrate PA into APHA’s advocacy efforts.

Physical Activity for Everyone – Videos
From the CDC, these videos help explain the guidelines, give you tips on how to meet them and show you how to do muscle strengthening exercises properly.

RESEARCH TOOLS

Increasing the use of evidence in health policy: practice and views of policy makers and researchers
Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2009, 6:21
Better communication is often suggested as fundamental to increasing the use of research evidence in policy, but little is known about how researchers and policy makers work together or about barriers to exchange. This study explored the views and practice of policy makers and researchers regarding the use of evidence in policy. The paper identifies four potential strategies for increasing the use of research in policy.

URBAN DESIGN

Where We Want To Be: Home Location Preferences And Their Implications For Smart Growth
Although market surveys indicate that most North American households preferred single-family homes, they also indicate strong and growing consumer preference for smart growth features such as accessibility and modal options (reflected as short commutes and convenient walkability to local services).

September 4, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

Rosanne will be on holidays next week :) Info Round Up will return September 18.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Communities in Motion: Bringing active transportation to life
From the Federation of Municipalities and Green Municipal Fund. Learn how your municipal government can take action to integrate active transportation into your planning.

The Economic Benefits of Bicycle Infrastructure Investments
This article highlights the impact the bicycle industry and bicycle tourism can have on state and local economies, describes the need for bicycle facilities, discusses the cost effectiveness of investments, points out the benefits of bike facilities for business districts and neighborhoods, and identifies the cost savings associated with a mode shift from car to bicycle. The evidence demonstrates that investments in bicycle infrastructure make good economic sense as a cost effective way to enhance shopping districts and communities, generate tourism and support business.

CHILDREN
Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Take Action to Increase Physical Activity for Children and Youth
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, August 14, 2009 - Federal, provincial and territorial Ministers responsible for Sport, Physical Activity, and Recreation, at their annual meeting, agreed to take specific key measures to increase physical activity levels for children and youth.

Interventions for treating obesity in children
A review by Health Evidence – With a ‘strong’ review quality rating.

Physical activity in young people—Assessment and methodological issues
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2009, 12: 513-514
Learn about useful strategies to engage parents to increase physical activity in young people.

School Bicycling and Walking Policies: Addressing Policies that Hinder and Implementing Policies that Help
A tip sheet by the National Center for Safe Routes to School and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. Sept. 1, 2009

Why Kids Need Hangouts
Do kids have a hangout place in your neighborhood? If they don’t, they probably won’t spend much time there.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
Alberta Interactive Health Data Application
Provides information on health status and determinants of health. The IHDA contains many health indicators derived from various sources, in topics such as Children's Health, Chronic Disease, Demographic Patterns, Immunization Events, Injury Patterns, and Mortality Patterns in Alberta.

Systematic Literature Reviews (SLRs) from the Diet and Cancer Report
The site has been updated with all the systematic literature reviews (SLRs) that underpin the Expert Report. These SLRs were conducted by nine independent teams of scientists from institutions around the world, who carried out reviews on the different types of cancer, as well as on cancer survivors, obesity, and authoritative reports on other chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

MENTAL HEALTH
The effectiveness of exercise in the management of post-natal depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis
They conclude: Due to heterogeneity, it is uncertain whether exercise reduces symptoms of PND.

OLDER ADULTS
Expected values for pedometer-determined physical activity in older populations
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:59
The purpose of this review is to update expected values for pedometer-determined physical activity in free-living healthy older populations.

National Seniors Australia- Promoting Productive Ageing Online
Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot today officially launched two online tools developed by National Seniors Australia to help recognize and promote productive ageing in Australia. The Productive Ageing Centre website and The Atlas of Productive Ageing.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Correspondence of perceived vs. objective proximity to parks and their relationship to park-based physical activity
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:53
Poor levels of correspondence were observed between self-reported and objective proximity to parks, but certain individual, neighborhood, and park variables increased the likelihood of a participant being aware of local parks. Future research should examine how people conceptualize parks and what urban and park planners can do to increase awareness and use of these community assets.

New Zealand Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2009 - 2015

URBAN DESIGN
Applying health impact assessment to land transport planning
The New Zealand Transport Agency has released a report that examines the application and incorporation of a health impact assessment into transportation planning in New Zealand.

Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Housing Values in U.S. Cities
The report, analyzed data from 94,000 real estate transactions in 15 major markets provided by ZipRealty found that in 13 of the 15 markets, higher levels of walkability, as measured by Walk Score, were directly linked to higher home values.

WOMEN
Girls Only Incentive Program
Its goal is to facilitate the development of new sport programs that are tailored specifically to the needs of girls and women in communities across BC. The project provides workshops and seed funding to BC communities to aid in the implementation of girls only programming.

WORKPLACE
British Heart Foundation – Health at Work website
The website replaces the old Think fit! website, and has been redesigned with a new, fresh, vibrant look, easier navigation, lots of new content and exciting features.

The website contains up-to-date information on physical activity, healthy eating and mental wellbeing, plus lots of ideas, practical tools and downloads for the workplace health promoter to create a health club at work.

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.

July 10, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Air Pollution and Activity During Transportation by Car, Subway, and Walking
American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume 37, Issue 1, Pages 72-77 (July 2009)
Driving cars was associated with less physical activity but not necessarily less exposure to PM2.5 than riding subways or walking in an urban environment. These effect sizes and variances can be used to design larger experiments assessing the health effects of urban transportation

Economic Value of Walkability
This paper describes ways to evaluate the value of walking (the activity) and walkability (the quality of walking conditions, including safety, comfort and convenience). Walking and walkability provide a variety of benefits, including basic mobility, consumer cost savings, cost savings (reduced external costs), efficient land use, community livability, improved fitness and public health, economic development, and support for equity objectives. Current transportation planning practices tend to undervalue walking. More comprehensive analysis techniques, described in this paper, are likely to increase public support for walking and other nonmotorized modes of travel.

The Effect of On-Street Parking on Cyclist Route Choice and the Operational Behaviour of Cyclists and Motorists (US)
The models indicate that on-street parking has a significant impact on motorist and cyclist position; a bike lane combined with a buffer space is the only way to completely remove cyclists from the door zone, and operationally, a bicycle lane is more effective than a wide outside lane. They also note that the empirical models indicate that travel time is the most important attribute for commuters in choosing their routes. These factors also impact bicyclists’ route choice: traffic volume; speed limit; on-street parking characteristics; bicycle route continuity; number of stop signs, red lights, and cross streets; and roadway terrain.

Footfalls: Obstacle Course To Livable Cities
This study provides Detailed analysis of walking conditions in Indian cities. This analysis indicates that walkability is overlooked and undervalued in transport planning, and that improved walkability is justified for equity and efficiency sake. It provides specific recommendations for improving walking conditions to address a variety of planning objectives.

Google Transit
Plan a trip anywhere in the world using transit. This is great!! And the street maps of the cities they provide are good too.

Valuing the Health Benefits of Active Transport Modes
This report seeks to provide a per-kilometre value for the health benefits of active transport modes (such as walking and cycling) that is compatible with the Land Transport New Zealand Economic Evaluation Manual. The first two sections of the report begin by explaining the scope of the project and the background. Section 3 investigates the evidence of the connection between physical activity and health outcomes. Section 4 clarifies the role of active transport modes as physical activity, and reports the New Zealand-specific data about active transport mode engagement. Section 5 gives a brief comparative summary of the literature review of cost-benefit analyses and valuation techniques used overseas to value the health benefits of active modes.

walkON
walkON is a community partnership of Heart Health projects from Central West Ontario. We offer a menu of program activities to engage the community in the creation of environments that support walking.

CHILDREN
An Injury Prevention Perspective on the Childhood Obesity Epidemic
Prev Chronic Dis 2009;6(3).
The purpose of this paper is to initiate discourse on the value of including injury prevention and control as part of public health strategies to increase physical activity among youth. This article describes the connection between injury prevention and physical activity, proposes the benefits of using an injury prevention framework when developing physical activity interventions, and recommends that an injury prevention perspective on the childhood obesity epidemic be used to guide future research.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
Data base of Multicultural Health Publications
Compiled by the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY
Patterns of Physical Activity Among Overweight and Obese Adults
Prev Chronic Dis 2009;6(3).The authors found differences in physical activity patterns by demographic characteristics, day, and time of day. Weekend mornings may be an opportune time to promote additional physical activity.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Healthy Lifestyles for people with learning disabilities: Physical Activity & Diet
A discussion of current research including an annotated bibliography.

New WHO Physical Activity web-site


URBAN DESIGN
Active Living Case Studies
In response to the increasing evidence linking urban planning to low levels of community participation in physical activity, the New South Wales Premier's Council for Active Living (PCAL) has developed a web-based resource Designing Places for Active Living.


The Built Environment and Health: A Review
In general, a planning and development scheme that concentrates growth and creates mixeduse, pedestrian friendly neighbourhoods has been found to be associated with improved health outcomes for many of these impact areas, particularly for physical activity, obesity and associated conditions.

iCANwalk
iCANwalk is a collaboration of partners who support the development of walkable communities. We believe that together, we can build sustainable, walkable communities that will improve the health of our citizens, our children and our environment.

National Geographic Virtual World – The New Suburb?
Interactive site plus resources.

WOMEN
Unequal Opportunities, Unequal Outcomes
In 2008, CAAWS conducted a series of cross-Canada focus groups with low socioeconomic status (LSES) mothers and community physical activity promoters to identify barriers that prevent and/or limit participation of LSES mothers in physical activity within their communities. The findings are contained in a comprehensive report that also includes solutions to improve accessibility, availability and affordability of physical activity and sport programs for LSES mothers.