February 5, 2010

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

January 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.

December 18, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

October 30, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

COMMUNITY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 15, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
3 Videos of the Trondheim (Norway) Bicycle Escalator/Elevator
Basic Information
More Details
A Family’s First Attempt

Active Travel Publications
A range of Active Travel information sheets and publications are available to download. There are lots of great resources here – be sure to check it out!

CHILDREN
Activity Guide for Recreation Leaders: Asset-Building Nutritional and Physical Activity Program Ideas for Children Ages 6 to 12
This provides 32 ready-to-use asset-building activities, eight activity sheets, eight newsletters, and six handouts that encourage elementary-age children to eat healthy and be physically active.

Healthy lives, brighter futures: The strategy for children and young people’s health
Physical activity and exercise is mentioned quite a few times and chapters 4 and 5.

Researchers Develop Text Message System to Encourage Physical Activity Among Teens
Researchers at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles have devised a system that monitors the physical activity levels of teens and can send cell phone text messages to encourage them to be more active......

Why play?
Why play? is the latest in the series of information leaflets including Why Walk?, Why Cycle?, Get Cycling and Cycling with Children, and explains why active outdoor play is essential for children, including facts and suggestions.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
A Back Injury Prevention Guide for Health Care Workers
The practical suggestions in this guide are focused on orderlies, attendants, nurses, nursing assistants and others who actually lift and move patients and residents.

Ambitions for health: a strategic framework for maximising the potential of social marketing and health-related behaviour.
This framework sets out plans to make sure that policy development and public health interventions are informed by an understanding of what motivates people. It constitutes the (UK) Government's response to It's Our Health!, and sets out how social marketing and other behavioural change activities will be used to put the consumer at the heart of health improvement and delivery.

Health Inequities Educational Video from BC Health Authority
The video features commentary from Vancouver Coastal Health staff and stories from local residents about how the social determinants of health impact their lives.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY
Obesity Among U.S. Adults Continues to Rise
The proportion of U.S. adults who are obese increased to 26.1 percent in 2008 compared to 25.6 percent in 2007.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Building health: creating and enhancing places for healthy, active lives - what needs to be done?
Some people are determined to keep fit and physically active, and will find ways to be active even when special facilities and physical space are either non-existent or inappropriate. But most of us are physically active only when certain social and environmental conditions are in place. Health promotion is about making healthy choices the easy choices. Building Health is a timely report which clearly outlines the current problems and, more importantly, makes practical recommendations for building for health and active living.

Get active, getting there!
This new public information leaflet introduces the benefits of walking and cycling for health, transport and pleasure.

Physical Activity Resources
From the South East Public Health Observatory (UK). Lots of information here, including many different resource publications.

Reasons for Urban Trail Use Predict Levels of Trail-Related Physical Activity
Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 6(4), July 2009.

This study examined whether reasons for trail use predict levels of physical activity on urban trails. Reasons for trail use significantly predicted recreational but not transportation activity. Recreational trail activity was greater for participants who reported exercise and health reasons for trail use as compared with other reasons (ie, social interaction, enjoying nature) for recreational trail use.

Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet: England, February 2009
The NHS Information Centre’s third report on obesity, physical activity and diet includes, for the first time, information on attitudes towards and knowledge about leading a healthy lifestyle for both adults and children. This includes information on how much physical activity should be done, barriers towards doing more physical activity, knowledge of the recommended daily number of portions of fruit and vegetables and attitudes towards a healthy diet.

Walking the way to Health
WHI (Walking the way to Health Initiative) is for everyone with an interest in walking for health. We offer information, support and encouragement to complete beginners, existing walkers and health and leisure professionals.

URBAN DESIGN
'Tell us something we don't already know or do!' - The response of planning and transport professionals to public health guidance on the built environment and physical activity
Journal of Public Health Policy, 30(1): 102-116, 2009.

Researchers analyzed planning and transport practitioners' perceptions and responses to government public health guidance aimed at modifying environmental factors to promote physical activity. Researchers found that evidence-based public health guidance is a new voice in urban and town planning, although much of the advice is already reflected by the 'accepted wisdom' of these professions.

WORKPLACE
Active Travel Workplace Toolkit
The Active Travel Workplace Toolkit is a UK-wide resource designed to help organizations encourage their employees to walk and cycle to work, thus helping improve health, reduce absenteeism and increase productivity.

LEAN works! Leading Employees to Activity and Nutrition
CDC's LEAN Works! Leading Employees to Activity and Nutrition" is a FREE web-based resource that offers interactive tools and evidence-based resources to design effective worksite obesity prevention and control programs, including an obesity cost calculator to estimate how much obesity is costing your company and how much savings your company could reap with different workplace interventions.

June 26, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Bike Belles
This website aims to dispel the myths and barriers that sometimes prevent girls from cycling.

Cycling awareness
From the London Telegraph…. “Cyclists were encouraged to slow down thanks to this crater-sized 'hole' in the middle of a towpath. But the hole is an optical illusion, a three-dimensional drawing of a canyon, in an attempt to make careless cyclists hit the brakes rather than ride dangerously and ignore pedestrians..."

Cyclist Harassment A Misdemeanor in Columbia (MO)
Harassment of bicyclists, including shouting threats and honking for the purpose of frightening a cyclist (is now) a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by $1,000 fine or a year in jail.

Town Hall Presentation
10-minute video featuring Dan Burden of Walkable Communities, Inc.;

Way To Go, Seattle!
Way to Go, Seattle! is the City’s umbrella for all of our various, coordinated efforts to increase walking, biking, transit use, carpooling and other eco ways to get around. We’re your resource for Seattle’s “drive less” programs, as well as useful tools and tips to help you get around without driving.

CHILDREN
Bones4Life
The site is divided into two sections. One section is designed for teachers and hosts a variety of resources to use in the classroom to educate children about bone health. The second section is for children and provides interactive games and quizzes to enhance their learning of bone health.

The Built Environment: Designing Communities to Promote Physical Activity in Children
The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a strong policy statement that encourages pediatricians to advocate for policy changes to enable children to safely walk and bicycle in their communities.

CONFERENCES
AICR Annual Research Conference on Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer
November 5th & 6th 2009. This year’s topics include: Challenges of conducting dietary clinical trials; Nutrition and behavior in cancer survivorship; Phytochemicals in herbs, spices and fruits; Bioenergetics and cancer; Turning cancer prevention policy into action and Physical activity and cancer.

International Congress on Physical Activity and Public Health
May 5th – 8th 2010. The 3rd in a series of Congresses organized to better understand the research, public policies and programs pertaining to the complex relationships between physical activity and health.

Knowledge Transfer: Some Assembly Required
September 30th - October 2nd 2009. Hosted by the Health Research Network of Alberta. With the help of our expert speakers and each other, we will explore and gain an appreciation for complexity theory and complex adaptive systems and what this tells us about knowledge transfer or translation (KT), learn what tools and techniques can help facilitate KT, learn how to develop KT plans and how to assess them, and discover how we might measure the success of our KT efforts.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
Institute of Wellbeing
Launched June 11th, 2009. Their signature product - the Canadian Index of Wellbeing -will track Canada’s progress and provide a set of indicators in eight interconnected categories that will enable us to see whether we are better or worse off than we used to be, whether we will leave the world a better or worse place for the generations that follow, and what we need to change to achieve a better outcome.

MENTAL HEALTH
Guidance for Occupational therapy and physical activity interventions to promote the mental wellbeing of older people in primary care and residential care
This guidance is for all those involved in promoting older people's mental wellbeing. It focuses on practical support for everyday activities, based on occupational therapy principles and methods.

Youth Beyond Blue
A new youth mental health website to help raise awareness of symptoms of depression and anxiety, and to help youth get help. See factsheet #7 and #12 for information related to physical activity.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
A Systematic Review of the Evidence Base for Developing a Physical Activity and Health Legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
This systematic review sets out the lessons learned from the best available international evidence. It will enable us to work with greater confidence towards securing a true and lasting health and physical activity legacy from the 2012 Games.

BCPRA Physical Activity Strategy Seasonal Newsletter
Spring 2009 version of the BC Recreation and Parks Association newsletter. While visiting their website, you can also learn about how your community can support inactive adults with regular physical activity.

Early management of persistent non-specific low back pain
With regards to physical activity and exercise, this guidance recommends advising patients to stay physically active and to carry on with normal activities as far as possible.

Weighing it Up
The Australian Government's response to obesity, including several physical activity recommendations.

URBAN DESIGN
City Dwellers Worldwide Healthier than Suburban Counterparts
"No matter which country you are in, new research finds those who live in an urban neighborhood are twice as likely to be physically active the those in the suburbs. According to a San Diego State University study published in this month's American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the biggest single factor influencing physical activity around the world is accessibility to sidewalks.

Public Spaces & Public Life Perth 2009
The surveys document urban change over time and provide empirical evidence of the significant improvement in city life that result from the increase of public space quality. This study analyses the evolution of public space in Perth city centre, contrasting survey data collected in 2008/09 with their seminal study of 1993/94.

WORKPLACE
Determinants of participation in worksite health promotion programmes: a systematic review.
International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2009, 6:26
this review found that worksite health promotion programs that provide 1) incentives; 2) offer a multi-component strategy: and 3) focus on multiple behaviors rather than on physical activity only have a higher participation level.

Improving Diet and Physical Activity with ALIVE: A Worksite Randomized Trial
American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume 36, Issue 6, Pages 475-483 (June 2009)
An RCT, conducted in 2006, of a 16-week e-mail program offered individually tailored, small-step goals; a personal homepage with tips; educational materials; and tracking and simulation tools.

Workplace Wellness Programs: Benefits
A USA Today news article titled: Cost-conscious companies re-evaluate wellness programs. “Companies, desperate to slice fat from their budgets during this recession, increasingly are targeting workplace wellness programs ……”