Physical Activity Update | Eat Smart, Move More…NC

The holiday season is almost here! And while ‘tis the season to be jolly, for many of us it is also a season of busy schedules, crowded stores, and yes – unhealthy eating habits. These habits, along with less time spent being active over the holidays, lead to added pounds to worry about each year when the ball drops in Times Square and we start making resolutions to undo all the damage of the previous seven weeks.

But it doesn’t have to be that way this year! With a series of feasts and celebrations just around the corner, now is the time to challenge ourselves to maintain our weight this holiday season.

The Eat Smart, Move More – Maintain, Don’t Gain Holiday Challenge is for everyone and designed to help participants reach a goal of maintaining their weight during the holiday season. The Holiday Challenge will run Nov. 13 - Dec 31 (the week before Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve), and all Eat Smart, Move More partners are invited to promote the challenge with the populations with whom they work, and to participate themselves.
Starting October 31, those wishing to participate can sign up at www.MyEatSmartMoveMoreNC.com

The Holiday Challenge Components include:

Evergreen articles for local newspapers
A weekly electronic newsletter that will include strategies, tips, recipes and much more. Topics include:
Stress and relationship to eating - coping strategies
Strategies for eating healthy when entertaining or being entertained
Physical activity ideas
Cooking tips, recipes, healthy substitutions for baking
Healthy gift ideas
How to set achievable resolutions
A discussion board that will allow participants to chat with others across the state taking the Challenge and to share strategies and provide moral support. Participants can also ask the experts their questions.
Downloadable tools to help participants succeed (food diary, weight log, activity log, etc.)
A weekly interactive poll

If you are hosting local events in the coming weeks and would like to promote the challenge or if you would like additional information, please contact Bithiah Lafontant, Healthy Weight Communications Specialist, at Bithiah.lafontant@ncmail.net or call 919-707-5223.

New features Added to the Health Care Section of the ESMM…NC Web Site

In addition to the Patient Education Packets for Practitioners and the Big Five Prescription Pads, the following resources have been added for the Health Care setting they are Medical Nutrition Therapy Protocol for Children and Youth from the ECU, Pediatric Healthy Weight Research and Treatment Center, a link to the American Dietetic Association’s Nationwide Nutrition Network Resource and motivational interviewing tools and training for health care professionals.

For more information on these available resources visit this link.

County Rankings Released

As a companion piece to support the recently released Eat Smart, Move More County Profiles, the N.C. Division of Public Health has released a ranking of the state’s counties and regions by the percentage of residents who are either overweight or obese.

Using 2005 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), North Carolina counties or regions were ranked from highest to lowest according to the Body Mass Index (BMI) of those surveyed.

The rankings also list the counties and regions by the percentage of residents who eat five or more fruits and vegetables per day, and the percentage of who met physical activity recommendations.

For more information about the report go to this site.

Programs, Projects and Initiatives

Request for Physical Education Success Stories

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health would like to document physical education (PE) successes of schools and districts and share these stories nationally. They are looking for success stories of schools and/or school districts that have increased time for PE or maintained the recommended number of minutes spent in PE (150 minutes per week for elementary schools and 225 minutes per week for secondary
schools). While the CDC recognizes that other efforts to improve general physical activity/fitness are important, they are only interested in PE initiatives at this time. This information will help others in efforts to promote and increase time for PE in schools.

Please provide contact information (name, e-mail and phone number preferred) for individuals who can be contacted over the summer to describe the success story and relay information about the process and parties involved. There is no need to describe the success at this time, just a contact person and information so that they can be contacted later regarding the specifics. Please feel free to forward this request to others.

Contact information should be forwarded to: Tracy A. Fox, MPH, RD; President, Food, Nutrition & Policy Consultants, LLC; 5927 Beech Ave.; Bethesda, MD 20817; phone: 301-564-0737; cell: 301-922-3570; fax: 301-564-5984; tracyfox@comcast.net
(From NCPPA News October 3, 2006).

President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) Science Board Award Nominations

The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) is calling for nominations for the PCPFS Honor Award.

This award is given annually to an academic or research professional who has made a major contribution to the advancement and promotion of the science of physical activity, in addition to being an advocate of the PCPFS’ mission. Nominations must be submitted electronically to the PCPFS office by November 15, 2006. For more information go to this site
(From NCPPA News October 3, 2006).

School Health Index Training Manual Now Available

The Division of Adolescent and School Health is pleased to announce the release of the School Health Index Training Manual.

This manual is a packaged set of materials for conducting trainings or presentations on the School Health Index: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide (SHI). It provides detailed materials and resources on how to implement the SHI in schools. Users can select the most appropriate sections of the manual and customize those components to best suit their needs. The manual includes detailed scripts to facilitate an SHI training and seven powerpoint presentations with additional resources for SHI planning include:

Tips on how to form a school health team
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Draft letter of support
Sample training agendas
Trainer’s checklist
Presentation tips
Icebreakers

Designed for use at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, the SHI has already helped thousands of schools around the country to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their school health programs and policies, prioritize actions for improvement, and develop a team approach to implementing school guidelines recommendations. It addresses physical activity, healthy eating, tobacco-use prevention, unintentional injury and violence prevention, and asthma. The SHI is a user-friendly, confidential means of engaging the people who know your school best, to improve the health and well-being of your students and staff often at little or no financial cost!

This manual is intended to be used in conjunction with the School Health Index which can be completed interactively, downloaded, or printed from the web site at this site. Hard copies will be available to order free of charge in late 2006.

Success Stories

State Health Director Signs Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Policy

As part of the NC Department of Health and Human Services Health Smart staff wellness initiative, Dr. Leah Devlin led a large group of Division of Public Health employees on a walk for the inaugural Move More Monday at noon Monday, October 16th.

Devlin kicked off the event by signing the Division’s landmark Physical Activity and Healthy Eating policy, which adopted Eat Smart, Move More: North Carolina’s Plan to Prevent Obesity and other Chronic Diseases as the Division’s official plan to stem the rising tide of obesity.

“The Division is a role model for every other state agency, non-profit and for-profit business in our state,” said Devlin. “This new state plan will help all of us work toward our goal of a healthier North Carolina.”
The policy Devlin signed proclaims that meetings will include physical activity breaks as well as healthy foods and beverages participation in Division worksite wellness activities and facilities on the main campus will be supported by Division management.

The Division has a stairwell initiative, funded by and modeled after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s initiative. The Division also has walking maps available for employees to use to get physical activity at the various Division worksites.

Devlin initiated Move More Mondays as an ongoing effort to model healthy behaviors among Division employees. Move More Mondays will continue every Monday at noon at the Six Forks offices in Raleigh. Similar Move More events are being planned for other DPH worksites.

For more information go to this site

Featured Resources and Research

Safe Routes to School National Partnership

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is a fast-growing network of non-profit organizations, government agencies, and professional groups that are working to set goals, share best practices, secure funding, and provide detailed policy input to agencies implementing the Safe Routes to School national movement. Membership in the partnership is free. Please encourage other organizations, schools, businesses, and government agencies to join the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. It’s easy to join on the Bikes Belong website.

Primary funding for the Safe Routes to School National Partnership has been generously provided by the Bikes Belong Coalition. (From Safe Routes to Schools E-news Issue #11: October 2006)

Institute of Medicine Report Criticizes Slow Progress on Childhood Obesity

The nation is beginning to grasp the severity of the childhood obesity epidemic but efforts to effectively address the problem, including increasing mandatory physical education and reducing junk food in schools, remain mostly fragmented and small in scale, far short of the comprehensive action endorsed by Institute of Medicine experts in 2004, according to a report released on September 13th.

Government agencies, schools, and most parents have not yet grasped the gravity of increased rates of diabetes, heart disease, and other illnesses that are sure to follow a rise in obesity, says the report.

“We are still not doing enough to prevent childhood obesity, and the problem is getting worse,” says Jeffrey P. Koplan, MD, chairman of a panel that wrote the report and a former director of the CDC. For more information go to this site
From PE4life Newsletter - Fall 2006.

Special Report: Schools Play Key Role in Preventing Childhood Obesity
The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports has issued a special report entitled, The Role of Schools in Preventing Childhood Obesity. Physical education is a key focus area in the report, which outlines ten evidence-based strategies, including “Implement a High Quality Physical Education Course of Study.”

The report is available at this site. (From PE4life Newsletter - Fall 2006)

New Eat Smart Play Hard Web Pages

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service launched two new web pages that will help kids, parents, and caregivers put the new Dietary Guidelines and My Pyramid recommendations into action.

The Eat Smart Play Hard kids’ web page provides kids with interactive learning and skill-building experiences in a virtual community setting, and encourages and motivates them to make better lifestyle choices using kid-friendly, entertaining techniques. For more information go to this site.

The New Healthy Lifestyle Web Page

The New Healthy Lifestyle web page provides parents and other caregivers with tools for healthy living including low cost menus and recipes that meet the new dietary guidelines. For more information on these menus and recipes go to this site.
SCCOPE News and Updates, 9/21/06 - (From University of South Carolina Prevention Research Center Notes 10/2/06).

Neighborhood Physical Activity Questionnaire

The Neighborhood Physical Activity Questionnaire (NPAQ) was designed to differentiate between recreation and transport walking both inside and outside of the neighborhood and to establish an overall index of physical activity behavior. The NPAQ was designed to overcome three specific challenges: The instrument had to capture walking levels locally, be a stable measure of habitual exercise and differentiate between recreational and transport walking.

The NPAQ was modeled on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Active Australia Survey. A sample of 82 faculty and staff from local universities participated in a test-retest reliability study. The study concluded that the NPAQ is reliable for studies on environmental correlates of walking within the neighborhood. The tool reliably measures walking and total physical activity and can differentiate between recreation and transportation related walking inside and outside the neighborhood. Giles-Corti B, Temperio A, Cutt H, Pikora T, et al. Development of a reliable measure of walking within and outside the local neighborhood: RESIDE’s Neighborhood Physical Activity Questionnaire. Preventive Medicine, 42(1):455-459, 2006.
(From University of South Carolina Prevention Center Research Notes 10/2/06)

Public Heath and Built Environment

A report entitled “Understanding the Relationship between Public Health and the Built Environment” presents a comprehensive picture of the elements of the built environment that have the greatest positive impact on these public health outcomes based on research. The report focuses on five public health topics - respiratory and cardiovascular health, fatal and non-fatal injuries, physical activity, social capital and mental health. One chapter focuses on physical activity and the relationship between the built environment and rates of walking, cycling and mass transit. The report was prepared for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to help prepare of a rating system for neighborhoods called LEED-ND (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development). The report can be downloaded at this site. SCOPE News and Updates, 9/21/06
(From University of South Carolina Prevention Center Research Notes 10/2/06).

Community Guide PA Recommendations

Three new summary sheets have been added to the website for The Guide to Community Preventive Services about policy and environmental approaches to promoting physical activity. These documents summarize the findings concerning street-scale and community scale urban design and land use policies and practices and transportation and travel policies and practices. A detailed report on the evidence and findings appears in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 3(Suppl 1):S55-S76, 2006. To view the new summary sheets, go to this link.
(From University of South Carolina Prevention Research Center Notes 10/2/06).

Building Healthy Communities for Older Adults

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with partner organizations across the country, is developing a national pilot program called “Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging,” to recognize communities that factor into community planning, environmental considerations and the need for older adults to be physically active. The goal of the program is to raise awareness about the importance of linking smart growth with the need for and desire by older adults to be physically active. For more information about the program, go to this link. (From University of South Carolina Prevention Research Center Notes 10/2/06).

Study: Physical Activity Program Proves Effective

The evidence base on programs that help middle-aged and older adults improve their levels of physical activity behaviors critical to health and independence in later life is growing. But research-based programs are not widely implemented and evaluated in real world settings that strive to reach more diverse population groups than those that take part in highly controlled research studies. However, researchers are now finding that two programs, Active Living Every Day and Active Choices, can be effective when offered through community-based organizations that reach adults from a variety of racial, economic and geographic backgrounds. For more information go to this link. (From NCPPA News October 3, 2006)

One Third of U.S. Kids Are Out of Shape

A third of U.S. adolescents are unfit, according to a landmark analysis of health data, and experts say it’s time to get them moving. Russell Pate, professor of exercise science at the University of South Carolina, and colleagues based their conclusion on the number of kids who wear out quickly on a basic treadmill test. The researchers also found that overweight teens are more likely to fail a cardiovascular fitness test than those at a normal weight, and males are slightly more likely to meet the fitness standard than females. The team examined data on 3,287 boys and girls, ages 12 to 19, taken from a large government survey. To read the article, go to this site (From NCPPA News October 3, 2006)

Exercise Boosts Recovery for Arthritis Patients

Weight training and cardiovascular exercise may be just the ticket for patients who are preparing for knee- or hip-replacement surgery, a new study suggests. Those patients who took part in one-hour exercise regimens just three times a week were 73 percent less likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation center after their surgery, researchers found. Only 12 of 36 patients who took part in the exercise had to enter the rehab centers, compared to 23 of 43 patients who didn’t exercise, said study author Daniel Rooks, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. While the study is small, Rooks said, “The benefits of exercise before surgery are very clear. The more you can do for yourself physically before surgery, the better off you are.

“It’s no secret that physically fit people are better able to tolerate osteoarthritis”, Rooks said. For more information go to this link.
(From NCPPA News October 3, 2006)

BRFSS

The publication of “Health Risks Among North Carolina Adults: 2005” on the web at this link

Community Trails Facilitate Physical Activity

A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine finds that people who use community trails at least once week are two times more likely to meet daily exercise recommendations than those who rarely or never use trails. For more information go to this site
(HealthDay reports, from RWFJ News Digest 10/20/06)

NFL Launches Campaign to Increase Activity Among Children

The National Football League (NFL) is launching an anti-obesity campaign encouraging children to be more physically active, the Associated Press reports.

For more information go to this link. (From RWFJ News Digest 10/20/06)

National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO),
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) in collaboration with The Foundation Center, tracks funding opportunities that can support public health activities. In September, NACCHO focused on foundations that list school health as a focus area. To access state-by-state information about school health funders go to this link.
(From Action for Healthy Kids October 2006 Funding Alert)

Legislation

No updates at this time.

Grants

Protective Life Corporation Foundation

Deadline is November 10th, 2006

The Protective Foundation, the philanthropic arm of insurance company Protective Life Corporation, makes grants for projects addressing the following issues: education, health and health initiatives, human services, youth, youth-at-risk, united way, arts and culture, and civic and community.

The foundation has four funding cycles annually and the next deadline is November 10th. For application criteria and instructions go to this link.
(From Action for Healthy Kids October 2006 Funding Alert)

Grants Available to Promote Healthy School Communities

Applications are due to ASCD by November 15, 2006

The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) will award 10 grants of $10,000 each to help schools and communities work together to create a healthy school environment. The selected schools will demonstrate the capacity for best practice in leadership and instruction, support comprehensive health programs, and create strong collaborations with other community institutions.

The grant program is part of ASCD’s worldwide effort to promote the integration of health and learning and the benefits of school-community partnerships. Grantees will assess the health-related aspects of the learning environment and use the results for school improvement and community engagement. They will participate in a study to identify the key indicators of success.

School communities will receive technical assistance and become part of a Healthy School Communities network.

Grant applications are available online, for more information about the application process, contact Theresa Lewallen, director, at 1-703-575-5622 or through email. (From Safe Routes to Schools E-news Issue #11: October 2006)

Bikes Belong Offers Grants to Promote Bicycling

Deadline for Applications: November 27, 2006 (4 deadlines per year)
Bikes Belong, a national coalition of bicycle suppliers and retailers, administers a grants program designed “to put more people on bicycles more often.”

The grants program accepts and funds applications for three types of projects, facilities; education; and advocacy.

All proposals must address the goals of the grants program strategic plan , encourage ridership growth, promote bicycling, build political support, leverage funding, and support bicycle advocacy; address the project objectives of the facility, education, or advocacy funding categories; and propose a specific program or project that is measurable. Bikes Belong will not fund general operating costs.

The Bikes Belong Coalition welcomes grant applications from organizations and agencies within the United States that are committed to putting more people on bicycles more often. For the education and facility categories, Bikes Belong will accept applications from nonprofit organizations; and from public agencies and departments at the national, state, regional, and local levels. For the advocacy category, Bikes Belong will only fund organizations whose mission is expressly related to bicycle advocacy.

Bikes Belong accepts requests for grants of up to $10,000 each. Bikes Belong reviews applications on a quarterly cycle. For more information go to this link.
(From NCPPA News October 3, 2006)

Hamburger Helper Announces Grant Program for Local Communities Across America

Deadline for Applications: May 31, 2007

Hamburger Helper, a General Mills food brand, is looking to lend a “helping hand” to neighborhoods across the United States with its “My Hometown Helper” grant program.

Individuals from communities and organizations across America can submit a written essay describing how the My Hometown Helper grant would help improve their community project.

Examples of possible community projects include: lights or bleachers for baseball, soccer, or football fields; playground equipment for a park; new uniforms for Little League teams, etc. Applicants can request a one-time award of between $500 and $15,000 during any single month. All requests for funding must be sponsored by a municipal or civic organization or public school.

The program will award “helping hand” grants each month from online applications received through May 2007. Applications will be evaluated monthly. Funds will be awarded based on the merit of the project, including its impact on and support within the community. For more information on the “My Hometown Helper” program and complete guidelines, visit the program’s web site at this link.
(From NCPPA News October 3, 2006)

Baseball Tomorrow Fund Offers Support for Youth Baseball and Softball Programs

Deadline for Letters of Inquiry: Open

The Baseball Tomorrow Fund is a joint initiative between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association designed to promote and enhance the growth of youth participation in baseball and softball. Grants are intended to finance a new program, expand or improve an existing program, undertake a new collaborative effort, or obtain facilities or equipment necessary for youth baseball or softball programs.

Projects must meet the following criteria, increase the number of youth participating in baseball and softball programs, improve the quality of youth baseball and softball programs; create new or innovative ways of expanding and improving baseball or softball programs; are able to match funds for programs; provide programs for children between the ages of 10 and 16; support existing programs that have demonstrated success in providing a quality youth baseball/softball experience; and address opportunities for minorities and women.

Nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations involved in youth baseball programs are encouraged to submit a Letter of Inquiry. Selected applicants are then invited to submit a full application. Grants are awarded on a quarterly basis. For information go to this link (From NCPPA News October 3, 2006).

Training and Professional Development

Get Your Team Ready to Attend PE4life Academy Training

It’s time to start building your team to attend a PE4life Academy training session.

Attending PE4life Academy training can change how key stakeholders in your school and community view physical education and positively impact the lives of school children.

PE4life Academies are school-based, exemplary daily physical education programs that focus on lifetime, health-related physical activity and fitness. The academies serve all youth within the school, not just the athletically-inclined, and provide training to school and community leaders in the development of their own PE4life programs.

“The organization, time management, structure and overall PE classes at the PE4life Academy …have made a vital difference in the way physical education is taught in our school and how our PE teachers are viewed as educators,” according to Misti Mitchell-Bain, Physical Education teacher, Comanche, OK.

If you are interested in applying for a PE4life Academy Training Scholarship, sponsored by Prince Sports, please contact Carrie Gibson at cgibson@pe4life.org.

Information on dates, locations, and pricing for PE4life Academy training can be found at this site — From PE4life Newsletter - Fall 2006)

Active Aging

November 15-17, 2006
Las Vegas, Nevada

The 4th Annual ICAA Conference: Active Aging 2006 will be held November 15-17, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. For conference brochure and more information, go to this site

(From University of South Carolina Prevention Research Center Notes 10/2/06

Active Living Research Annual Conference

February 22-24, 2007
Coronado, California

We are pleased to announce the Active Living Research Annual Conference scheduled on February 22-24, 2007 in Coronado, California. The conference theme is “Active Living in Diverse Communities” and the presentations will share various perspectives related to economics, crime, culture, etc., and will focus on the prevention of obesity in communities, neighborhoods, children, and families.

Early conference registration fee is $375.00 ($250.00 for students) if registered by January 12, 2007. Participation space is limited.