Physical Activity Update | Eat Smart, Move More…NC

The Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch of the NC Division of Public Health is proud to announce a new resource – Move More North Carolina: A Guide to Stairwell Initiatives.
Stairwell initiatives promote using the stairs as a way to incorporate physical activity into daily life. Taking the stairs is encouraged through a variety of physical improvements including paint, lighting and artwork, as well as point-of-decision prompts such as promotional signs. Stairwell initiatives are being adopted by organizations across the state, including the N.C. Legislative Building, and are a great way of incorporating physical activity into the workday of employees who work in multi-floor buildings. For more information go to this link.

Programs, Projects and Initiatives

Building Partnerships for Healthy Communities Teleconference

Recreation Resources Service is hosting a teleconference entitled “Building Partnerships for Healthy Communities” on December 6 from 9 am until noon. Speakers include Maggie Sauer from Duke University Medical Center, Jennifer MacDougall, from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, and representatives from various partnerships statewide. Sites are located statewide and cost to attend is $30.00. For more information and to download the registration information:
go to this site.

Active Options: New Fitness Database for Seniors

Active Options, a national online database of physical fitness programs for older adults, is seeking to build its collection of North Carolina physical fitness programs for older adults. Local and state leaders are working to enroll communities and gather information about available programs. Active Options is a project of The National Council on the Aging (NCOA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the CDC’s Healthy Aging Research Network (HAN). In North Carolina, Active Options is a project of the NC Healthy Aging Network. (NCAGING e-newsletter, November 2006, Issue 66, UNC Institute on Aging Information Center)
To find out more, including how to enter program data, please visit: this site.

Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s School Program

Formed in May 2005, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation – a joint initiative of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association – is working to eliminate childhood obesity and inspire young people in the United States to develop lifelong, healthy habits. The Alliance’s overarching goal is to stop the increase in childhood obesity in the United States by 2010 and reduce its prevalence by 2015.

To enhance the health of their school environments, schools can access the Alliance’s Healthy School Builder to help them identify what aspects of a healthier school environment they already have in place and where there is room for improvement.

Additionally, schools can email Schools@HealthierGeneration.org or call 1-888- KID- HLTH with additional questions or requests. The Alliance also offers all schools the opportunity to be nationally recognized for their overall healthy school environments through improved nutrition in foods sold; increase in physical education and activity before, during and after the school day; nutrition education; and staff wellness programs. Safe Routes to School activities can be applied towards meeting the recognition criteria for physical activity. Any school in the United States can apply for recognition online at this site, or for more information go to this site.

Success Stories

Perquimans Schools Superintendent Honored for Health Efforts

November 01, 2006 - State health officials honored Perquimans Schools Superintendent Ken Wells for his initiatives to make schools healthier environments for students and employees.

Wells was named this year’s Healthy Schools Superintendent of the Year by the North Carolina Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. He accepted his award on November 17th at the Alliance’s 59th annual convention in Greensboro.

The Perquimans School Health Advisory Council nominated Wells for the award, he said. According to the nomination form, the award is presented each year to a school superintendent who demonstrates, “outstanding leadership to advance school-based policies and programs improving the health of students.”

Wells has implemented several key initiatives since he took over as superintendent in 2001. At Hertford Grammar School and Perquimans Central, students are participating in a program that provides them fresh fruits and vegetables daily. The program was paid for with grant money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Wells, who is a former physical education teacher, encourages teachers to find ways to integrate physical activity with their classroom assignments, officials said. Schools also have created walking clubs for students and employees who walk on trails built on school grounds

While Wells said he was excited about the award, it also recognized the efforts his staff has taken to make schools healthier places to work. “I think it’s a real tribute to our staff and the initiatives that we’ve undertaken,” he said. “I’m proud to represent Perquimans County.”

For more information to this site.

Featured Resources and Research

HHS Secretary Announces Development of Physical Activity Guidelines at National Prevention Summit

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced that the Department will develop comprehensive guidelines, drawn from science, to help Americans fit physical activity into their lives. The announcement was made during his keynote address on the state of the nation’s health, during the Innovation in Prevention Awards Ceremony at the National Prevention Summit, an annual HHS-supported event that highlights successful initiatives in disease prevention and health promotion. “Physical activity is vital to promote and maintain health, but it’s easy for many of us to overlook,” Secretary Leavitt said.

“The physical activity guidelines will underscore the importance of physical activity to America’s health and assist on the journey to a healthier life. Good health — wellness — doesn’t just happen. Wellness has to be a habit.” (From NCPPA News, 11/1/06) For more information go to this site.

Health Care, Video Game Industries Partner to Develop Targeted Games

As part of a growing movement spurred by the RWJF-funded initiative Games for Health, health experts and video game designers are collaborating to develop video games aimed at helping children adopt healthier lifestyles and improving disease management, the Washington Post reports. (From RWJF News Digest: Childhood Obesity 10/27/06)

For more information go to this site.

Middle-Aged People Can Walk Off Extra Weight

As you age, walking can keep the pounds away, according to new research presented at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society, an organization of weight-loss researchers and care providers. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh found that overweight middle-aged people who walked briskly for 30 to 60 minutes a day lost 7 pounds in a year and a half, while similar adults who didn’t exercise consistently gained seven pounds in that time. In the second study, University of North Carolina researchers did an analysis of data on young adults, ages 18 to 30, over a 15-year period and found those who walked four or more hours a week were the least likely to gain weight as they aged. This adds to a growing body of evidence on the importance of exercise for weight control, says John Jakicic, director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center. (USA Today, October 24, 2006)
For more information go to this site.

Program Highlights Labels for Education’s Multi-Faceted Effort to Promote Activity, Nutrition and Wellness in Schools

As lack of physical activity among kids becomes an increasing national concern, mounting statistics indicate it’s becoming less of a priority in today’s schools. According to a recent survey, many schools have abolished recess - with only 4 percent of states requiring that schools incorporate the most fundamental source of play into students’ day.

That is why this year, Campbell’s Labels for Education(tm) Program (LFE) is partnering with National PTA to launch Campbell’s Recess Rewards(tm), a new program that encourages schools to make physical activity a priority.

The program is part of a multi-faceted initiative by LFE to support schools in their efforts to provide programs for students that promote physical activity, nutrition and wellness. LFE also will offer in-school programs and materials, as well as lesson plans and nutrition resources, on its Web site to help schools meet their wellness goals. “For more than 30 years, Labels for Education has provided schools and communities with a simple way to obtain the tools and resources they need to advance childhood development,” said Anne Pizarro, program director for Campbell’s Labels for Education. “Because physical play is such a critical part of that development process, we are proud to partner with PTA to launch our new Recess Rewards program as part of Campbell’s longstanding commitment to nourish kids’ minds and bodies.”

Labels for Education is a program that allows schools to collect proofs from eligible Campbell brands to earn points toward redeeming free merchandise such as physical fitness equipment, computers, library books and musical instruments. Recess Rewards is part of LFE’s Labels for America program; a community-focused extension that offers bonus points for volunteer projects, fitness activities or education programs that promote learning, caring, sharing or student nutrition and wellness. “Children are better able to learn and achieve when they are given the opportunity to be physically active during the school day,” said Anna Weselak, PTA national president. “PTA and Campbell’s strongly believe in families, schools, and communities working together to make physical activity a priority in our schools. We are thrilled to join forces to raise the profile of this important cause and provide both the motivation and the tools to take action.”

Campbell’s Recess Rewards offers two ways to earn Labels for Education bonus points:

Schools that participate in recess, fitness, health and/or nutrition activities from September 18, 2006 through March 31, 2007, have the opportunity to earn 500 Recess Rewards bonus points by submitting a description of their initiative.
They will then be entered for a chance to win one of more than 1,500 bonus point prizes, including a grand prize of one million bonus points. Schools may enter at this site by simply completing an entry form online. (NCPPA News, 11/1/06)

American Academy of Pediatrics Report: The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds

The American Academy of Pediatrics has published this report in defense of play and in response to forces threatening free play and unscheduled time.

These forces include changes in family structure, the increasingly competitive college admissions process, and federal education policies that have led to reduced recess and physical education in many schools. The report suggests that reduced time for physical activity may be contributing to the academic differences between boys and girls, as schools with sedentary learning styles become more difficult settings for some boys to navigate successfully. (From NCPPA News, 11/1/06)

To read the report, go to this site.

American Heart Association Redesigns Choose To Move Website

Choose to Move is a free physical activity program for women. The 12-week program takes you step-by-step through simple exercises and offers great tips for increasing your physical activity and reaching your goals. Once you register, you will receive a weekly email for each of the 12 weeks and get reminders with tips to stay motivated. (From NCPPA News, 11/1/06). To sign up for the program go to this site.

Study Finds Abdominal Obesity Among Children on the Rise

A study published in Pediatrics finds that the prevalence of abdominal obesity among U.S. children grew more than 65 percent in recent years. The study’s authors call for more efforts to reduce children’s risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease, the Scripps Howard News Service reports. (From RWF New Digest 11-10-06)

For more information go to this site.

Obesity Experts Urge Cultural Shift to End Weight Stigma

In a guest commentary published in the Washington Post, Yale University obesity experts Rebecca Puhl and Kelly Brownell condemn the stigmatization of overweight and obese people, saying such criticism fails to motivate weight loss and actually worsens the problem. (From RWF New Digest 11-10-06)

For more information, go to this site.

Understanding the Relationship Between Public Health And The Built Environment: A Report Prepared For The LEED-ND Core Committee

This report summarizes research regarding the links between public health and neighborhood design, and provides recommendations about how this knowledge can be integrated into the LEED-ND rating system. (From [Enewsletter] NCPPA News 11/17/06).
To read the report, go to this site.

Action for Healthy Kids National Report Partners Parents and School to Address Obesity

Action for Healthy Kids has published a national report, Tapping into the Power: Engaging Parents in the Fight Against Childhood Obesity to help schools and parents work together on school-based wellness initiatives. (From [Enewsletter] NCPPA News 11/17/06).
To read the report, go to this site.

National Center for Safe Routes to Schools

Community leaders, parents and schools across the U.S. are using Safe Routes to School programs to encourage and enable more children to safely walk and bike to school. The National Center for Safe Routes to School aims to assist these communities in developing successful Safe Routes programs and strategies. The Center offers a centralized resource of information on how to start and sustain a Safe Routes to School program, case studies of successful programs as well as many other resources for training and technical assistance. (From [Enewsletter] NCPPA News 11/17/06).

For more information go to this site.

Legislation

No updates at this time

Grants

Access to Recreation Initiative- 2007 Accessible by Design Awards

Deadline for Applications: January 5, 2007
The Accessible by Design Awards program is designed to stimulate the development of creative universally designed recreation experiences that invite, welcome and support the inclusion of all people of all abilities.

The winning designs will demonstrate how going above and beyond the minimum requirements of the ADA can create greater access and usability for all people of all abilities in the community. The winning designs will be awarded cash prizes to build these wonderful projects that will demonstrate the best of universal recreation experience design. (From [Enewsletter] NCPPA News 11/17/06).

For more information go to this site.

Access to Recreation Initiative – 2007 Recreation Access Matching Grants

Deadline for Applications: January 12, 2007
The Recreation Access Matching Grant program will provide up to 50% matching funds (up to $10,000 maximum), for the purchase of universally accessible recreation equipment and materials (such as, but not limited to… all terrain hiking wheelchairs, pool lifts, accessible unitary playground surface, transfer systems, beach access mats, trail surface enhancements, accessible picnic tables, etc.) which enhance recreation participation by people with disabilities. Items to be purchased must directly and specifically enhance access to the recreation experience. (From [Enewsletter] NCPPA News 11/17/06).

For more information go to this site.

Public Health Conference Support Program

Letter of Intent is due by February 2, 2007
Application is due by March 3, 2007

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry are accepting applications for grants under the Public Health Conference Support Program. This program provides funding for conferences that address Healthy People 2010 focus areas, including (among other issues) nutrition and overweight; diabetes; educational and community-based programs; health communication; heart disease and stroke; maternal, infant, and child health; and physical activity and fitness. The average award range for a one-year project period will be $20,000 to $75,000. There are two funding cycles. Letters of intent are due by November 9th for the first cycle and February 2nd for the second cycle. (From NCPPA News, 11/1/06) To read the funding announcement, go to this site.

GoGirlGo! Ambassador Team Awards

Deadline for Applications: February 16, 2007
Teaming up with the GoGirlGo! National Campaign that is aiming to get one million inactive girls to participate in physical activity and keep another one million currently active girls from dropping out of physical activity, Gatorade and the Women’s Sports Foundation are supporting a third year of the GoGirlGo! Ambassador Team Awards. The awards program is designed to inspire teams to help fight the disturbing physical and psychological health risks affecting America’s youth. Having fun with fitness is a key element to getting girls physically active. Teams must lead their own team project that will get girls in their communities physically active and submit a detailed essay or a VHS, DVD or CD-ROM telling us about the project. A total of $50,000 in grants will be awarded in recognition of the outstanding efforts of 20 teams throughout the country. (From [Enewsletter] NCPPA News 11/17/06). For more information go to this site.

My Hometown Helper Grant Program

Deadline is May 31, 2007
General Mills’ “My Hometown Helper” grant program will award grants ranging from $500 to $15,000 for community improvement projects. Applicants must submit an essay via an online system between now and May 31st that describes a need in their community, illustrates a creative or innovative concept that meets this need, and clearly identifies changes that can be made as a result of receiving a grant. All requests for funding must be sponsored by a municipal or civic organization or a public school. The program will award “helping hand” grants each month. (From NCPPA News, 11/1/06)

For more information about this funding opportunity and to submit an essay, go to this site.

Training and Professional Development

Step Up to Health Online Training!

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), announces its newest education innovation - Step Up to Health Online Training! NRPA recently completed a successful 32 city Health Summit tour and has now developed an online training to help re-focus individuals and agency efforts to improve health and livability in their community. The program offers a field-tested curriculum to increase awareness and knowledge about the health impacts of physical inactivity and poor diet and focuses on proven strategies and best practices to combat sedentary lifestyles.
Join the more than 2,200 people who’ve already benefited from the in-person Step Up to Health Summit tour and make healthy lifestyles a priority for your community. (NCPPA News, 11/1/06)

For more information go to this site.

N.C. Main Street: It’s Up to You

January 24-25, 2007
Morganton, NC

The 2007 North Carolina Main Street Conference- Main Street: It’s Up to You- will
be held in Morganton, January 24-26. Keynote presentations will feature Thomas
Hylton, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Save our Land, Save our Towns, Mark Fenton, an authority on walkable communities, and Stacy Mitchell, a senior researcher with the Institute for Local Self- Reliance and an advisor on retail development.

Breakout sessions on topics including the laws that govern nonprofits, making the media work for you, and rehabbing vacant upper floors in historic buildings will provide valuable information in new areas.

We will offer sessions on traffic and parking management, business recruitment for small towns, and contemporary policing strategies for downtowns, among others. With such a broad range of topics to be covered, you’ll want to rent a bus to bring everyone from your community who can benefit from this conference. For more information go to htis site.

Effective Community- Based Physical Activity Program for Older Adults: From Research to Practice

February 14-15, 2007
Shoreline Conference Center, Seattle, WA.

This conference, sponsored by The Prevention Research Centers Healthy Aging Research Network, presents best health promotion practices for older adults with attention to: Reach to target audiences, Efficacy/Effectiveness of programs, Adoption by target settings or institutions, Implementation or Fidelity of the intervention, and Maintenance of the intervention effects. (From [Enewsletter] NCPPA News 11/17/06). For more information go to this site.

2007 AAHPERD National Convention

March 13-17, 2007
Baltimore, MD

This conference, sponsored by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance features a comprehensive program including programming and events targeted to the distinct populations of the health and physical activity industry; world-renowned keynote speakers; a Job Fair and Placement Center and a multi-faceted Exposition Hall with demonstrations, products, and services. (From [Enewsletter] NCPPA News 11/17/06).
For more information go to this site.

National Health and Livability Summit

April 17-19, 2007
Atlanta, GA

The National Recreation and Park Association invites local, state, and national officials and citizen advocates to join together to examine new management practices, and investigate the vital contributions park and recreation agencies make to increase the quality to life, health, and livability of the individuals they serve. Park and recreation professionals, citizen advocates, and local leaders are encouraged to take part in this national forum to address health and livability at the local, state, and national level. Together, you will assist in launching nationally recommended policies for communities to foster healthy lifestyles and more livable communities. (From [Enewsletter] NCPPA News 11/17/06).

For more in formation go to this site.