UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER NOTES
“Promoting Health through Physical Activity”

The best way to increase physical activity in children is to implement a structured, daily K-12 Physical Education program with qualified teachers. One of the great tragedies in our time is the major reduction in school-based PE. Is it any wonder that more kids are overweight, restless in class, and lacking in self-confidence? Physical activity via daily PE class would help with these and other issues. Exercising the mind without exercising the body is a shame. Running, jumping, and other basic movements are natural for kids (as well as for most adults). I say, "Let them play!" I'm sure you'll agree that it just makes sense.

Steve Hooker, PhD, Director
Delores Pluto, PhD, Newsletter Editor (dmpluto@sc.edu)
http://prevention.sph.sc.edu

NEWS YOU CAN USE: National Public Health Week, Project ACES Makes Fitness Fun.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON: New Dietary/PA Guidelines Released; Local School Wellness Policy

RESEARCH NOTES: CDC Obesity Mortality Correction; Physical Education's Contribution to PA; Fitness vs. PA Patterns in Predicting Mortality in Men.

REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES: Women, CVD and PA; FDA's Obesity Website.

PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES: Complete Streets Report; "How To" Guide for Bicycle Advocates; Status of National Bicycling And Walking Study

UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS: 2005 Health and Fitness Summit and Exposition; TrailLink 2005

USC PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER UPDATE: Recent Publications, Post Doc Opportunity

NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK: With the theme of "Empowering Americans to Live Longer, Stronger," National Public Health Week 2005, April 4-10, will focus on the health of older Americans. The observance will promote the three "P's" of healthier and longer living: prevent, promote and plan. A tool kit and planner's guide and other materials will soon be available at http://www.nphw.org.
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PROJECT ACES MAKES FITNESS FUN: Project ACES (All Children Exercising Simultaneously) will be held Wednesday, May 4, 2005. The goal is to educate children about the importance of physical activity, show children physical activity can be fun and end the stereotype that children are physically unfit. Visit the Project ACES website at www.projectaces.com for information about starting you own ACES club, planning your event in May and free downloadable materials.

For a list of PA related observances and events, visit the PA links section of our website at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/PAlinks/index.htm.
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NEW DIETARY/PA GUIDELINES RELEASED. The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 were released January 12. This is the federal government's science-based advice to promote health and reduce risk of chronic diseases through nutrition and physical activity. The PA guidelines recommend adults should be active at least 30 minutes most days and children should be active at least 60 minutes a day. They also mention that more activity (60 minutes per day) may be needed to control body weight. Go to http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines/ to read the press release, full report, executive summary, and consumer information.
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LOCAL SCHOOL WELLNESS POLICY. In 2004, Congress passed a law requiring each local educational agency participating in USDA's school meals programs to establish a local wellness policy by the 2006-2007 school year. Schools must set goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness. The school's physical activity component should provide opportunities for every student to develop the knowledge and skills for specific physical activities, maintain physical fitness, regularly participate in physical activity, and understand the short- and long-term benefits of a physically active and healthful lifestyle. For more information, go to http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/wellnesspolicy.html.
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RESEARCH NOTES

CDC OBESITY MORTALITY CORRECTION: A recent review of an article published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the March 10, 2004 issue of the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) showed an overestimation of the numbers of deaths caused by poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. Revised figures estimate the number of deaths in 2000 caused by poor diet and physical inactivity increased to 365,000 instead of the 400,000 previously estimated. This is roughly 15.2% of the total number of deaths instead of the 16% reported in March. Despite this error, CDC maintains that obesity is a leading cause of preventable death and a major public health issue. Mokdad, Marks, Stroup, & Gerberding. Correction: Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000. JAMA, 293:293-294, 2005.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION'S CONTRIBUTION TO PA: In Mercyside, England, a randomly selected sample of 62 boys and 60 girls, ages 11-14, wore heart rate telemeters during physical education class over a 12 week period. The students' competence in PE activities were categorized by their teacher as high, average, or low. High ability students participated in more moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) than average and low ability students. Boys participated in MVPA and VPA more than girls. Team sports provided higher levels of MVPA and VPA compared to individual or movement activities (although these activities provide other benefits such as flexibility, motor skills, etc.). Physical education classes can contribute to a young person's PA level if the curriculum is geared towards MVPA. Fairclough & Stratton. "Physical education makes you fit and healthy." Physical education's contribution to young people's physical activity levels. Health Education Research, 20(1):14-23, 2005.
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FITNESS VS. PA PATTERNS IN PREDICTING MORTALITY IN MEN: From a group of 6213 men (mean age of 59) referred for exercise testing, a convience sample of 842 participated in a detailed evaluation of past and current physical activity patterns. Exercise capacity and energy expenditure were signifcant predictors of mortality and were stronger predictors compared to other risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, obesity and diabetes. Overall, fitness was a greater predictor of mortality than PA patterns. Myers, Kaykha, George, et al. Fitness versus physical activity patterns in predicting mortality in men. American Journal of Medicine, 117(12):912-918, 2005.

For additional summaries of recent research on promoting physically active lifestyles, visit the Research Updates section of our website at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/updates/index.htm.
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WOMEN, CVD AND PA: The December issue of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Research Digest focuses on women, cardiovascular disease and physical activity. The digest entitled Preventing Cardiovascular Disease in Women: How Much Physical Activity is "Good Enough"? is available here.
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FDA'S OBESITY WEBSITE: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has developed a new website to help address the epidemic of obesity in America. The home page is http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/obesity/.

The site provides tools for consumers to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle, as well as information about the FDA's recently announced program to combat obesity. The site also serves as a gateway to information on obesity and weight loss from other government agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [CDC PA listserv, 1/14/05]
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COMPLETE STREETS REPORT: The first nationwide analysis of laws and policies that create streets to accommodate pedestrians and bicycles is available from the Thunderhead Alliance. The report inventories and analyzes complete street policies from around the country (most enacted since 2001). It also discusses language and elements used in the policies and issues surrounding process and implementation of these policies. For the full report, go to http://www.thunderheadalliance.org. [BikeLeague News]
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"HOW TO" GUIDE FOR BICYCLE ADVOCATES: The Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition has published "Your Guide To Forming a Bike Advisory Committee" for advocates of bicycle safety and transportation. The guide focuses on how to efficiently and effectively advocate for change and improvements for bicyclists. Visit http://www.massbike.org/projects/committees.htm to download this helpful guide. [Centerlines #111]
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STATUS OF NATIONAL BICYCLING AND WALKING STUDY: "The National Bicycling and Walking Study: Ten Year Status Report" summarizes the Department of Transportation's recent activities and progress toward the study's goals and action plans over the last 10 years, as well as the latest walking and bicycling data available. For the full report, go to http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/pdf/NBWS_10yr_Progress_Report.pdf. [Centerlines #111]
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UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

2005 HEALTH AND FITNESS SUMMIT AND EXPOSITION: The American College of Sports Medicine will host the 2005 Health and Fitness Summit and Exposition in Las Vegas, NV on March 29 - April 1, 2005. For Summit information call 317-637-9200 ext. 135 or go to http://www.acsm.org/meetings/summit.htm
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TRAILLINK 2005: Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's international trails and greenways conference will be held in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN July 27 - 30, 2005. TrailLink 2005 will examine new trends in trail design and management; explore the public health impact of trails; provide the latest policy and legal updates; and examine other core issues affecting national and international trails, all with a focus on improving communities through expanding trail networks. For more information go to http://www.railtrails.org.

For a more complete list of conferences and workshops, visit the PA links section of our website at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/PAlinks/index.htm.
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USC PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER UPDATE

RECENT PUBLICATIONS: Williams, Evans, Kirtland, et al. Development and use of a tool for assessing sidewalk maintenance as an environmental support of physical activity. Health Promotion Practice. 2005;6(1):81-88. A copy of the tool is available at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/tools/sidewalk.htm.
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POST DOC OPPORTUNITY: The USC PRC is seeking a post-doctoral fellow to plan, manage, and provide oversight of measurement and data collection related activities for a 5-year school-based trial, "Self-Determination for Increasing Physical Activity" The project (described in more detail at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/sips/self-determ.htm) will evaluate the effects of an innovative intervention on increasing physical activity in adolescents. For more information about the position, go to http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/positionannouncements/openings.htm.
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This and past issues of the “University of South Carolina Prevention Research Center Notes” are available on our website at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/Newsletter/index.htm.

To submit an item, please e-mail Delores Pluto at dmpluto@sc.edu.

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For continuing discussions about physical activity, join the Physical Activity and Public Health On-Line Network listserv. Instructions are located on our website, at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/newsletter/commands.htm

The USC Prevention Research Center is a member of the CDC Prevention Research Center's National Network, consisting of 28 Centers in the U.S. For more information about the PRC National Network, visit http://www.cdc.gov/prc.

Prevention Research Center
Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina
730 Devine Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29208
803-777-4253

This publication was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number 5-U48-DP-000051 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC.