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

The goal of the recent National Chronic Disease Conference was to accelerate the rate of progress in improving the lives of those at highest risk for poor health, including racial/ethnic minorities and low-income and less educated populations. As I attended the sessions, it became clear that eliminating health disparities is a complex issue with many underlying factors. However, it also became clear to me that environment-behavior interactions are critical, and those of us in physical activity research and practice can play a vital role in better understanding this relationship. Each new piece of information that you gather will help improve the health of individuals, families and communities. I applaud your efforts in this most worthwhile pursuit!

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

NEWS YOU CAN USE: Pro Walk/Pro Bike Presentations Available Online; Older Americans Month 2005; SummerActive 2005

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON: Transportation Reauthorization Update; Bicycle Commuter Act

RESEARCH NOTES: Active Commuting to School; Some Work Hard While Others Play Hard; Active Living Research Supplement

REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES: Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments; NIEHS 2004 Conference Summary; NHTSA Releases News Safe Routes Guide; AARP Physical Activities Workbook for Older Adults; Exercise for Life PA Module Now Available; "It's Not Too Late to Prevent Diabetes" Campaign Launched

PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES: Prescriptions for Exercise; Built Environment's Influence on PA; Success Stories from State and Local Leaders; Active Living and Social Equity

UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS: 2005 PAPH Course; 6th International Conference on Walking; Childhood Obesity Conference; 2nd Annual NIEHS Conference on Obesity and the Environment; Walking for Health

PRO WALK/PRO BIKE 2004 PRESENTATIONS AVAILABLE ONLINE: Presentations and posters from the Pro Walk/Pro Bike 2004 Conference in Victoria, British Columbia are now available online at www.bikewalk.org.
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OLDER AMERICANS MONTH 2005: The Administration on Aging is pleased to unveil the poster and logo to commemorate Older Americans Month, May 2005 "Celebrate Long Term Living!" The poster and logo, in various formats, can be downloaded at http://www.aoa.gov/press/oam/oam.asp. [Administration on Aging eNews, 2/9/05]
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SUMMERACTIVE 2005: SummerActive, Canada's annual, six-week community-based physical activity campaign, is May 6th - June 20th. Organized by the Public Health Agency of Canada, the campaign helps Canadians take their first steps to becoming more active. This year's campaign highlights participation in sports activity. Schools, worksites, communities, etc. can organize and register their own events with the help of leader manuals, tip sheets and key messages found at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/media/nr-rp/2005/2005_17-eng.php

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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WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON

TRANSPORTATION REAUTHORIZATION UPDATE: Action on the reauthorization of TEA21 is finally moving forward. The House passed HR 3, TEA-LU (Transportation Equity Act-A Legacy for All Users) on March 9. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee marked-up SAFETEA (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005) on March 16. SAFETEA 2005 is essentially the same bill as that passed last year by the Senate in the 108th Congress. Both bills are proposed at similar funding levels. Read more details at http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=1967
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BICYCLE COMMUTER ACT: Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Mark Foley (R-FL) have reintroduced the Bicycle Commuter Act (H.R. 807). The goal is to reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and wear and tear on the roads. Under H.R. 807, employers could offer monthly cash reimbursement of up to $100 to an employee who commutes to work by bicycle, providing a tax benefit to the employer and helping defray commuting expenses for the bicyclist. Go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ to look up the text of the bill and follow its status.
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RESEARCH NOTES

ACTIVE COMMUTING TO SCHOOL: To determine the prevalence of active commuting to school, 8 elementary schools in urban and suburban Columbia, SC were assessed by direct observation of the number of children arriving to and departing from school by various transportation methods. The total enrollment for all schools was 3911 students. Only 5% of the students arrived or departed school by walking or bicycling. 83% arrived to school by car or bus. There were no differences in active commuting between urban and suburban school or SES groups. This study did not consider crime, traffic, weather, etc. and these factors should be considered in future studies. Direct observation provided more accurate counts compared to other studies in which other methodologies, such as surveys, were used. Sirard JR, Ainsworth BE, McIver KL, Pate RR. "Prevalence of Active Commuting at Urban and Suburban Elementary Schools in Columbia, SC". American Journal of Public Health. 95(2):236-237, 2005.
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SOME PLAY HARD WHILE OTHERS WORK HARD: Data was collected from 2153 people taking part in the West of Scotland Twenty-07 study to identify physical activities that contribute to the achievement of PA recommendations. One-third achieved the physical activity recommendation (30 mins/most days of the week), mostly during leisure activity. Walking was the most reported leisure activity. Women and older adults reported lower levels of activity. Men with manual jobs achieved 30 minutes more PA but were less likely to participate in leisure time PA than men with non-manual jobs. This may have implications when these men retire if most of their physical activity was occurring during work. The data suggests that interventions focused on women and older adults and walking should be the focus of health promotion efforts. Murtrie N, Hannah MK. "Some work hard while others play hard: the achievement of current recommendations for physical activity at work, at home, and in leisure time in the West of Scotland." International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 42(4):109-117, 2004.
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ACTIVE LIVING RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT: Active Living Research (ALR) supported a February supplement to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. This issue includes papers selected from abstracts submitted for presentation at ALR's First Annual Conference. Free access to this issue (Feb 2005, 28(2) Supplement 2) is now available at http://www.ajpm-online.net/

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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REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE FOR HEALTHY FOOD AND ACTIVITY ENVIRONMENTS: The Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments, a coalition of nutrition and physical activity advocates in California, is reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity, away from a focus on individual choice and lifestyle, towards one of environment and corporate and government responsibility. Their website is full of policy information, data, newsletters and resources for the media, industry, schools and communities. Visit http://www.preventioninstitute.org/sa/ for more information.
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NIEHS 2004 CONFERENCE SUMMARY: The Executive Summary of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) sponsored a conference on "Obesity and the Built Environment: Improving Public Health Through Community Design" held on May 24 26, 2004 in Washington, DC is now available online. The full Summary Report (200 pages) along with other related information, such as presentation slides, can be found on the conference web site at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/drcpt/beoconf/agenda.htm
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NHTSA RELEASES NEW SAFE ROUTES GUIDE: At the Pro Walk/Pro Bike 2004 conference, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its new "Safe Routes to School - Practice and Promise" report. The 122-page publication offers an
overview of Safe Routes to School activities around the world, listing information on challenges and lessons learned, as well as contact people. The report is available at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/
pedbimot/bike/Safe-Routes-2004/index.html. [Centerlines, 9/10/04]
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AARP PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES WORKBOOK FOR OLDER ADULTS: AARP has published the "Physical Activities Workbook" (stock number D561) for older adults. This 40-page workbook shows readers how to add physical activity to their daily routine without disrupting their schedule or lifestyle. Information includes how to get motivated, start safely, set goals that meet individual health and fitness needs, develop a support network, and tackle roadblocks. You can order one copy for free, and extra copies are $1 each. Call 1-888-687-2277 to request a copy or see the website for more details: http://www.aarp.org/health-active/Articles/a2004-06-28-workbook-users.html
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EXERCISE FOR LIFE PA MODULE NOW AVAILABLE: "Exercise for Life! Physical Activity for Older Adults" is the American Society on Aging's (ASA) new comprehensive resource for aging-services and healthcare providers. The module, which is now available on the Live Well, Live Long health promotion website, features information on the benefits of exercise, barriers and solutions, exercise and functional fitness programming, lifestyle physical activity guidelines, and tips for working with elders with sensory changes, cognitive loss, or chronic disease. The module also provides professionals who want to create programs in their communities or improve existing ones with examples of innovative programs, extensive resources, and directions on how to evaluate a new or existing program. Go to http://www.asaging.org/cdc
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"IT'S NOT TO LATE TO PREVENT DIABETES" CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED: To spread the word that diabetes prevention for older adults is proven and possible, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) launched a public awareness campaign today called "It's Not Too Late to Prevent Diabetes. Take Your First Step Today." Tailored specifically for older adults, "It's Not Too Late…" encourages adults over 60 that modest lifestyle changes can yield big rewards in preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes by losing a small amount of weight and increasing physical activity. For more information about the diabetes prevention campaign, free materials, tip sheets, and the GAMEPLAN for Preventing type 2 Diabetes, which contains tools to help people lose weight, get active, and track their progress, visit the NDEP website at www.ndep.nih.gov or call 1-800-438-5383.
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PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES

PRESCRIPTIONS FOR EXERCISE: Doctors at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire, in association with the Upper Valley Trails Alliance, are writing "prescriptions" for exercise to help improve patients' health. As part of a larger project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's (RWJF) Active Living by Design program called Upper Valley Trails for Life, a project to promote routine physical activity via trails, the prescription program provides patients with specific instructions for working out on a prescription-like form, a booklet of trail maps, brochures and pedometers. For more information about this program, visit http://www.uvtrails.org/ and scroll down to "Prescription Walking Program Now Underway."
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BUILT ENVIRONMENT'S INFLUENCE ON PA: According to a new report from the National Academies' Transportation Research Board and Institute of Medicine, research increasingly shows a link between physical activity and the "built" environment -- buildings, roads, parks, and other structures that physically define a community -- but more research is needed to assess whether the built environment affects people's actual levels of physical activity. "Does the Built Environment Influence Physical Activity? Examining the Evidence" is available in PDF form at http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11203.html or from the Transportation Research Board Business Office (202) 334-3213.
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SUCCESS STORIES FROM STATE AND LOCAL LEADERS: Want to find out about the successful efforts of local and state leaders to enable and promote healthy community design? Active Living Leadership, a national project supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is pleased to announce the release of a new publication, Healthy Community Design - Success Stories from State and Local Leaders. Download a copy from http://preview.tinyurl.com/2tjk23
or order copies from info@activelivingleadership.org or call 619-260-6336.
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ACTIVE LIVING AND SOCIAL EQUITY: Now available online from the International City/County Management Association, "Active Living and Social Equity: Creating Healthy Communities for All Residents E-Document" shows how local governments can respond to health disparities by planning and designing communities that facilitate healthy lifestyles for all residents. This guide describes how local managers, department heads and local government staff can design healthy communities for all residents, explains connections between active living and social equity, provides a toolbox of local government strategies for equitably promoting active living, and highlights notable examples of local initiatives from around the country. To download the guide, go to http://bookstore.icma.org/freedocs/Active%20Living
%20and%20Social%20Equity.pdf
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UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

2005 PAPH COURSE: The 2005 Physical Activity and Public Health Courses (PAPH), sponsored by the University of South Carolina Prevention Research Center and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will be held September 13 21, 2005 at Sea Pines Resort and Conference Center in Hilton Head, SC. For more information, please visit our website at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/seapines/index.htm or contact Janna Borden at (803) 576 6050 or jsborden@gwm.sc.edu
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6TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WALKING: The 6th International Conference on Walking in the 21st Century will be held September 22-23, 2005 in Zurich, Switzerland. This year's conference theme, Everyday Walking Culture, will focus on incorporating walking into daily technical, political and structural means. Visit http://www.walk21.com/ for more information.
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CHILDHOOD OBESITY CONFERENCE: The Cooper Institute's 8th Annual Conference will focus on childhood obesity. Current interventions, energy balance, diet, physical activity, physical inactivity and e genetic influences, neuroscience, and developmental factors that underlie these topics will be discussed. Conference will be October 27 -29, 2005 in Dallas, TX. For details visit: www.cooperinst.org
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2nd ANNUAL NIEHS CONFERENCE ON OBESITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is sponsoring a 2nd Annual Conference on Obesity and the Environment conference entitled "Environmental Solutions to Obesity in America's Youth" to be held June 1 2, 2005 in Washington, DC. Additional information about the conference and registration can be found on the conference web site at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/drcpt/events/oe2005/
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WALKING FOR HEALTH: The American College of Sports Medicine and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign announce "Walking for Health: Measurement and Research Issues and Challenges" will be held October 13-15, 2005 on the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign campus. The program will be focused around the benefits, issues, and challenges of walking. For additional details regarding abstract submission, registration, etc., please visit: http://www.acsm.org/meetings/walkingconference2005.htm [CDC's one-way Physical Activity listserv, 03/15/05]

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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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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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