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

This past April, I attended the International Congress on Physical Activity and Health. It was a wonderful event. For those who couldn't attend, papers from the 5 keynote speakers are now available in the latest issue of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. I have enjoyed reviewing the comments and recommendations made by those brilliant speakers. I would urge all of us to revisit the major issues presented at that conference because I believe they will help shape the future research and practice endeavors of many of our institutions. Happy reading and Happy Holidays from all of us at the USC PRC!

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

NEWS YOU CAN USE: Research Update Search Engine Added to USCPRC Website; Walk It Website

RESEARCH NOTES: People and Pets Exercising Together; Community Coalitions Ability to Create PA Classes for Older Adults; PA Program for Older Adults with Hip Fractures

REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES: PA Guidelines for Americans; Overweight and PA Among Children Report

SCHOOL HEALTH AND WELLNESS: School Health Index Training Manual; Atlanta Bicycle Campaign Offers SRTS Tools; Safe Routes to School Online Guide

UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS: ALR Annual Conference; Smart Growth Conference; Healthy Aging Research Symposium

RESEARCH UPDATE SEARCH ENGINE ADDED TO USCPRC WEBSITE: The USC Prevention Research Center is excited to announce that the addition of a search engine for the Research Updates to our website. You can search our database for publications by categories which include type of study, purpose of the study, population demographics, setting and type of PA. Keep in mind this is not an all-inclusive PA research database; our database includes only publications that have been featured on the USCPRC website since 2001. Updates will be added to this site on a regular basis (1-2 articles a week) to provide individuals with up-to-date information on current advances being made in the area of promoting physically active lifestyles. We hope you find this new feature helpful! To view the research updates, go to: http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/updates/index.htm.
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WALK IT WEBSITE: Next time you're in London, use the WalkIt.com to help you get around the city. Enter your starting point and destination and the website will generate a map and directions for the best route and calculate the distance, walking time, calorie burn and CO2 potentially saved by avoiding the car, taxi or bus. Check it out at http://www.walkit.com/.
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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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RESEARCH NOTES

PEOPLE AND PETS EXERCISING TOGETHER: The effectiveness of a weight loss program targeting obese humans and their obese companion dogs was assessed in a 1-year prospective, controlled trial. A people and pet group (PP) and a people only group (PO) met separately in small group sessions led by a registered dietician who provided nutrition and physical activity counseling over a one year period. The PP group also participated in activities to build cohesiveness with their pets and to increase self-efficacy for dog walking. Participants in both groups, including the overweight dogs, lost a significant amount of weight from baseline to 12 months and increased time spent in physical activity. There was no significant difference in weight loss between groups. The overweight dogs served as social support for the overweight owners during the intervention. Future interventions targeting social support for weight loss should consider including pets. Kushner RF, et al. "The PPET Study: People and Pets Exercising Together." Obesity, 14(10):1762-1770, 2006.
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COMMUNITY COALITIONS ABILITY TO CREATE PA CLASSES FOR OLDER ADULTS: Twenty-five Active Aging Community Tasks Forces (AACTF) in 28 counties were formed to 1) increase awareness about the benefits of physical activity among older adults and their service providers, 2) increase the number of older adult exercise classes incorporating resistance exercises, and 3) increase the number of trained personnel to lead exercise classes. Progress reports and surveys were used to evaluate the AACTF's achievement of objectives. Over a 5-year period, 36 workshops to train exercise class instructors were held, 153 new exercise classes for older adults were created, and 81 previously existing classes incorporated resistance exercises. These exercise classes served about 7,200 older adults, who saw improvements in low back/hip range of motion, agility/dynamic balance, leg strength, and upper arm strength. In addition, AACTF members reported quality leadership and substantial progress in meeting their objectives to create safe, effective exercise classes for older adults. Hooker & Cirill. "Evaluation of community coalitions ability to create safe and effective exercise classes for older adults." Evaluation and Program Planning, 29(3):242-250, 2006.
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PA PROGRAM FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH HIP FRACTURES: A group-based exercise program was evaluated to assess its effect on improving functional independence of community-dwelling older adults recovering from hip fracture. Twenty-seven hip-fracture patients were recruited from a rehabilitation unit in a large hospital. Participants were 65 years of age or older with good cognitive function and were planning to return home after inpatient rehabilitation. Seventeen patients were enrolled in a 16 week community exercise program, which involved functional stepping and lower extremity-strengthening exercises. Ten participants served as controls and received traditional home care. The 16 week community exercise program increased physical activity levels and improved mobility, balance, and quadriceps strength of the elderly patients recovering from hip fractures. This study further supports the use of group-based exercise programs among older adults to improve functional independence. Jones, Jakobi, Taylor, et al. "Community Exercise Program for Older Adults Recovering From Hip Fracture: A Pilot Study." Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 14(4):439-455, 2006.
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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

PA GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS: In late October, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced that the Department will develop comprehensive guidelines, drawn from science, to help Americans fit physical activity into their lives. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans will be issued in late 2008. The guidelines will summarize the latest knowledge about activity and health, with depth and flexibility targeting specific population subgroups, such as seniors and children. Read the full press release at: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2006pres/20061026.html.
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OVERWEIGHT AND PA AMOUNG CHILDREN REPORT: A new Health Resources and Services Administration publication, "Overweight and Physical Activity Among Children: A Portrait of States and the Nation, 2005," reports on the prevalence of overweight and levels of physical activity among children and their families at the national and state levels using data from the 2005 National Survey of Children's Health. The report includes information for each state, easy-to-follow bar graphs, and breakdown analyses by ethnic and racial group. To view or download the report, go to: http://www.mchb.hrsa.gov/thechild/. [CDC PA Listserv 10/13/06]
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SCHOOL HEALTH INDEX TRAINING MANUAL: School Health Index Training Manual is now available online from the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health. The manual includes 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 SHI Training Manual and customize those components to best suit their needs. To view or download the manual, go to http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/SHI/Training/. [CDC PA Listserv, 10/27/06]OL HEALTH AND WELLNESS

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ATLANTA BICYCLE CAMPAIGN OFFERS SRTS TOOLS: Visit the Safe Routes to School ''Tools'' section of the Atlanta Bicycle Campaign's website for other materials to help you create a program for your neighborhood school. Many of the materials offered on this website are available in Spanish and English, including a Parent Survey, a Pedestrian Education Flyer, Walking Schoolbus Guidelines, and a Pedestrian Safety Video. Go to http://www.atlantabike.org/, then click on Safe Routes to School on the left toolbar, then see the link to "Tools" at the bottom of the page. [CDC PA Listserv, 10/13/06]
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SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL ONLINE GUIDE: An online reference manual designed to support the development of Safe Routes to School programs is now available from the National Center for Safe Routes to School. Readers of the online guide can pick and choose specific topics based on their interests and needs, such as guidelines for adult school crossing guards or tools to create school route maps. The guide links to other SRTS publications and training resources. Go to: http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/guide/. [Centerlines #162]
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UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

ALR ANNUAL CONFERENCE: Active Living Research Annual Conference will be held February 22-24, 2007 in Coronado, California. This year's conference, "Active Living in Diverse Communities," will focus on the prevention of obesity in communities, neighborhoods, children, and families. Go to http://www.activelivingresearch.org/index.php/Annual_Conference_2007/386 for conference agenda and registration.
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SMART GROWTH CONFERENCE: The 6th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth: Building Safe, Healthy and Livable Communities will be held February 8-10 in Los Angeles, CA. The program will feature the latest on cutting-edge smart growth issues, implementation tools and strategies, best practices, interactive learning experiences, new partners, new projects, and new policies. For conference information and registration, go to: http://www.newpartners.org/.
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HEALTHY AGING NETWORK RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM: The Healthy Aging Research Network Symposium: Effective Community-Based Physical Activity Programs for Older Adults Conference will be held in Seattle, WA on February 14-15, 2007. The conference 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. For conference information, go to http://www.son.washington.edu/cne/secure/display4.asp?SKU=07107-C.
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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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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 33 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
921 Assembly 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.

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status.