QUARTER 3: July- September 2025| USC-PRC Notes
“Promoting Health through Physical Activity”
Topics in this issue
A LETTER FROM OUR DIRECTOR
USC PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER UPDATES:
- Update from the USC PRC
- Update from the USC PRC Arthritis SIP
NEWS YOU CAN USE:
- CDC’s Preventing Chronic Disease’s 2025 Student Research and Essay Collection
- National Recreation and Park Association Announces New Opportunity for Grants
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES
- October, November, and December
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON:
- Physical Activity Guidelines Legislation Introduced in Congress
RESEARCH NOTES:
- Epidemiology and Cardiovascular Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise
- GPS-based Street-view Greenspace Exposure and Wearable Assessed Physical Activity in a Prospective Cohort of US Women
- Changes in Accelerometer-measured Physical Activity and Self-reported Leisure Time Physical Activity from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: a Longitudinal Cohort Study from the Fit Futures Study
- Cluster Randomized Multilevel Intervention for Promoting Physical Activity in Rural Communities
REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES:
- Updated Use of Risk Assessment to Guide Decision-Making for Blood Pressure Management in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
- New Updates to the High Blood Pressure Guideline
- New AmeriWalks Walkability Index Shows How Many Americans Live in Walkable Neighborhoods?
PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES:
- City of Pea Ridge Champions Community Wellness with New Fitness Court at City Park
- Texas Hill Country Park is Getting a Major $16.8M Makeover
UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:
- October, November, December, January, February
A LETTER FROM OUR DIRECTOR:
Greetings and welcome to Fall!
Here in South Carolina, it still feels like summer, but I know that cooler weather is around the corner. I’m always a little ambivalent about Fall. On the one hand, what’s not to like about cooler weather, beautiful trees, and Fall decorations and treats? I’m ready for all of this! But Fall also marks the end of Summer and always feels a little extra busy to me – before you know it, it will be Thanksgiving.
Here at the USC PRC, we are so relieved and grateful to have received our notice of award for our second year of funding. We’re excited about the community-engaged work we do and are ready to jump into this next year.
I hope you enjoy this quarter’s newsletter and find tips and ideas you can use in your research or practice.
— Sara Wilcox
USC PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER UPDATES:
Updates from the USC PRC
USC PRC Director, Sara Wilcox, and Co-Investigator, Andy Kaczynski, both presented at the Physical Activity and Public Health course held in Columbia, SC. Dr. Wilcox presented on engaging communities in physical activity research, and Dr. Kaczynski presented on the built environment and physical activity. Both also met with Fellows attending the course in individual consultations. This year marked the 30th anniversary of the course. The course was attended by 19 Fellows along with faculty from across the country.
The USC PRC has received a Notice of Award for Year 2 which begins on September 30th. During the upcoming year, they will complete the development of the training manual and online training lessons for the core research project and pilot the intervention in six churches, in partnership with church leaders, church lay members, and organizational partners.
A recent manuscript from the USC Prevention Research Center’s former core project Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN) has been published in the Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health.
This study looked at the health behaviors of church leaders, how they differed by demographic, and how these behaviors relate to putting faith-based health interventions into practice.
Day, K.R., Wilcox, S., Decker, L., Bernhart, J., Baruth, M., Kaczynski, A., Pellegrini, C. (2025). Church leaders’ health behaviors and program implementation in the Faith, Activity, and Nutrition program in the United States. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, 58(2), 146-155.
DOI: 10.3961/jpmph.24.384
Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39638297
Updates from the USC PRC Arthritis SIP
The Technology and Behavioral Intervention Lab, home of the USC PRC Arthritis SIP, has recently published articles highlighting findings from their Arthritis Self-Management Intervention project.
– Jamieson S, Wilcox S, Yang C-H, Kim Y, Pellegrini C. Physical Function and Pain as Predictors of Movement Behaviors in Adults With Arthritis. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2025;0(0). doi:10.1177/08901171251375974
– DeVivo, K., Wilcox, S., Kim, Y., Heidtke, D., Jamieson, S., & Pellegrini, C. A. (2025). Effective Recruitment Strategies for Underrepresented Adults With Arthritis in a Telephone-Delivered Walk With Ease Program. Health promotion practice, 15248399251337026. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248399251337026
– Pellegrini CA, Wilcox S, Kim Y, Jamieson S, DeVivo K, Heidtke D. Effectiveness of a Telephone-Delivered Walk With Ease Program on Arthritis-Related Symptoms, Function, and Activity: A Randomized Trial. Arthritis Care Res. 2025; Online First March 3. doi:10.1002/acr.25515
The lab also collaborated with the USC PRC to develop a plain language research brief summarizing the outcomes of the phone-based Walk with Ease program for adults living with arthritis. You can find that brief here.
NEWS YOU CAN USE:
CDC’s Preventing Chronic Disease’s 2025 Student Research and Essay Collection
The CDC’s Preventing Chronic Disease magazine published the 2025 Student Research and Essay Collection, which features a variety of student-written essays and original research on current public health issues. The collection contains both peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed articles on a variety of subjects, including encouraging college students to be more active, using smart-home technology to improve mental health in older adults, improving schoolyard infrastructure to support play as a public health tool, and using faith-based groups and youth involvement to deal with high blood pressure. These studies present fresh viewpoints and community-focused solutions, highlighting how emerging researchers contribute to chronic illness prevention through looking at environmental, behavioral, and policy-level approaches.
[International Society for Physical Activity and Health]
Exploring the Role of Physical Activity in Obesity Treatment, Body Weight Management, and Related Health Outcomes in Adults: A Workshop
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) recently launched the Game-Changing Grants to Increase Access to Sports program under its Youth Sports in Parks and Recreation initiative, aiming to reduce barriers and expand high-quality youth sports opportunities across the U.S. The grants, supported by partners such as Musco Lighting, Nike, ESPN, Susan Crown Exchange, and others, provide both infrastructure and programs. This funding will enable park and recreation agencies the opportunity to get in-kind donations (like lighting or mini pitches) worth $50,000 to $100,000, plus extra cash grants to make these spaces usable. There are also grants specifically focused on increasing girls’ access to sport and training for coaches and staff through a Community of Practice, aiming both to boost participation and improve equity in youth sports. Additional details and grant applications can be found here.
[NRPA]
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES:
OCTOBER
- National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October 1-31, 2025 - National Physical Therapy Month
October 1-31, 2025 - National Child Health Day
October 6, 2025 - Active Aging Week
October 6- 12, 2025 - Walk & Roll to School Day
October 8, 2025 - World Food Day
October 16, 2025 - World Osteoporosis Day
October 20, 2025
NOVEMBER
- American Diabetes Month
November 1-30, 2025 - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month
November 1-30, 2025 - World Diabetes Day
November 14, 2025
DECEMBER
- World Aids Day
December 1, 2025
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON:
Physical Activity Guidelines Legislation Introduced in Congress
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) announced that U.S. Senators Roger Wicker and Richard Blumenthal introduced bipartisan legislation, S.2303, the Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act, that would make it a formal requirement to create, share, and promote the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. If the measure becomes law, the Secretary of Health and Human Services will have to publish a full update of the guidelines every ten years, based on the most recent scientific findings.
[Source: ACSM]
RESEARCH NOTES:
Epidemiology and Cardiovascular Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise
A recent scientific study published in Circulation Research underscores emerging evidence that physical activity of all durations, even brief intervals, may provide significant cardiovascular and metabolic health advantages. The article moves away from the former guideline that suggested activity must be done in bouts of at least 10 minutes, and emphasizes instead that replacing sedentary time with even light-intensity movement matters for heart health. It also brings up the issue of limiting very large amounts of high-intensity activity, showing that there may be a point beyond which more isn’t always better. This research supports more flexible, inclusive messaging about physical activity that encourages people to move whenever and however they can, rather than only through structured exercise sessions.
GPS-based Street-view Greenspace Exposure and Wearable Assessed Physical Activity in a Prospective Cohort of US Women
A recent study in the U.S. looked at how what women view on their streets links to how much they exercise by following over 300 women who wore Fitbits and carried a global positioning system (GPS) for many weeks. The researchers used street-view images to tell the difference between different types of greenspace, such as trees, grass, and manicured areas (flowers, plants, and fields). They found that some types of visible greenspace are linked to more physical activity, while others are not. Specifically, “other greenspace” (such as attractive plants, flowers, or well-kept landscaping areas) was linked to greater step rates in 10-minute periods. In certain places, including higher-SES neighborhoods and in the spring, people who saw more grass or trees actually took less steps. These findings indicate that not all greenspaces are equally effective in encouraging physical activity. Consequently, urban planners and public health officials should meticulously consider the type, maintenance, and placement of greenspaces to optimally facilitate walking activities.
Changes in Accelerometer-measured Physical Activity and Self-reported Leisure Time Physical Activity from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: a Longitudinal Cohort Study from the Fit Futures Study
A new longitudinal study from Norway (the Fit Futures Study) tracked physical activity in individuals at ages ~16, ~18, and ~27 using both accelerometers and self-reported questionnaires. It found that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) dips during late adolescence (around 16-18 years), but rebounds by the late 20s. While accelerometer-measured activity displays a U-shaped pattern, self-reports show that leisure time activity is steadily going down, especially at the very active levels, and is being replaced by more moderate activity over time. Overall, sedentary behavior didn’t increase much, but how the teens spent their free time changed. These results indicate that while teenagers may experience a decline in physical activity, a significant number eventually regain their activity levels. Accordingly, public health messaging should prioritize the promotion of moderate activity and the prevention of dropout during the transition to adulthood.
Cluster Randomized Multilevel Intervention for Promoting Physical Activity in Rural Communities
A recent study evaluated a community-driven intervention designed to enhance physical activity among adults in 14 rural Missouri areas. The authors used a cluster randomized design in which the intervention group received three kinds of support: (1) regular text messages designed to motivate exercise and promote local trails or walking groups; (2) interpersonal encouragement through walking group activity; and (3) community-level marketing and outreach (like local signage, mailers, and events). The findings indicated that participants in the intervention did not significantly increase their total weekly minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity relative to the control group, but they were nearly twice as likely to adhere to U.S. aerobic physical activity standards. The more people used the exercise-focused SMS message feature, the better their results were. This study shows that community-based, multilevel solutions can help more individuals stay active, especially in rural regions and with technologies that don’t cost much, including SMS and local partnerships.
REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES:
Updated Use of Risk Assessment to Guide Decision-Making for Blood Pressure Management in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology introduces important updates to how doctors assess and treat high blood pressure to prevent heart disease. Rather than relying only on blood pressure numbers, the new guideline recommends using a risk-assessment tool called PREVENT-CVD, which estimates a person’s overall 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease (including heart attack, stroke, and heart failure). Under this approach, people with “Stage 1” hypertension (blood pressure roughly 130-139 over 80-89) would be considered for medication if their calculated risk is 7.5% or higher over 10 years. The statement also emphasizes shared decision-making between patients and their care providers, considering both blood pressure levels and overall health risk, rather than treating everyone the same. The new change will allow more tailored treatment and will catch those who will benefit the most. Read the full statement here.
[Source: American Heart Association]
New Updates to the High Blood Pressure Guideline
The American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) released a completely revised guideline in August 2025 for adults about how to avoid, detect, evaluate, and treat high blood pressure. This new guidance replaces those one 2017 and takes into account the most recent scientific data. Key changes include using the PREVENT risk equations to make more personalized treatment choices, putting more emphasis on home monitoring and team-based care, and making drug protocols easier, along with other methods. According to the guideline, correct blood pressure reading is very important for certain groups of people, such as those with chronic kidney disease, those who are pregnant, and those who have resistant hypertension. The guideline also provides resources and toolkits to encourage the communication of these changes. The full statement can be found here.
[Source: American Heart Association]
New AmeriWalks Walkability Index Shows How Many Americans Live in Walkable Neighborhoods?
America Walks recently released an interactive Walkability Index that helps communities, cities, and states see how walkable their neighborhoods are and how they compare to others across the country. The tool combines data from the EPA’s National Walkability Index with U.S. Census characteristics (like population, income, household and transportation patterns) to create a “population-weighted walkable land‐use” score for every state, county, or city. It highlights that many Americans live in places rated below average for walkability and shows the large gaps between different regions. The goal is to give advocates, planners, and residents a baseline understanding of where walkability is strong, where it is weak, and where changes in land use and street design could make the biggest difference.
[Source: AmeriWalks]
PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES:
City of Pea Ridge Champions Community Wellness with New Fitness Court at City Park
The City of Pea Ridge, Arkansas added a brand-new, tech advanced fitness court to its City Park. This makes it easier for people of all fitness levels to stay healthy outside. The new park has seven areas to encourage movements suitable for the whole body. To celebrate the opening, the city set up a friendly fitness competition between local the Fire/EMS and Police departments. This gave the event more energy and community spirit. People can use the Fitness Court for free, and there are QR-code workout plans to help them get started. Leaders at Pea Ridge say that this facility is more than just new tools. They say it is an investment in health, connection, and quality of life for people of all ages, from teens starting to work out to older adults keeping their strength and balance.
[Source: National Fitness Campaign]
Texas Hill Country Park is Getting a Major $16.8M Makeover
The City of Boerne is launching a major $16.8 million renovation of Northside Community Park, with construction set to begin in September 2025. The first phase will bring exciting new amenities including twelve outdoor pickleball courts, dog park sections for both small and large breeds, a social pavilion, all-abilities playground equipment, a splash pad, full-size covered basketball courts, multi-use athletic fields, and a walking trail accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Funding for the project comes from several sources: city capital reserves, a bond measure approved by voters in 2022, and a grant from Texas Parks & Wildlife. Leaders say the upgrades are a response to resident feedback and that enhancing social spaces, promoting inclusive play, and expanding access to active recreation are top priorities. The first phase is expected to be completed by winter 2026 or 2027.
[Source: San Antonio News]
UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:
October
- Obesity Summit 2025
October 2-4 2025
Cedar Creek, Texas - International Council on Active Aging
October 13-15, 2025
Anaheim, California - 2025 PCORI Annual Meeting
October 21-22, 2025
Washington, D.C.
November
- American Public Health Association 2025 Annual Meeting & Expo
November 2-5, 2025
Washington D.C. - American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2025
November 7-10, 2025
New Orleans, Louisiana - Obesity Week
November 4-7, 2025
Atlanta, Georgia - 18th European Public Health Conference 2025
November 12-14, 2025
Helsinki, Finland
December
- 18th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health
December 14-17, 2025
National Harbor, Maryland
January
None.
February
- International Stroke Conference 2026
February 4-6, 2026
New Orleans, Louisiana - Clinical Exercise Physiology Association Annual Conference
February 7, 2026
Virtual
Writers: Jasmin Parker-Brown
To submit an item, please e-mail the USC PRC at uscprc@mailbox.sc.edu.
To subscribe to this newsletter, send an email to listserv@listserv.sc.edu. In the body of the e-mail type: SUBSCRIBE PRCNEWS yourfirstname yourlastname, as in: “SUBSCRIBE PRCNEWS Joe H. Smith”. Alternatively, if you want to subscribe anonymously, send the command: “SUBSCRIBE PRCNEWS Anonymous”. Your subscription will then be hidden automatically.
NOTE: Do not include any other text in the message, including any electronic signature. Once you have subscribed to the newsletter, you will be e-mailed a welcome message. Please save the e-mail for future reference.
To unsubscribe to this newsletter, send an email to listserv@listserv.sc.edu. In the body of the e-mail type: SIGNOFF PRCNEWS. Again, do not include any other text in the message.
There is no subscription cost for the newsletter. If you have an e-mail filter in place that only allows messages from approved email addresses, please add uscprc@mailbox.sc.edu to your approved list.
For continuing discussions about physical activity, join the Physical Activity and Public Health On-Line Network listserv. Instructions are located on our website, at https://prevention.sph.sc.edu/listserv/.
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.
This publication was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number U48DP006401 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.
Prevention Research Center
Arnold School of Public Health
University of South Carolina
921 Assembly Street
3rd Floor Suite
Columbia, SC 29208
p: 803.777.8983
email: uscprc@mailbox.sc.edu
![]() |
![]() |
Prevention Research Center
Arnold School of Public Health
University of South Carolina
921 Assembly Street
3rd Floor Suite
Columbia, SC 29208
p: 803.777.8983
email: uscprc@mailbox.sc.edu
![]() |
![]() |
Prevention Research Center
Arnold School of Public Health
University of South Carolina
921 Assembly Street
3rd Floor Suite
Columbia, SC 29208
p: 803.777.8983
email: uscprc@mailbox.sc.edu
![]() |
![]() |