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

The last two months have been very stressful for me due to some serious personal matters that families are faced with from time to time. Despite being away from home for several weeks, living out of a hotel, and not having a set routine, the one constant that I had during this time was regular exercise. No matter where I was or what I was experiencing, a healthy dose of exercise during the day tremendously helped me deal with the stress. It was like having an old friend along for the ride, and this provided much-needed aid and comfort. I sometimes forget about the mental and emotional benefits of regular physical activity, but due to this recent experience I can personally testify that these types of benefits are real and can be as important as the physical benefits. If you're feeling overwhelmed, take a break, go for a walk or run or bike ride. You'll be amazed at how this can help clear your head and take the edge off. Your challenges won't go away, but your capacity to deal with them will be greatly improved.

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

FEATURE STORY: Step Up! Step Out!

NEWS YOU CAN USE: Walk to School Month

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON: Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act

RESEARCH NOTES: PA Programs for Older Adults; Internet PA Intervention for Girls

REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES: 2nd Edition Complete Streets Guide; Land Use and Health Toolbox; ENACT Local Policy Database; Developing Messages about PA

PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES: On Common Ground Magazine Examines Smart Growth; Street Share Campaign; SRTS Program to be Adapted for Inner Cities; Online Promotional Video for SRTS

UPCOMING CONFERENCES: 2006 Cooper Institute Conference Series; SOPHE 57th Annual Meeting; Active Living Research 2007 Conference

STEP UP! STEP OUT!: Step Up! Step Out! is a physical activity intervention conducted by the USC Prevention Research Center in partnership with Sumter County Active Lifestyles and the Sumter County Recreation and Parks Department in Sumter County SC. The Step Up! Step Out! website is now available online and is appropriate for adults, men and women. Weekly behavioral tips, an exercise log, testimonials, safety tips and other information can be used help individuals become more physically active. While some of the information, such as where to exercise, has been tailored to the project community in South Carolina, most of the tools and info can be used anywhere. Go to http://www.sumtercountyactivelifestyles.org and click on the Step Up! Step Out! logo. Information about the project, including a list of publications can be found on the PRC website at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/sips/promotion.htm.
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NEWS YOU CAN USE

WALK TO SCHOOL MONTH: October is International Walk to School Month. Go to http://www.walktoschool.org to be a part of the global events and to make your community more active.

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

PERSONAL HEALTH INVESTMENT TODAY (PHIT) ACT: In May, Congressman Weller (R-IL) Introduced the Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2006 (HR 5479). The legislation was written to encourage Americans to change their behaviors and increase their physical activity in order to help curb the overweight/obesity trend and its role in increasing chronic disease. PHIT will allow individuals to place up to $1,000 annually in existing pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Health Savings Accounts (HSA), Medical Savings Accounts (MSA) and medical reimbursement arrangements to pay for exercise programs and equipment, youth and adult sports league fees, fitness and health club dues, etc. To view the bill, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ and enter the bill number. [The Activity Advocate, June 2006]
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RESEARCH NOTES

PA PROGRAMS FOR OLDER ADULTS: Two evidence-based physical activity programs for older adults, Active Choices (a 6-month telephone-based program) and Active Living Every Day (a 20 week group-based program), were implemented by 9 community based-organizations across the United States to determine if they could be translated into community settings. The posttest survey results of 608 participants (257 in Active Choices and 333 in Active Living Every Day) showed statistically significant increases in MVPA and total PA, an increase in satisfaction of body appearance and functions and decreases in depressive symptoms and perceived stress and BMI. These findings suggest that both programs can be successfully translated in community settings. Wilcox, Dowda, Griffin, et al. "Results of the first year of Active for Life: Translation of 2 evidence-based physical activity programs for older adults." American Journal of Public Health, 96(7):1201-1209, 2006.
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INTERNET PA INTERVENTION FOR GIRLS: In North Carolina, 319 adolescent girls (grades 6-8) with home Internet access participated in a two week physical activity intervention to compare a web-based intervention to print media. One hundred eighty-one girls received the intervention materials via the Internet and 181 received printed materials. It was hypothesized that the Internet group would show greater increases in physical activity self-efficacy and intentions. Both Internet and print groups showed significant changes in self-efficacy. Only the print group showed significantly greater increases in intentions to be active and a small but significant increase in self-reported physical activity. Marks, Campbell, Ward, et al. "A Comparison of Web and Print Media for Physical Activity Promotion among Adolescent Girls." Journal of Adolescent Health, 39(1):96-104, 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

2ND EDITION COMPLETE STREETS GUIDE: The second edition of the Thunderhead Alliance Guide to Complete Streets Campaigns is now available through all on-line book sellers. The Guide provides an analysis of current complete streets policies and step-by-step campaign development process. Elected and appointed officials, community leaders and concerned citizens will be ready to take part in current campaigns or launch their own campaign after reading the Guide. For more information, go to http://www.thunderheadalliance.org/ and click on "Complete the Streets." [Thunderhead Alliance's The Weather Report, 06/28/06]
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LAND USE AND HEALTH TOOLBOX: The "Land Use and Health Toolbox: Resources on Health and the Built Environment" is now available online. The National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO) has assembled fact sheets, guides, PowerPoint presentations, web casts, policy reports and other resources to assist health practitioners, elected officials, and community planners make the connection between public health, community design and the built environment. To access the toolbox, go to http://www.naccho.org/topics/hpdp/land_use_planning/LUP_Toolbox.cfm. [Livability Listserv, 06/12/06]
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ENACT LOCAL POLICY DATABASE: The Prevention Institute, with funding from The California Endowment, has made available online the Environmental Nutrition and Activity (ENACT) Local Policy Database. The searchable database is designed to provide community advocates, health professionals, policymakers and those working in related fields with concrete examples of local-level policies that have been adopted and/or implemented to improve nutrition and physical activity environments. Have you worked on a local policy to make healthier eating easier for your community, developed a local plan to improve walkability, or established a policy to make sure students get active? You can submit examples of policies to include in this database. To view the database or to submit your local policy, go to http://www.preventioninstitute.org/sa/policies.
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DEVELOPING MESSAGES ABOUT PA: CDC's VERB campaign has completed a set of reports that present recurrent themes and recommendations for developing successful messages about physical activity. The reports are based on three years of concept and message testing among tweens (children 9-13) and parents in four ethnic groups, as well as the general market. In addition, a new report entitled "Inspiring Children's Physical Activity: Exploratory Research with Parents" describes factors that influence parents to encourage their child's participation in physical activity. The report summarizes the results of focus groups and in-home interviews conducted with mothers of 9- to 13-year-olds in 2003. These and other reports can be found at http://preview.tinyurl.com/2jfqzr.
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PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES

ON COMMON GROUND MAGAZINE EXAMINES SMARTH GROWTH: On Common Ground magazine, published by the Government Affairs office of the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), features a wide range of views on Smart Growth issues with the goal of encouraging a dialogue among Realtors®, elected officials and other interested citizens. The Summer 2006 issue, "New Urbanism is Blooming," examines urban planning and real estate development in regards to walkable communities. Hard copies of this magazine are distributed free of charge. Go to http://www.realtor.org/SG3.nsf/Pages/summer06?OpenDocument to view current and past issues.
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STREET SHARE CAMPAIGN: The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, the Safe Community Coalition of Madison, and Dane County, Wisconsin recently launched the Street Share Campaign to improving traffic safety in rural and urban areas where motorists and cyclists must share the road. The campaign includes PSA's, increased enforcement of motorist and bicyclist compliance with traffic laws and target education of children and bicycling community. The campaign is funded through memorial donations for Jessica Bullen who was killed in a bike/car collision in 2005. Go to http://www.ghostbikes.net/projects/motoristeducation.php to learn more. [BikeLeague News 07/03/2006]
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SRTS PROGRAM TO BE ADAPTED FOR INNER CITIES: Current SRTS programs are not adequately addressing urban conditions that can pose multiple hazards to children and the limited availability of adults to participate in typical startup activities. To address this limitation, Sharon Roerty and Mark Plotz of the Active Living Resource Center (ALRC) are adapting Safe Routes to School program activities to the inner city. They are conducting interviews with Safe Routes to School (SRTS) practitioners and champions in the U.S and abroad who have implemented SRTS initiatives urban settings. If you have organized or been involved in SRTS programs in inner city schools and would like to share you experiences, please contact Mark Plotz at mark@bikewalk.org or Sharon Roerty at sharon@bikewalk.org. To learn more about the ALRC and SRTS, go to: http://www.activelivingresources.org. [Centerlines #152]
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ONLINE PROMOTIONAL VIDEO FOR SRTS: The League of American Bicyclists has produced a 4 -minute, non-technical, promotional video to promote the new Safe Routes to School program to your local school board or PTA. The piece was developed by the League with the help of a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Go to http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/saferoutes/video.php to view the video. [American Bicyclist Update, 07/31/06]
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UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

2006 COOPER INSTITUTE CONFERENCE SERIES: The 2006 Cooper Institute Conference Series "Parks, Recreation, and Public Health: Collaborative Frameworks for Promoting Physical Activity" will be held October 26 -28, 2006 in Dallas, Texas. The deadline for abstract submissions is August 20. For conference information, go to http://www.cooperinst.org/conf2006intro.asp
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SOPHE 57th ANNUAL MEETING: SOPHE's 57th Annual Meeting, Health as a Human Right: Health Education, Equality and Social Justice for All, will be held in Boston, MA on Nov 2-4. September 8 is the deadline for Early Bird pre-registration and application for student scholarships. Go to http://www.sophe.org for more conference information.
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ACTIVE LIVING RESEARCH 2007 CONFERENCE: The Active Living Research Fourth Annual Conference will be held at the Coronado Island Marriott Resort in Coronado, CA on February 22-24, 2007. Conference information, including agenda, hotel and registration, will be available soon at http://www.activelivingresearch.org/index.php/Annual_Conference_2007/386.
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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/newsletter/commands.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.