QUARTER 3: July - September 2013 | USC-PRC Notes
"Promoting Health through Physical Activity"
Topics in this issue
NEWS YOU CAN USE:
More Americans Exercise While They Work
D.C. Parents Push For More Recess
Utah Governor Gary Herbert Casts His Outdoor Recreation Vision
Events and Observances: October, November, December
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON:
U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Memorandum: Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Design Flexibility
RESEARCH NOTES:
Active Travel to Work and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the United Kingdom
Trends in Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, Diet, and BMI Among US Adolescents, 2001–2009
Bringing Bike Share to a Low-Income Community: Lessons Learned Through Community Engagement, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2011
Workplace Physical Activity Interventions: A Systematic Review
REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES:
New Walk to School Day Toolkits
PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES:
New Game Changer Program To Focus On Supporting Trek Retailers' Local Efforts
Park Prescriptions
Playful City USA Communities Prepare to Hold Events for “Day of Play”
Design Communities For Healthy Living
UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:
October, November, December
USC PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER UPDATE:
USC PRC Prepares to Celebrate its 20th Year Anniversary
Physical Activity and Public Health Courses
The Healthy Aging Research Network: Resources For Building Capacity For Public Health And Aging Practice
USC PRC Researcher to Lead Food Access and Food Shopper Study
NEWS YOU CAN USE:
More Americans Exercise While They Work
More and more Americans are looking for ways to stay active during their workday and cut down on their sedentary time, including using alternative desks to avoid prolonged sitting. Recently, sales for standup desks, treadmill desks, and cycling desks have increased, with companies reporting sales increases of up to 25% in recent years. Other popular options for active working include using a large exercise ball instead of sitting in a chair to improve posture and engage core muscles. While these active workstations have been gaining popularity among individuals, the trend toward alternative desks has grown in many large corporations, with bulk purchases of treadmill desks going corporations such as Microsoft, Coca Cola, United Healthcare and Procter & Gamble.
Source: Associated Press, Yahoo News
D.C. Parents Push for More Recess
While a change to the school recess policy for many D.C. area schools was made through the school budget documents last spring, parents were not made aware of new policies cutting recess time until their children returned to school this fall. Many parents were outraged to discover that their children’s recess time had been cut to just 15 minutes a day, greatly shortening the time the children have available for active play during the school day. Unhappy parents immediately protested the changes to the recess policies, citing the need for physical activity during the school day and their desires to allow their children time to travel to and from the playground during breaks. In response, school officials issued a recommendation to increase the recess time to 20 minutes a day, with the option for administrators to lengthen it if they so choose. The situation at this school district was not an isolated instance, with recess and physical education programs facing cuts across the country; however, the action of the parents in this instance led to a positive change and an improvement in the policy, demonstrating the potential power for parents to influence the school physical activity environment.
Source: Washington Post
Utah Governor Gary Herbert Casts His Outdoor Recreation Vision
Utah Governor Gary Herbert has a new plan for the future of the outdoor recreation areas of his state, designed to support the outdoor activities that are so popular in the state as well as to help increase the rates of recreational tourism. Herbert has launched an Office of Outdoor Recreation, the first such office in the country, which he hopes will help grow the state’s already impressive revenue of $5.8 billion from recreation activities. Utah boasts an impressive variety of outdoor resources-- on average it receives 550+ inches of snow and has 14 ski resorts; it has a number of large rivers in its mountain valleys, ideal for fly fishing; it also has the “Mighty 5” national parks—Arches, Bryce Canyon, Cannyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion. Full details on “The State of Utah Outdoor Recreation Vision” can be read here.
Source: Forbes, Utah.gov
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES:
OCTOBER
Healthy Lung Month
October 1-31, 2013
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October 1-31, 2013
National Physical Therapy Month
October 1-31, 2012
International Walk to School Month
October 1-31, 2013
International Day of the Older Persons
October 1, 2013
National Child Health Day
October 7, 2013
International Walk to School in the USA Day
October 9, 2013
World Food Day
October 16, 2013
World Osteoporosis Day
October 20, 2013
NOVEMBER
American Diabetes Month
November 1-30, 2013
Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month
November 1-30, 2013
World Diabetes Day
November 14, 2013
National Family Health History Day
November 28, 2013
DECEMBER
NONE
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON:
U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Memorandum: Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Design Flexibility
The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration recently issued a memorandum that lends support to the efforts of bicycle and pedestrian advocacy groups. The memorandum offers support for taking a flexible approach to the design of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, building on previously issued guides about designing communities for safe active transport, and the need to develop more networks for nonmotorized transportation. The complete memorandum can be read here.
Source: Federal Highway Administration
RESEARCH NOTES:
Active Travel to Work and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the United Kingdom
Active transportation, including walking, cycling, and using public transportation, has been associated with increased physical activity, and is a commonly promoted tool for increasing activity across a typical workday. Using a nationally representative sample of adults in the United Kingdom, researchers examined the sociodemographic characteristics of adults who used different modes of transportation to travel to and from work, and the association between active transport and cardiovascular disease. Results showed that black participants were more likely than whites to walk or use public transportation. While using public transport, walking or cycling was associated with a lower likelihood of being overweight, walking and cycling were also associated with a lower likelihood of having diabetes. The results add to the growing research that demonstrates the health benefits of active transportation.
Laverty AA et al. (2013) Active Travel to Work and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the United Kingdom. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2013.
Walk Score® and Transit Score® and Walking in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Walk Score® and Transit Score® are open-source measures of the neighborhood built environment to support walking and access to transportation, with ratings of over 10,000 neighborhoods available online to the public. Researchers were interested in the associations between Walk Scores and Transit Scores with self-reported transport and leisure walking in a large and diverse population-based sample of adults from many cities. Models estimated odds ratios of not walking and mean differences in minutes walked. The authors found that adults who lived in a city with a higher Walk Score were more likely to walk for transportation, and a higher Transit Score was associated with additional minutes/week of leisure walking. Findings indicated that the Walk Score and Transit Score are useful measures of walkabilty and might be good tools for future research on the neighborhood effects on physical activity.
Hirsch JA et al. (2013) Walk Score® and Transit Score® and Walking in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. American Journal of Preventative Medicine.
Bringing Bike Share to a Low-Income Community: Lessons Learned Through Community Engagement, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2011
In an effort to promote active transportation in a low-income area of the city, the Minneapolis Health Department funded an expansion of the Nice Rice Minnesota bike share program to the Near North Community. Prior to the expansion of the program, community engagement activities were conducted including focus groups, community meetings, and interviews. Bike kiosks were then installed in Near North neighborhoods, and data were collected on bike share trips and program subscribers. While residents were positive about the program in the pre-intervention focus groups, results from the program evaluation showed that trips and subscriptions were low. The authors concluded that while the program was moderately successful, perhaps it lacked sufficient community engagement during the intervention, a component they recommend for future interventions.
Kretman Stewart S, et al. (2013) Bringing Bike Share to a Low-Income Community: Lessons Learned Through Community Engagement, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2011. Preventing Chronic Disease.
Workplace Physical Activity Interventions: A Systematic Review
While past reviews have been mixed about the effectiveness of workplace-based physical activity interventions, much research continues to focus on this setting and the potential for behavior changes at work. Building on previous reviews, investigators reviewed all articles describing workplace physical activity interventions that were published between 2000 and 2010. The results showed mixed evidence for the effectiveness of worksite interventions for physical activity; only 12 (60%) of the 20 studies reviewed showed some sort of positive outcome (improvement in physical activity level, steps, BMI, or slowed decline of steps). Additionally, 12 of the studies reviewed were randomized trials, and of these 7 did not prove effective for any outcome. Suggestions for future research are offered, including the need for more standardized time frames for measurement in worksite interventions, and the need to utilize a multilevel approach for maximum intervention impact.
To, Q.G. et al. (2013) Workplace Physical Activity Interventions: A Systematic Review. American Journal of Health Promotion.
REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES:
New Walk to School Day Toolkits
Eat Smart Move More South Carolina recently released a series of tools designed to help schools prepare for Walk to School Day and Walk at School Day. The toolkits include: resources, tip sheets, parent letters and more for to help organize school events, and are available here; Walk to School Day is scheduled for October 9, 2013. Eat Smart Move More also has a number of other tools available on their website, including materials to aid in organizing Bike to School Day.
Source: Eat Smart, Move More SC
PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES:
New Game Changer program to focus on supporting Trek retailers' local efforts
Trek Bicycle unveiled a new initiative that will lend support to bicycle advocacy work across the country, working through local Trek retail outlets as a point of action. The program encourages local bicycle shops to get involved in national advocacy movements and to help their city work towards becoming a certified Bicycle Friendly Community. The initiative includes a three year agreement with the League of American Bicyclists, and during each year of the agreement, League leaders will visit 100 Trek retailers to work on a tailored plan to improve their local bicycling environment. While only 23% of Trek retailers are currently located in Bicycle Friendly Communities, the Game Changer program has great potential to raise this number, and increase the spread of safe bicycling communities across America.
Source: Trek Bicycles
Park Prescriptions
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Institute at the Golden Gate to expand the use of “park prescriptions” across the United States. “Park Prescriptions” are just what they sound like—a written recommendation from a health care provider to encourage a patient to visit a local nature area (and engage in physical activity) to aid their treatment. Park prescriptions are an innovative way to increase use of local parks and trails and to increase the physical activity of people visiting these areas. Additionally, the NRPA has established a funding mechanism through which they have supported the establishment of five local park prescription programs. The NRPA hopes that their new partnerships and growing program will help to spread the idea of park prescriptions to more locations.
Source: National Recreation and Park Association
Playful City USA Communities Prepare to Hold Events for “Day of Play”
In Murray, KY preparations were underway last week for a celebration of the “Day of Play”, a day devoted to encouraging children to engage in active play and outdoor events. For the sixth consecutive year, the KaBOOM! National Campaign for Play has named Murray a “Playful City”, and with the title comes responsibility to organize a “Celebration of Play” Day. The KaBOOM! Campaign is dedicated to promoting active play for children, and designates exceptional communities as “Playful Cities” when they demonstrate their commitment to creating a supportive environment for children. For the town of Murray, the designation has helped bring the community together around the cause of childhood activity, as evidenced by the more and 60 events that were planned for their “Day of Play” celebration. The KaBOOM! Campaign has recognized 217 cities in 43 states, including 16 founding cities that were recognized for a seventh year as Playful City USA communities.
Source: Murray Ledger, KaBOOM!
Design Communities for Healthy Living
Community advocates are working to create a healthy environment for all residents of Brown County, WI, through their initiative Live54218. Live54218 is Brown County’s healthy eating, active living initiative that focuses on community-based obesity prevention, including work to influence community planning and neighborhood design to support physical activity. The initiative supports community development such as: mixed land use, improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and effective mass transit systems. The group is working in line with the vision of Brown County 20/20, a plan for the county that includes a community-wide culture of embracing a healthy, active lifestyle.
Source: Green Bay Press Gazette
UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:
OCTOBER
86th Annual ASHA School Health Conference
October 9-12, 2012
Myrtle Beach, SC
2013 Annual South Carolina Obesity Summit
October 29, 2013
Columbia, SC
NOVEMBER
141st American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Exposition
November 2-6, 2013
Boston, MA
European Public Health Association (EUPHA) Annual Conference
November 13-16, 2013
Brussles, Belgium
Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting
November 20-24, 2013
New Orleans, LA
International Council on Active Aging Conference 2013
November 21-23, 2013
Orlando, Florida
none
USC PRC UPDATES:
USC PRC Prepares to Celebrate its 20th Year Anniversary
On October 24, the USC PRC will celebrate 20 years of funding for its Center. The celebration will take place in the Public Health Research Center atrium from 5:00 – 6:30 pm. The USC PRC envisions Physically Active People in Active Community Environments, and is committed to achieving this vision by conducting research and translating that research into practice to improve the health of individuals, families, and communities. Since 1998 the USC PRC has worked with its community partner, Sumter County Active Lifestyles (SCAL), a community-based coalition of city and county agencies, businesses, nonprofits, associations, and local residents. The USC PRC’s current community-based participatory core research project, Sumter County on the Move! is conducted in Sumter County, S.C. in partnership with SCAL. Dr. Sara Wilcox is the current and fourth USC PRC director. The previous directors were Dr. Steven Hooker, Dr. Barbara Ainsworth, and Dr. Carol Macera.
Physical Activity and Public Health Courses
The Physical Activity and Public Health Courses took place in Park City, Utah from September 10-18. The Postgraduate Course on Research Directions and Strategies, directed by Dr. Russell Pate, trained 34 participants. The Practitioner’s Course on Community Interventions, directed by Mr. Dennis Shepard, trained 12 participants. For more information about the courses, see the website at http://www.sph.sc.edu/paph/.
The Healthy Aging Research Network: Resources For Building Capacity For Public Health And Aging Practice
USC PRC Director Dr. Sara Wilcox led a team of CDC-funded researchers in a recently published article in the American Journal of Health Promotion describing their work with the Healthy Aging Research Network (HAN). Wilcox and her colleagues describe the efforts of HAN to translate aging research into practice to aid in the delivery of evidence-based programming. Examples described include HAN tools such as online modules, issue briefs, monographs, and tools focused on health promotion practice, physical activity, mental health, and environment and policy.
Wilcox S, Altpeter M, Anderson L, et al. (2013) The Healthy Aging Research Network: Resources for building capacity for public health and aging practice. American Journal of Health Promotion.
USC PRC Researcher to Lead Food Access and Food Shopper Study
Dr. Patricia Sharpe is leading a new four-year NIH-funded study that will look at food shopping behaviors and access to healthy food in two South Carolina communities. The areas selected for the study are considered "food deserts," a “federal designation given to communities, that have higher than average levels of poverty and where consumers have limited access to fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthy foods," said Sharpe. The study will examine food access, family food security, sources of food, the purchase behaviors of a family's food shopper and dietary choices. Researchers will interview 300 family food shoppers in each city at three times during the study period. The study will also monitor changes that naturally occur to the community food environment. Read more about the study here.
Writer: Danielle Schoffman
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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 U48-DP-001936 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.
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