QUARTER 2: April – June 2017 | USC-PRC Notes
"Promoting Health through Physical Activity"
Topics in this issue
NEWS YOU CAN USE:
America Walks Announces 2017 Walking College Fellows
The Healthy Behavior Data Challenge
Fitbit Data Reveals Fittest Countries and US Cities
To Build a Great Public Space, You Need More Than Good Design
Anthem Foundation Grants due September 1
Upcoming Events and Observances: July, August, September
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON:
Changes to the Department of Transportation Funding
National 4-H Conference Briefing: Providing the Youth Perspective on Physical Activity Messaging
RESEARCH NOTES:
Effectiveness of Interventions to Promote Physical Activity and/or Decrease Sedentary Behavior Among Rural Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Where Are Adults Active? An Examination of Physical Activity Locations Using GPS in Five US Cities
Fitness Equipment in Public Parks: Frequency of Use and Community Perceptions in a Small Urban Centre
Gender Differences in Walking (for Leisure, Transport and in Total) Across Adult Life: A Systematic Review
Combined Exercise is More Effective than Aerobic Exercise in the Improvement of Fall Risk Factors: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Community-Dwelling Older Men
REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES:
The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2016
Trust for Public Land City Park Facts
Step it Up! The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Promote Walking and Walkable Communities
Public Health and Transportation Partners Launch Website on Bicycling and Walking in the US
New CDC Resources for Managing Chronic Health Conditions in Schools
PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES:
Minneapolis-St. Paul is the Fittest City in the US
Kenmore, a Let's Move! 'All-Star' Community
St. George Earns Bike Friendly Recognition
Free soccer Programs Bring Fun and Fitness to Miami-Dade Parks
Building Community Through Physical Activity - Hike, Bike & Paddle
UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:
July, August, September
USC PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER UPDATES:
Update from the USC PRC Core Research Project
Update from the National Physical Activity Plan
Update from the South Carolina Healthy Brain Research Network (SC-HBRN)
Update from the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network I
NEWS YOU CAN USE:
America Walks Announces 2017 Walking College Fellows
America Walks, a national organization focusing on promoting walking and walkable communities, has announced the 2017 Walking College Fellows. This group of fellows includes 24 advocates for local change from 19 states. The Fellows will complete a six-module distance education program focusing on the benefits of walking, communication skills, built environment assessment strategies, and building relationships with local decision makers. They also will attend the National Walking Summit in September to develop a Walking Action Plan for improving walkability in their own communities. Applications for the 2018 class of Walking College Fellows will be available online in early 2018.
[Source: America Walks]
The Healthy Behavior Data Challenge
The CDC has announced the launch of the Healthy Behavior Data (HBD) Challenge, a competition to fund innovative approaches to address the challenges and limitations of self-reported health surveillance information. The HBD will support the development of technology and trials of new methods of data collection to measure physical activity and sedentary behavior as well as diet and sleep. Interested applicants may propose new data sources or novel approaches for aggregating data from existing wearable devices, mobile applications, or social media. Applications for the first phase (prototype development) of the challenge are being accepted through August 4, 2017.
[Source: CDC]
Fitbit Data Reveals Fittest Countries and US Cities
Fitbit, a worldwide leader in wearable fitness trackers, has more than 50 million registered users across 65 countries. In Fitbit’s first ranking of the fittest countries, staff analyzed over 20 million Fitbit users’ data from across the world assessing average daily steps, active minutes, resting heart rate, sleep duration, and “reminders to move” goals met. The top 3 ranked countries were Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. The United States is ranked 28th. In the United States, the top 3 ranked cities were Duluth, MN, Appleton, WI, and Eau Claire, WI. These data can assist leaders and decision makers in improving the health of their countries and cities.
[Source: BusinessWire]
To Build a Great Public Space, You Need More Than Good Design
Creating safe spaces for recreation and physical activity can change depending on the location, population, and goals of different communities. Kounkuey Design Initiative, a non-profit design and community development organization, recently received a Renewal Award for work redesigning outdoor activity spaces for low-income communities around the world. A link to an interview, where one of the organization’s co-founders shares strategies for working with diverse populations to increase opportunities for activity in communities from Los Angeles to East Africa, can be found at their website.
[Source: CityLab]
Applications for Anthem Foundation Grants are Now Open
The Anthem Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Anthem Inc. Health Insurance organization, has opened applications for grants to fund health promotion and disease prevention programs. Grant applications should focus on one of the five areas of the Anthem Foundation’s Healthy Generations Program, which includes promoting healthy lifestyles through physical activity and diet. More information about the grant application process and eligibility guidelines can be found online. Grant applications for the current funding cycle are due Friday, September 1, 2017.
UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:
JULY
Park and Recreation Month
July 1-31, 2017
AUGUST
Summer Sun Safety Month
August 1-31, 2017
National Health Center Week
August 13-19, 2017
SEPTEMBER
Fruit and Veggies - More Matters Month
September 1-30, 2017
Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month
September 1-30, 2017
Healthy Aging® Month
September 1-30, 2017
National Cholesterol Education Month
September 1-30, 2017
Whole Grains Month
September 1-30, 2017
World Alzheimer's Month
September 1-30, 2017
European Mobility Week
September 16-22, 2017
Active Aging Week
September 24-30, 2017
National Women's Health & Fitness Day
September 27, 2017
World Heart Day
September 29, 2017
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON:USC PRC UPDATES:
Changes to the Department of Transportation Funding
As President Trump’s 2018 budget proposal moves to Congress for approval, the Department of Transportation and other transportation programs will wait to hear about changes to federal funding support. Under the newly proposed budget, funding will be limited or cut for many current programs, including the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program, as more than $200 billion is redirected toward other transportation changes over the next 10 years. The TIGER grant program has helped fund opportunities for urban and rural communities seeking to improve street design for physical activity through public transportation, bicycling, and walking.
[Source: The Hill]
National 4-H Conference Briefing: Providing the Youth Perspective on Physical Activity Messaging
Each year, 4-H clubs around the US send delegates to the National 4-H Conference in Washington, DC where they build skills in advocacy, communication, and policy change by addressing a challenge presented by a federal agency. The 2017 Conference delegates offered a youth perspective on physical activity messaging to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, and focused on methods for effectively communicating the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans to youth. The 4-H delegates also presented insights into how and why youth choose to participate in physical activity, provided information about diverse physical activity preferences among adolescents, and proposed a set of recommendations for more effectively communicating physical activity guidelines to youth nation-wide.
RESEARCH NOTES:
Effectiveness of Interventions to Promote Physical Activity and/or Decrease Sedentary Behavior Among Rural Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effectiveness of interventions to increase physical activity and/or decrease sedentary behavior in rural populations. Previous evidence has found higher rates of physical inactivity and overweight /obesity in rural populations compared to urban populations. Studies included in the meta-analysis (n=13) were interventions to increase physical activity with outcomes including objective and self-report measures. The authors found that the interventions had no effect on physical activity or sedentary behavior. Authors highlighted a gap in understanding how best to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior among rural adults.
[Source: Cleland, V. et al. 2017. Effectiveness of interventions to promote physical activity and/or decrease sedentary behaviour among rural adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews.]
Where Are Adults Active? An Examination of Physical Activity Locations Using GPS in Five US Cities
Understanding the preferred places where people participate in physical activity will allow for more appropriately tailored interventions. In this study, participants across five states wore accelerometers and GPS units for three weeks and researchers developed a location-coding protocol. Regardless of intensity, participants engaged in the most minutes of physical activity in homes and on roads. The remaining majority of physical activity minutes were in fitness facilities, schools, and parks. Older adults frequently used roads for physical activity while Hispanics, those with less than a high school education, and healthy and overweight individuals used parks. These observed usage patterns will enable researchers and practitioners to continue developing targeted interventions to increase physical activity among diverse populations.
[Source: Holliday, KM. et al. 2017. Where Are Adults Active? An Examination of Physical Activity Locations Using GPS in Five US Cities. Journal of Urban Health.]
Fitness Equipment in Public Parks: Frequency of Use and Community Perceptions in a Small Urban Centre
Increasing access to exercise equipment and fitness facilities can increase physical activity. Fitness equipment at public parks has been installed to address this need and to encourage activity at the population level. This study describes the results of direct park observations and interviews with adults about their use of exercise equipment in public parks. Researchers found low use of park fitness equipment upon observation, while adults inaccurately reported high use of the equipment during interviews. These results indicate that the availability of fitness equipment alone may not be sufficient to prompt their use among adults, and that efforts should be made to market, maintain, and increase programming at these sites.
[Source: Copeland, JL. Et al. 2017. Fitness Equipment in Public Parks: Frequency of Use and Community Perceptions in a Small Urban Centre. Journal of Physical Activity and Health.]
Gender Differences in Walking (for Leisure, Transport and in Total) Across Adult Life: A Systematic Review
Walking, whether for pleasure or active transportation, has been associated with decreased mortality rates and improvements in mental and physical health. In this systematic review, researchers examined differences in walking for leisure, transport, and total walking by gender in adults living in high-income countries. After reviewing 36 studies, researchers found no evidence that walking for transport or total walking differed by gender. However, younger women and older men were more likely to walk for leisure than the opposite gender of the same age. Researchers offer suggestions for future work to better understand how walking fits into daily activities of men and women across the life-span.
[Source: Pollard, TM. Et al. 2017. Gender Differences in Walking (for Leisure, Transport and in Total) Across Adult Life: A Systematic Review. BMC Public Health.]
Combined Exercise is More Effective than Aerobic Exercise in the Improvement of Fall Risk Factors: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Community-Dwelling Older Men
This study investigated long-term effects of community-based exercise programs in reducing fall risk factors. Participants were randomized into three groups: aerobic exercise, combined aerobic and resistance exercise, and control. Participants in the aerobic and combined exercise groups attended community exercise programs 3 times a week for 32 weeks. Fall risk factors were assessed through the Timed Up and Go Test, functional reach test, 30-second chair stand test, and 6-minute walk test. Both exercise groups reported improvements compared to the control group, and the combined exercise group experienced better performance than the aerobic only group. The results support the idea that programs that combine aerobic and resistance exercise are most beneficial for promoting physical function and reducing fall risk in older adults.
[Source: Sousa, N. et al. 2017. Combined exercise is more effective than aerobic exercise in the improvement of fall risk factors: a randomized controlled trial in community-dwelling older men. Clinical Rehabilitation.]
REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES:
Best Complete Policies of Streets 2016
Smart Growth America, through the National Complete Streets Coalition, has released the Best Complete Streets Policies of 2016. The report provides information for local communities, coalitions, and policy makers interested in enacting Complete Streets policies. The Complete Streets approach connects community and individual needs with planning, design, and transportation construction in communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Annually, the National Complete Streets Coalition reviews and releases the policy guide, which includes frameworks, guidelines, and language to use in local projects and advocacy efforts. The 2016 guide recognizes communities and over 200 new policies enacted in 2016 that have pushed forward efforts to create safe access for multiuse transportation networks. The guidelines also provide a framework for policy creation, scoring criteria, and examples of policy language, performance measures, and implementation steps. Resource materials may provide helpful tips for communities advocating for Complete Streets in their own area.
[Source: Smart Growth America]
Trust for Public Land City Park Facts
The Trust for Public Land, with support from PLAYCORE, has released the 2017 City Park Facts report. This provides information to residents, planners, and decision-makers seeking to continue efforts to revitalize and improve parks. For the first time, this year’s report contains photos as well as infographics. It also includes tables summarizing data such as percent of city populations with walkable park access and recreation, and the density of senior centers, basketball hoops, playgrounds, and more.
[Source: Trust for Public Land]
Step It Up! The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Promote Walkable Cities and Walkable Communities
This report summarizes the current conditions of walking and walkability in the United States following the release of the Surgeon General’s Step It Up! Call to Action in 2015. The information can be used to assess progress towards the five strategic goals of the Call to Action and to identify areas of focus to create a physically active nation. The end of the report includes success stories highlighting communities and organizations across the country working to promote walking and walkable communities.
[Source: CDC]
Public Health and Transportation Partners Launch Website on Bicycling and Walking in the US
The American Public Health Association and the Institute of Transportation Engineers, along with the League of American Bicyclists have launched an interactive website with easily accessible data and information from the “Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2016: Benchmarking Report.” The new online format was designed as a platform for presenting and sharing data and analysis from all 50 states and 68 communities around the country. The site allows users to examine and compare data by city and state, explore studies and trend analysis, and to download the most recent data and reports for use in research and physical activity promotion. The developers of the tool hope that the application of this information will help advocates for bicycling and walking as well as researchers and policy makers.
[Source: American Public Health Association]
New CDC Resources for Managing Chronic Health Conditions in Schools
The CDC has released new resources for parents and school officials, aimed at helping to manage chronic disease conditions for children in the school environment. An important aspect of chronic disease management for children is providing safe and enjoyable physical education and activity in and out of the classroom. The new resources include strategies for creating appropriate opportunities and encouraging physical activity for children diagnosed with chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes. The new chronic disease management is part of the CDC's larger Healthy Schools website that includes school health data and statistics, professional development and training in physical activity and healthy eating, and resources such as the Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool. These resources and many others that encourage healthy and active school environments can be found online.
PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES:
Minneapolis-St. Paul is the Fittest City in the US
Minneapolis-St. Paul has reclaimed the distinction of "America's Fittest City" from Washington D.C., according to the American Fitness Index from the American College of Sports Medicine and the Anthem Foundation. From 2011-2013, the Twin Cities held the title, determined annually based on a number of data points from the CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, The Trust for the Public Land City Park Facts, and additional research data. Cities around the country also made great strides toward healthier populations. Nationally, there was a 16% increase in cities with populations meeting recommendations for aerobic and strength activities in the last 30 days, a 3.9% increase in walkability scores, and a 3.9% increase in the percent of residents who live within a 10 minute walk of a park. Other metropolitan areas included in the top 5 are Washington D.C., San Francisco, Seattle, and San Jose. A number of resources aimed at helping cities promote healthy lifestyles including increasing walkability, park access, and physical activity can be found online.
[Source: Today]
Kenmore, a Let’s Move! ‘All-Star’ Community
Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties has recognized Kenmore, WA, as the second “All-Star” community. As part of former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, cities can receive up to five either gold, silver, or bronze models for meeting any of the program’s five goals to improving health. Upon receiving 5 gold medals, the city can continue to work towards additional goals to earn the “All-Star” recognition. Kenmore has continued to adopt city guidelines aimed at increasing physical activity, implementing slow zones around schools, and making the city more bike-friendly. In addition, Kenmore residents voted to pass a bond improving city parks, and have added sidewalks and bike lanes throughout the city. Kenmore leaders believe ensuring a healthy place for children to live is an investment in the future.
[Source: Bothell-Kenmore Reporter]
St. George Earns Bike Friendly Designation
St. George, UT, has received the “bronze” designation of a bicycle friendly community, and continues to make changes to earn the next level, “silver.” As the population and tourism industry continues to grow, city and county leaders have developed active transportation plans giving residents an alternative transportation choice to alleviate traffic congestion. During National Bike Month in May, the city held a number of events increasing cycling awareness and participation, including a two-mile bike ride with the mayor. The Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance hopes to build a cycling community where people ride bikes for leisure, exercise, or transportation. This will give residents an opportunity to improve health, save on vehicle costs, and decrease air pollution.
[Source: The Spectrum]
Free Soccer Programs Bring Fun and Fitness to Miami-Dade Parks
In parks around Miami-Dade County, Florida, children can now participate in no-cost after-school programs through Soccer for Success, one of several US Soccer Foundation programs aimed at improving communities through sports. The program in Miami-Dade County serves residents in kindergarten through eighth grade, focusing on obesity prevention by providing low-income children with opportunities for physical activity and nutrition education. In addition to activities for children, the Miami-Dade program offers mentoring, fitness classes, nutrition education, and cooking classes for caregivers. The Soccer for Success Program has over 400 active locations across the US, and plans to expand to more locations around Miami-Dade County this fall.
[Source: The Miami Herald]
Building Community through Physical Activity – Hike, Bike & Paddle
The most recent Louisville, KY, Hike, Bike & Paddle event attracted over 10,000 people. The event occurs twice annually on Memorial Day and Labor Day. This year, participants could choose from a 5k hike, 9.5-mile bike ride, or paddling the Ohio River. Other activities included Zumba, fitness demonstrations, pickleball, and Tai chi. The free, family-friendly event allows participants to experience the benefits of physical activity while building community relationships. The Mayor of Louisville supports the event as a chance to create a healthier city.
UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:
JULY
IDEA World Fitness Convention
July 19-23, 2017
Las Vegas, NV
Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior 50th Annual Conference
July 20-24, 2017
Washington, DC
13th Annual International Conference on Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences
July 24-27, 2017
Athens, Greece
AUGUST
National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media
August 15-17, 2017
Atlanta, GA
SEPTEMBER
14th International Conference on Urban Health
September 26-29, 2017
Coimbra, Portugal
USC PRC UPDATES:
Update from the USC PRC Core Research Project
Church enrollment and training are now complete for phase 2 of the USC PRC Applied Public Health Research Project, the Dissemination and Implementation of the Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN) Program. USC PRC staff trained 17 community health advisors (CHAs) from churches in the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC). CHAs then conducted 21 trainings across all 12 districts in the South Carolina Conference in April and May, training a total of 111 church committees. The CHAs will continue to work with churches by providing technical assistance telephone calls over the next 12 months. In addition to completing phase 2 trainings, staff members from the USC PRC have been invited to present at the Global Ministries UMC Day of Health in September 2017, as part of the United Methodist Church’s new Abundant Health Initiative.
Update from the National Physical Activity Plan Alliance
This quarter the National Physical Activity Plan Alliance released:
- Objectives Added for Faith-Based Settings Sector - The objectives indicate specific actions that can and should be taken to implement plan tactics, along with a timeline for implementation.
- New Resource for Exercise is Medicine® on Campus - Available on the EIM® on Campus website. The resource offers several strategies, across multiple sectors, that are applicable to promoting physical activity for students and employees in college and university settings and can be used to compliment many EIM activities.
- Be Active Your Way Blog Highlighting NPAPA State Initiatives -The post covers the ways the NPAPA supports state level physical activity initiatives including the State Liaison Network and a newly announced state physical activity plan archive project.
In addition the NPAPA board approved next steps in a collaboration with the Frameworks Institute, an independent nonprofit communications organization known for the Strategic Frame Analysis(TM). Over the last several months the NPAPA has worked with Frameworks to identify communication needs and discuss potential collaborative solutions. Next steps will involve refinement of a prospectus and an effort to raise the funds needed to launch the project.
Update from the South Carolina Healthy Brain Research Network (SC-HBRN)
The SC-HBRN Spring Partners Meeting held in April brought together the various HBRN partners and affiliate faculty of the Arnold School of Public Health Office for the Study of Aging. Attendees learned about the latest data from the 2017 Alzheimer’s disease Registry report from the OSA, available online, and had a discussion about the importance of aging research and scholarship within the state.
SC-HBRN scholars were extremely active this quarter. In addition to making several local and national presentations, scholars participated in a HBRN National Webinar and Discussion with an Aging Journals Editorial Panel, a link to the recorded presentation can be found online.
HBRN Scholar and postdoctoral fellow Dr. Seul Ki Choi was awarded a USC ASPIRE postdoctoral scholar development grant for her “Health information seeking behaviors among caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: Are caregivers taking care of their own health?” project.
Update from the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network II
The SC-CPCRN awarded mini-grants to two community organizations, Trinity Baptist Church and Rembert Area Community Coalition (RACC), to develop educational and awareness programs in their communities focused on colorectal cancer screening. The grant lasted for one year and a ceremony was held on April 13, 2017 allowing each organization to present the highlights and findings of their respective programs. Both organizations aimed to raise awareness about colorectal cancer and the importance of regular screening. RACC provided two education programs at the Sumter County Library. Trinity Baptist Church wrote and directed a play delivered to members of their community. The play took place in the church sanctuary and utilized several church members in various roles.
Recent publication:
Best, A. L., Vamos, C., Choi, S. K., Thompson, E. L., Daley, E., & Friedman, D. B. (2017). Increasing Routine Cancer Screening Among Underserved Populations Through Effective Communication Strategies: Application of a Health Literacy Framework. Journal of Cancer Education, (32)2, 213-217.
Writers: John Bernhart and Caroline Dunn
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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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