QUARTER 1: January - March 2022 | 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 UofSC PRC Core Research Project
  • Update from the UofSC PRC
  • Update from the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network II

NEWS YOU CAN USE:

  • Physical Activity Alliance Launches “It’s Time to Move” Campaign
  • Classroom-Based Interventions to Increase Physical Activity
  • International Society for Physical Activity and Health Announces New Partnership with The Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting and Sleep Consortium

UPCOMING EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES

  • April, May, June

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON: 

  • White House Promotes Walkable Accessory Dwelling Unit Construction to Increase Affordable Housing Supply
  • Department of Transportation Prioritizes Roadway Safety for Pedestrians and Cyclists

RESEARCH NOTES:

  • The Association Between Steps Per Day and Blood Pressure in Children
  • Estimated Number of Deaths Prevented Through Increased Physical Activity Among US Adults
  • A Longitudinal Examination of Objective Neighborhood Walkability, Body Mass Index, and Waist Circumference: the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke study
  • Economics of Sedentary Behaviour: A Systematic Review of Cost of Illness, Cost-Effectiveness, and Return on Investment Studies
  • Daily Steps and All-Cause Mortality: a Meta-Analysis of 15 International Cohorts

REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES:

  • Dell Center for Healthy Living Launches Child Physical Activity Toolkit
  • New CDC Physical Inactivity Maps
  • ACSM Publishes New Recommendations on Type 2 Diabetes and Exercise

PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES:

  • A New Program in Canada Gives Doctors the Option of Prescribing National Park Visits
  • Cherokee County, OK Healthy Living Program Targets Community Physical Activity
  • Flint, MI Nutrition, Fitness Program Aims to ’Empower’ Formerly Incarcerated Individuals
  • Washington State Task Force Recommends Shared Use to Increase Physical Activity Among Youth

UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:

  • April, May, June

A LETTER FROM OUR DIRECTOR:

Greetings and Happy Spring!

I hope that reductions in COVID-19 infections and revised CDC guidelines have left you feeling hopeful that more normalcy will return to your life, that you might be able to attend in-person professional meetings again, and that you can make plans for the summer.

What are you most looking forward to this spring or summer?  I’d love to hear!  The pandemic (and perhaps increasing age – ha!) has underscored for me the imperative to quit postponing and start doing things I’ve always wanted to do. So…..this summer I will be doing RAGBRAI - Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa.  It is an 8-day bike ride that starts in Western Iowa (Sergeant Bluff this year) on July 23 and ends in Eastern Iowa (Lansing this year) on July 30. My older brother has done it many times, and although I’ve always been intrigued by his stories and photos, not owning a bike has made it difficult to do more than just imagine it. But now I have a bike and have been riding consistently, so I decided to sign up.  I won’t lie – I’m a little (lot) nervous – but I’m even more excited! I can’t wait to step away from my computer, phone, and daily hassles and, along with around 10,000 other riders, see the beauty and experience the hospitality of rural Iowa, challenge myself physically, and spend quality time with my brother who I don’t see very often. And I’m excited that most host towns will have homemade pie and lots and lots of Iowa sweetcorn (my husband is from Iowa, and I will tell you that there is nothing like Iowa corn…but I’m digressing). My friends and family will probably grow sick of hearing me talk about it! 

I hope that you are making plans for something fun, too.  Does it involve being active?  Seeing a new park, trail, beach, or other part of nature?

Oh….and one more thing.  Please help us share the word about this year’s Physical Activity and Public Health Courses. The research course and practitioner course will be held in September in Columbia, SC.  We are busy planning for another great course.  Here’s a link that you can share with your colleagues: http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/training/paph.htm

- Sara Wilcox

USC PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER UPDATES:

Update from the USC PRC Core Research Project

USC’s core research project, the Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN) Online Training Program, is currently recruiting churches for upcoming sessions this spring and summer. The next session will launch in April, with additional sessions beginning in July and August. The online training consists of eight self-paced lessons that aim to teach churches how to create healthier environments through increasing opportunities, sharing messages, creating policies that promote physical activity and healthy eating, as well as ways to enlist their pastor’s support. To learn more about the training or to sign up for participation, please visit the PRC’s website or contact the program coordinator, Jessica Stucker at 877-971-5259 or at FAN4Life@mailbox.sc.edu.

Updates from the UofSC PRC

We are excited to host the 2022 Physical Activity and Public Health Courses this coming September! The courses will be held in Columbia, South Carolina. There are two course tracks offered: a course for Researchers (held September 14-21) and a course for Practitioners (held September 17-21). The Research course is designed to help post-doctoral individuals develop research competencies related to physical activity and public health, while the Practitioner course will engage practitioners in designing community-based initiatives to promote physical activity. More information about the courses is available online, and applications for both courses are due June 1. For additional information, contact Dale Murrie at brabhamd@mailbox.sc.edu.

The PRC’s CDC-funded vaccination promotion project led by Dr. Shan Qiao has engaged and trained 19 peer advocates across 6 counties in South Carolina to date. The project focuses on counties with a majority African American population, and has reached out and conducted one-to-one promotion among 547 contacts in local communities.

The UofSC Arthritis SIP project, Phone-Based Walk with Ease Program, is now open for recruitment! The Walk With Ease Program is an evidence-based in-person program from the Arthritis Foundation that has now been converted into a phone delivered program. The 6-week Phone-Based Walk With Ease program consists of two telephone calls each week and is designed to help people with arthritis increase their walking.  To learn more about this study or to see if you’re eligible to participate, please visit the study website at https://uofscwalkingstudy.com/ or contact the project coordinator, Krystal Cooper at 803-576-7836 or at uofscwalkingstudy@mailbox.sc.edu.

Update from the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network II

The Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network Scholars Program hosted Dr. Cyndi Thomson, University of Arizona, and Dr. Mary Charlton, University of Iowa, to discuss their experiences with Implementation Science. A total of 23 attendees participated in the live webinar. The webinar recording can be accessed online.

Dr. Jan Eberth, in collaboration with the CPCRN Rural Cancer Workgroup, published a manuscript, in the Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer, titled,“How cancer programs identify and address the financial burdens of rural cancer patients.”

Sam Noblet, SC-CPCRN Project Director, was nominated for and received a 2022 Exceptional Research Service Award – Technical Support Staff Award. The staff members nominated come from a wide variety of disciplines and show exceptional commitment to the field of research at UofSC.

NEWS YOU CAN USE:

Physical Activity Alliance Launches “It’s Time to Move” Campaign

The Physical Activity Alliance (PAA) has launched a multi-year campaign entitled “It’s Time to Move.” The campaign aims to support the Active People, Healthy Nation goal of helping 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027. The primary focus of the campaign is to standardize clinical measures of physical activity. Integrating a standardized physical activity assessment into clinical care will enable providers to measure, prescribe, refer, and counsel for patient physical activity. The campaign will also enable surveillance of physical activity and will assist policymakers and community leaders in advocating for physical activity promotion efforts. More information and campaign materials are available on the PAA website.
[Source: Physical Activity Alliance]

Classroom-Based Interventions to Increase Physical Activity

The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF), in support of the CDC’s Active People Healthy Nation Initiative and Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2030, have put forth recommendations for classroom- and school-based interventions to improve physical activity in the nation's youth. The most recent edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that youth participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Through evidence-based findings, the CPSTF recommends physical activity breaks and physical activity lessons as classroom-based interventions. The interventions will train participating educators to engage their students in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity integrated into school lessons and breaks between daily activities. Further details on the CPSTF’s school-based intervention recommendations and other youth-related resource materials can be found on the CPSTF website.
[Source: Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion]

Partnership with The Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting and Sleep Consortium

The International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) and the Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting and Sleep Consortium (ProPASS) have partnered to address gaps in evidence-based research and to better inform national and global physical activity behavioral guidelines. This new partnership is driven by two overarching aims: to support ProPASS’s mission to become more representative in their work by including low- and middle-income countries and underrepresented minority groups, and to develop translatable research methods to be used in large-scale studies. These collaborative efforts will be supported through various activities like joint symposia, training, and multisectoral forums and knowledge exchanges. The partnership’s first joint activity will take place during ProPASS’ 4th Annual Conference in April of 2022, which ISPAH will co-host this year. 
[Source: International Society for Physical Activity and Health]

UPCOMING EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES:

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON:

Public Transit Relief Proposal Approved by House Committee

White House Promotes Walkable Accessory Dwelling Unit Construction to Increase Affordable Housing Supply
The Biden Administration recently hosted a webinar on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and the potential to increase affordable housing in the U.S. through the construction of ADUs. ADUs typically refer to an independent dwelling located on the same lot as a single-family home. In urban areas, ADUs can offer a solution to renters in housing shortages while homeowners benefit from extra rental income. One major benefit of ADUs is that they often enable renters to live closer to their workplaces, thereby enhancing neighborhood walkability and promoting active transport. Officials from the Biden Administration highlighted the need for friendly local regulatory environments as well as tax incentives for homeowners to promote ADU construction.
[Source: Smart Growth America]

Department of Transportation Prioritizes Roadway Safety for Pedestrians and Cyclists

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a report that indicates it will prioritize the safety of all roadway users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and public transportation users, when allocating state funds from the infrastructure law. The DOT specifically plans to prioritize projects that enhance walkability, safety, and traffic calming, such as bike and pedestrian pathways and traffic roundabouts. The report follows the Federal Highway Administration’s adoption of a Complete Streets strategy, which aims to connect all members of a community through safe, accessible, and walkable routes. Despite pressure to allocate infrastructure funds to highway expansion projects, DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg has indicated that safe and equitable transport projects will remain a top priority for funding.
[Source: AP News]

RESEARCH NOTES:

The Association Between Steps Per Day and Blood Pressure in Children

Research has shown that physical activity is an important factor in managing hypertension and preventing other cardiometabolic diseases. Few studies to date have evaluated the association between steps per day or physical activity volume and hypertension among children. The authors of this study assessed whether 11,500 steps per day were beneficial in managing blood pressure among 1,002 children and adolescents.  Measurements of body weight, height, BMI, blood pressure, and steps per day were assessed among all participants. The study found that children who engaged in at least 11,500 steps per day had a significantly lower risk of hypertension than those who did not, and that there was a greater protective benefit for boys. Children who were identified as already having hypertension were found to take fewer steps than those with regular blood pressure. This study points to the cardiovascular benefits of physical activity among children, specifically steps per day, and may inform public health guidance around step counts for children.
[Source: Weres, A., Baran, J., Czenczek-Lewandowska, Leszczak, J., Mazur, A. “The association between steps per day and blood pressure in children.” Sci Rep12, 1422 (2022). ]

Estimated Number of Deaths Prevented Through Increased Physical Activity Among US Adults

Previous research has suggested that physical activity may be protective against all-cause mortality; however, many studies have relied on convenience samples and self-reported PA data. Researchers in this study used accelerometer and mortality data from over 4,500 adults aged 40-85 who participated in the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to examine the relationship between physical activity and mortality and to estimate the number of deaths prevented per year due to physical activity. They found that increasing moderate to vigorous physical activity by 10 minutes per day was associated with a 6.9% decrease in the number of deaths per year overall, or an estimated 111,174 prevented deaths per year. Greater benefits were associated with more physical activity: 20 and 30 more minutes of MVPA were associated with a 13.0% and a 16.9% decrease in the number of deaths per year, respectively. These results demonstrate the importance of public health efforts to increase physical activity and confirm that small changes in individual physical activity can yield substantial benefits.
[Source: Saint-Maurice, Pedro F., Barry I. Graubard, Richard P. Troiano, David Berrigan, Deborah A. Galuska, Janet E. Fulton, and Charles E. Matthews. "Estimated Number of Deaths Prevented Through Increased Physical Activity Among US Adults."JAMA Internal Medicine.]

A Longitudinal Examination of Objective Neighborhood Walkability, Body Mass index, and Waist Circumference: The REasons for Geographical and Racial Differences in Stroke Study

Previous studies have established that neighborhood walkability is related to obesity. This study analyzed 13.3 years of longitudinal data from the Reasons for Geographical and Racial Differences in Stroke to examine the walkability-adiposity relationship. Researchers studied the body mass index and the waist circumference of 12,846 Black and white Americans from three regions with excess stroke incidence. Participant height and weight were assessed at baseline and at follow up along with a walkability assessment that assigned an individually coded Walk Score. The researchers found that the odds of having obesity or overweight were lower for those in the “Walker’s Paradise” or “Very Walkable” range compared to individuals in a “Very Car-Dependent” range. Those in the “Very Walkable” range were also more likely to have a reduced WC compared to those in the “Very Car-Dependent” range.
[Source: Lang, IM., Antonakos, C.L., Judd, S.E. et al. A longitudinal examination of objective neighborhood walkability, body mass index, and waist circumference: the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 19, 17 (2022).]

Economics of Sedentary Behaviour: A Systematic Review of Cost of Illness, Cost-Effectiveness, and Return on Investment Studies

Although it is well-known that sedentary behavior is a risk factor for many chronic diseases, very little is known about its economic impact. In this systematic review, the authors identified nine articles that evaluated costs associated with sedentary behavior. Three articles reported healthcare costs associated with excessive sedentary time, while the remaining six articles contained economic evaluations of interventions targeting sedentary behavior in adults. Overall, the authors concluded that sedentary time is associated with higher healthcare costs and that interventions to reduce sedentary behavior are cost effective, particularly in workplaces. Future research should consider the costs of sedentary behavior in other sectors as well as the long-term cost savings of interventions to reduce sedentary behavior.
[Source: Nguyen, Phuong, Long Khanh-Dao Le, Jaithri Ananthapavan, Lan Gao, David W. Dunstan, and Marj Moodie. "Economics of sedentary behaviour: A systematic review of cost of illness, cost-effectiveness, and return on investment studies." Preventive Medicine (2022).]

Daily Steps and All-Cause Mortality: a Meta-Analysis of 15 International Cohorts

A goal of 10,000 steps per day has been broadly promoted as a beneficial health behavior. However, there is a lack of evidence to support this recommendation and the optimal number of steps per day to confer health benefits remains unknown. The authors of this study performed a meta-analysis of 15 prospective cohort studies to examine the relationship between steps per day and all-cause mortality. Step and mortality data taken between 1999-2018 from 47,471 adults were included in the analysis. They found that increasing steps per day was associated with a decreased risk of mortality up to 6000-8000 steps per day for adults aged 60 and older and up to 8000-10000 steps per day among adults younger than 60. These results can be used to promote physical activity and to inform public health guidance around steps per day.
[Source: Paluch, Amanda E., Shivangi Bajpai, David R. Bassett, Mercedes R. Carnethon, Ulf Ekelund, Kelly R. Evenson, Deborah A. Galuska et al. "Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts." The Lancet Public Health 7, no. 3 (2022).]

REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES:

Dell Center for Healthy Living Launches Child Physical Activity Toolkit

The Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living has developed a collection of toolkits to raise awareness for health risk factors in children living in Texas. The toolkits accompany the Center’s publication of the Healthy Children, Healthy State reports. These resources provide information about the physical inactivity crisis among children in Texas and outline how different stakeholders can work to improve physical activity among children. The toolkits feature recommendations, guides, and articles for parents, schools, communities, and policymakers in the state. Along with the toolkits, the Dell Center has included the School Physical Activity & Nutrition (SPAN) Survey from 2015-2016 results (the last time that the survey was administered) in an interactive database.
[Source: Michael & Susan Dell Canter for Healthy Living]

New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Physical Inactivity Maps

The CDC has released new maps depicting the prevalence of physical inactivity by state and by race/ethnicity within states. Map data were drawn from the 2017-2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an ongoing survey conducted by the CDC and by state health departments. Respondents who indicated that they do not do any physical activity outside of their regular jobs were classified as inactive. The maps highlight location-based disparities in physical inactivity, as well as racial/ethnic disparities. Inactivity was generally highest in southern states - the regional prevalence of inactivity in the South was 27.5% compared to 25.3% overall. Among racial/ethnic groups, inactivity was highest among Hispanic adults (32.1%) and non-Hispanic Black adults (30.0%). Maps and map data are available for download on the CDC website.
[Source: CDC]

ACSM Publishes New Recommendations on Type 2 Diabetes and Exercise

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has released new recommendations for individuals with type 2 diabetes. Previous research has established that physical activity can help patients prevent and manage the effects of type 2 diabetes. The new guidelines emphasize the importance of regular physical activity and the reduction of sedentary time in all individuals including youth and the elderly, with modifications and exceptions as needed. Along with the recommendations, ACSM also makes a point to stress that small doses of physical activity throughout the day as well as high-intensity resistance and consistent aerobic exercise will all have positive effects on blood glucose and insulin levels. ACSM’s full recommendations are outlined in their consensus statement.
[Source: American College of Sports Medicine]

PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES:

A New Program in Canada Gives Doctors the Option of Prescribing National Park Visits

The BC Parks Foundation and Parks Canada have partnered together to launch a new health initiative that allows doctors the option of prescribing annual passes to national parks. This new project, PaRx, aims to increase patients' time spent in nature to at least two hours per week. Program coordinators believe spending more time outside can improve physical and mental health conditions and even reduce certain costs in the healthcare system. PaRx also enables physicians to work to improve patient health without traditional pharmaceutical prescriptions. Though only 100 adult passes are currently available, the BC Parks Foundation plans to increase this number as the program progresses.
[Source: NPR]

Cherokee County, OK Healthy Living Program Targets Community Physical Activity

In Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the Cherokee County Healthy Living Program is helping the local community to live healthier lives. Funded through the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), the Healthy Living Program was created to increase community access to healthy foods, physical activity opportunities, and decrease tobacco use. The program began with a community-wide needs assessment that resulted in direct and indirect areas of need, such as food security, mental health assistance, and homelessness. The TSET Healthy Living Program partners with other community organizations to better address community needs. To date, the program has sponsored: a Back-to-School Bash focused on safe routes to school; several Bike and Walk to school programs; and Open Streets Tahlequah, which promoted biking and walking in the downtown district. The TSET Healthy Living Program has also spawned the Healthy Food Retail Task Force, which will launch its mobile farmer’s market this spring.
[Source: Tahlequah Daily Press]

Flint, MI Nutrition, Fitness Program Aims to ’Empower’ Formerly Incarcerated Individuals

A Flint, Michigan-based nonprofit organization called Money, Attitude, Direction, and Education (M.A.D.E.) has partnered with Michigan State University to offer a two-year fitness and nutrition education program for formerly incarcerated individuals. The program (entitled Harnessing Education and Lifestyle Change to Support Transitional Health (or HEALTH) for Returning Citizens: A Pilot Study) will enable 30 returning citizens to participate in health and fitness education and programming. Eight of the selected participants will also train to become certified fitness instructors and will lead classes at M.A.D.E. headquarters. All participants will also receive gym memberships to use throughout the program. As incarcerated individuals are disproportionately at risk of chronic health conditions related to physical inactivity, the HEALTH program aims to empower participants to make healthier lifestyle choices. Although the main focus of HEALTH is improving participant health outcomes, the instructor training component is designed to enhance career opportunities for participants. Programming for the project will begin in mid-March 2022.
[Source: Flint Beat]

Washington State Task Force Recommends Shared Use to Increase Physical Activity Among Youth

A Washington state Physical Activity Task Force recently released a report that recommends the shared use of school and community athletic fields as a means of increasing physical activity opportunities among youth, especially those in underserved areas. The Task Force recommends that the state support shared use agreements by offering financial incentives to school districts that implement shared use models and by communicating with school leaders to explain the importance of sharing school facilities with the broader community. The report also recommends that the state fund four pilot shared-use projects. Although many schools in the state have shared use agreements in place, the report notes that community members statewide have found it difficult to access schools, particularly during the pandemic. The Task Force recommendations ultimately aim to increase physical activity among all youth throughout the state.
[Source: Big Country News Collection]

UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

Writers: Kelsey Day, Jasmin Parker-Brown, and Ariel Meriwether

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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 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.

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