QUARTER 2: April - June 2023 | USC-PRC Notes

"Promoting Health through Physical Activity"

Topics in this issue

A LETTER FROM OUR DIRECTOR

UofSC PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER UPDATES:

  • Update from the USC PRC Core Research Project
  • Update from the USC PRC Projects
  • Update from the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network II

NEWS YOU CAN USE:

  • Kids Run the Nation Grant Fund
  • 2023 Trail Fund Recipients Announced
  • America Walks Walk2Connect Program

UPCOMING EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES

  • July, August, September

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON: 

  • PHIT Act to Incentivize Physical Activity
  • Members of Congress Call for Updated Vehicle Safety Ratings to Protect Pedestrians

RESEARCH NOTES:

  • Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Mortality from Influenza and Pneumonia: A Cohort Study of 577,909 US Adults
  • Associations Between Type and Timing of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior with Mental Health in Adolescents and Young Adults
  • A Community Profile of Walking and Cycling for Exercise or Transportation in a Rural County in the Southeastern United States

REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES:

  • WHO Database of Physical Activity in the EU
  • Report: Best Complete Streets Policies 2023
  • Wellness Policy Toolkit: Physical Activity Wellness Policy Series
  • Increasing Equity of Physical Activity Promotion for Optimal Cardiovascular Health in Adults: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association

PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES:

  • Drew Brees Bringing Annual Pickleball Fest to New Orleans
  • Rec-Connect™ Makes Fitness Fun for Everyone
  • Department of Health unveils free, dual language ‘Walk With Ease’ program 
  • Billings Nonprofit, The Phoenix, Expanding Sobriety Through Social Events and Physical Activities

UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:

  • July, August

A LETTER FROM OUR DIRECTOR:

Greetings!

For the last two-and-a-half months, faculty, staff, and students in our PRC have been working diligently to prepare an application to CDC for PRC funding. We apply for funding, in a competitive process, every five years. I am writing this newsletter introduction feeling a bit tired and worn down – but also excited for the ideas and work we have proposed. When this newsletter arrives in your inbox, the proposal will be in, and I will be gearing up for much-anticipated vacation!  Hooray. I can finally see the end in sight. This summer I will be taking a west-coast vacation with family, and I will be doing RAGBRAI (bike ride across Iowa) for my second time - it’s the 50th anniversary of the ride, and I can’t wait.

For all my colleagues at other PRCs across the country, congratulations for getting your proposal done and submitted! I hope that you enjoy some respite and relaxation as we all await the outcome of the review.

And to our other readers, have a wonderful Summer!

-Sara Wilcox

USC PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER UPDATES:

Update from the USC PRC

Physical Activity and Public Health Courses
The 2023 Physical Activity and Public Health Courses will be held in Columbia, SC in September. Both the Postgraduate Course on Research Directions and Strategies (led by Russ Pate) and the Practitioner’s Course on Community Interventions (led by Sara Wilcox) will be held.

We also wish the soon-to-be Dr. Kelsey Day best wishes as she transitions from a doctoral student to a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.  We will miss Kelsey!

Update from USC PRC SIP Projects

Evaluation of a phone-based Walk with Ease program in adults with arthritis (SIP21-003):
Dr. Christine Pellegrini will present data from the current Walk With Ease project during this year’s International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Conference. More about Dr. Pellegrini’s work with Walk With Ease is available here.

  • Pellegrini, C.A., Wilcox, S., Cooper, K., Ramey, K. Effective Recruitment Strategies for Underrepresented Populations in a Community Physical Activity Program. Oral Presentation at the ISBNPA Annual Conference. June 2023. Uppsala, Sweden.

Update from the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (SC-CPCRN) II

New publications from the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (SC-CPCRN) members have been recently made available through the journal, Cancer Causes & Control.

  • Adsul, P., et al. (2023). Identifying research practices toward achieving health equity principles within the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network. Cancer Causes & Control: 1–7. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-023-01674-2 
  • Escoffery, C., et al (2023). Mixed methods evaluation of the inaugural year of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network's (CPCRN) scholars program. Cancer Causes & Control: 1–17. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-023-01702-1 
  • Hirschey, R., et al. (2023). Prioritizing rural populations in state comprehensive cancer control plans: a qualitative assessment. Cancer Causes & Control: 1–11. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-023-01673-3 
    Semprini, J.T., et al. (2023). Measuring and addressing health equity: an assessment of cancer center designation requirements. Cancer Causes & Control: 10.1007/s10552-023-01680-4. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-023-01680-4. 
  • Wangen, M., et al. Risendal, B., Rohweder, C., & Leeman, J. (2023). Twenty years of capacity building across the cancer prevention and control research network. Cancer Causes & Control: 1–12. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-023-01690-2 

NEWS YOU CAN USE:

Kids Run the Nation Grant Fund

Applications are currently being accepted for the Kids Run the Nation grant program, which is funded by the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA). Since 2007, the RRCA has awarded over $300,000 to Kids Run the Nation grant recipients. The program assists running clubs, schools, and community organizations in coordinating and offering youth running programs. Eligible applicants include individuals working in schools, PTAs, or 501(c)(3) organizations. Awards range from $500 to $1000. Applications close on August 1, 2023, and winners will be notified by September 1, 2023. The application can be completed online.
[Source: Road Runners Club of America]

2023 Trail Fund Recipients Announced

Trail Trust, has awarded 27 national and international nonprofit organizations $295,000 in support of building, sustaining, and increasing access to outdoor recreation. Trail Trust, created in 2021 by Fox Factory, aims to provide support and resources to organizations that work to provide responsible recreation, trail building, maintenance, and expand opportunities to make outdoor experiences equitable. In Q1, over half of the grants awarded from Trail Trust are being used to provide equitable outdoor experiences to underrepresented communities. More information about Trail Trust and the 27 grant recipients can be found on the Trail Trust site.  
[Source: Trail Trust, The Journal]

America Walks Walk2Connect Program

America Walks has announced a partnership with the Walk2Connect program, a national organization that seeks to create community engagement and action through walking events. Previous Walk2Connect initiatives have resulted in enhanced pedestrian infrastructure, more physical activity promotion in and at libraries, and community walking programs led by public health departments. As an America Walks partner, Walk2Connect will offer trainings and services through the America Walks network.
[Source: American Walks]

UPCOMING EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES:

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON:

PHIT Act to Incentivize Physical Activity

Senators John Thune (SD) and Chris Murphy (CT) have reintroduced legislation titled the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act. The PHIT Act was originally proposed in 2018 and again in 2021; however, in both years it failed to receive a committee hearing and a formal vote. The bill would subsidize sports and fitness expenses through a tax deduction: individuals would be able to use up to $1000 ($2000 for families) of FSA or HSA funds for eligible expenses like a gym membership or youth sports league fees.
[Source: The Mitchell Republic]

Members of Congress Call for Updated Vehicle Safety Ratings to Protect Pedestrians

32 members of Congress are leading a charge for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to update their vehicle safety ratings as pedestrian fatalities reach a ten-year high, partly due to the influx of larger motor vehicles on the roadways and poor driver visibility in newer vehicles. These Congressional members aim to actualize Vision Zero, a campaign aimed at eliminating pedestrian fatalities by strengthening their New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). The NCAP, a five-star rating system, is advertised to consumers and grades features (including safety) of vehicles available on the market. Previously, NHTSA has taken public commentary on support for including more safety-based ratings for persons in the vehicles and pedestrians alike. Beyond just improved safety ratings, NHTSA’s Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) has the authority to mandate vehicle designs that also prioritize the lives of pedestrians outside of vehicles. As a result, American Walks has also launched their own Safer Vehicles for Pedestrians Campaign, to raise more awareness about solutions and actions on the local, state, and federal level.  
[Source: America Walks]

RESEARCH NOTES:

Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Mortality from Influenza and Pneumonia: A Cohort Study of 577 909 US Adults

Regular physical activity is known to be protective against chronic disease, and there is growing evidence that it may also protect against morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases. Researchers in this study used National Health Interview Survey data collected from 577,909 individuals between 1998-2019 to examine the relationship between physical activity and influenza or pneumonia mortality. Individuals who met the physical activity guidelines had 48% lower adjusted risk of influenza or pneumonia mortality. Further, compared to individuals without aerobic activity, individuals who reported between 10-149 weekly minutes of physical activity reduced mortality risk by 21%. For muscle strengthening, relative to <2 episodes/week, 2 episodes/week was associated with 47% lower risk and ≥7 episodes/week with 41% higher mortality risk. These results indicate that physical activity, particularly aerobic physical activity at any level, is protective against influenza and pneumonia mortality risk.
[Webber BJ, Yun HC, Whitfield GP. Leisure-time physical activity and mortality from influenza and pneumonia: a cohort study of 577 909 US adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-106644]

Associations Between Type and Timing of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior with Mental Health in Adolescents and Young Adults

In a recent study conducted by Bruno et al, 881 young adults aged 16-25 years from the Netherlands participated in a comprehensive cross-sectional survey. The primary objective was to examine the intricate connections between physical activity (both leisure and non-leisure), sedentary behavior (both leisure and non-leisure), and mental health across various times of the day. This study made use of data obtained from the Digital Balance Model: Young Adults project aimed at enhancing understanding of the potential relationships between physical activity and mental well-being, as previously observed in other research studies. To gather relevant information, the researchers employed two questionnaires: the Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5), which consisted of five items to gauge psychological well-being and distress; a customized two-item questionnaire developed specifically for this study to assess physical activity and sedentary behavior during weekdays and weekends. Separate analysis was carried out for behaviors exhibited on weekdays versus weekends, considering different time periods of the day, namely morning, afternoon, evening, and the entire day. The findings of this study revealed that engaging in leisure-time physical activity exhibited a positive association with mental health, particularly during specific time windows such as weekday evenings and weekend afternoons. Conversely, both leisure-time and total sedentary behavior were linked to poorer mental health outcomes. Notably, non-leisure physical activity did not demonstrate any significant association with mental health at the observed time points. Overall, these results strongly indicate that the type and timing of behaviors such as physical activity and sedentary behavior are crucial factors in the relationship between activity and mental health. 
[da Costa, B. G. G., Van Rooij, A. J., Tuijnman, A., Saunders, T. J., & Chaput, J.-P. (2023). Associations Between Type and Timing of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior With Mental Health in Adolescents and Young Adults. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2022-0485]

A Community Profile of Walking and Cycling for Exercise or Transportation in a Rural County in the Southeastern United States

As part of the CDC-funded High Obesity Program (HOP), Fitzhugh et al. conducted a study aimed at assessing the walking and cycling habits within a rural Tennessee county characterized by high obesity rates and low levels of physical activity. This research sought to capture information regarding community demographics, behaviors, and attitudes. A total of 647 adults participated in the survey, which was made available online or via telephone. The survey focused on individuals' walking and cycling behaviors over the past month, drawing questions from the esteemed National Survey of Bicyclist and Pedestrian Attitudes and Behaviors, alongside additional demographic inquiries such as age, gender, race, education, household size, and location. Participants were grouped based on their responses, categorized as cyclists, walkers, both cyclists and walkers, or non-cyclists/non-walkers. Upon analysis, results found that rates of walking for exercise and transportation in this county were 67.2%, surpassing national estimates from 2015 (56.2%). Approximately 16.2% of the surveyed adults identified themselves as cyclists. Notably, both cyclists and walkers exhibited a decline in participation with increasing age, with a more significant drop observed after the age of 50. Walking was found to be associated with various factors, including residing in two-person households, having positive health perceptions, viewing walking as a healthy behavior, and age. On the other hand, cycling was only associated with age. Overall, the research team observed that the majority of participants perceived their communities to be safe for active transportation. Furthermore, intrinsic motivators and social support emerged as crucial elements that could play a pivotal role in designing effective interventions to promote active transportation in rural areas.
[Fitzhugh, E. C., Jarvandi, S., Franck, K. L., & Elizer, A. (2023). A Community Profile of Walking and Cycling for Exercise or Transportation in a Rural County in the Southeastern United States. Health Promotion Practice, 24(1_suppl), 46S-55S. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248399221121110]

REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES:

WHO Database of Physical Activity in the EU

The WHO Europe recently released a new database of physical activity policy initiatives titled Health-Enhancing Physical Activity. The dataset contains country-level physical activity indicators as well as national actions that have supported physical activity across different sectors. The data were collected by the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases at the Division of Country Health Programmes, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, in collaboration with the Sport Unit at the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission. A report describing the dataset highlighted the improvement of policy implementation between 2015-2021, and indicates that these policies have led to improvements in happiness at the individual level.
[Source: WHO Europe]

Report: Best Complete Streets Policies 2023

Smart Growth America has published their report of the best Complete Streets policies in the US passed between 2019-2022. The policies were scored by the National Complete Streets Coalition using a 100-point scale and a standardized set of ten elements. The ten elements include items crucial to Complete Streets success, such as: prioritizing underinvested and underserved communities, mandating coordination between government departments and partner agencies, and measuring progress. The top-rated policy was passed in 2019 in Howard County, MD. The full report is available online.
[Source: Smart Growth America]

Wellness Policy Toolkit: Physical Activity Wellness Policy Series

The Global Wellness Institute has released their Wellness Policy Toolkit for physical activity. The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) is a nonprofit organization that aims to promote international wellness through research, programs, and initiatives in the public and private sector that focus on preventative health and wellness. The new toolkit explores physical activity as a key point in wellness policy and provides evidence for the need for physical activity within wellness policies. The toolkit looks at six action steps toward policy changes to support physical activity and health wellness. The tools provided within the toolkit help equip all advocates, policymakers, private business, nonprofits, and citizens, to promote physical activity in policy through multi-level support pathways. The Wellness Policy Toolkit: Physical Activity and additional information about GWI and its initiatives and work can be found on the GWI site.  
[Source: Global Wellness Institute]

Increasing Equity of Physical Activity Promotion for Optimal Cardiovascular Health in Adults: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association (AHA) has published a scientific statement titled "Increasing Equity of Physical Activity Promotion for Optimal Cardiovascular Health in Adults." This statement focuses on the importance of promoting physical activity to improve cardiovascular health while addressing disparities in access and participation. The AHA emphasizes the need to target populations that experience higher rates of physical inactivity and cardiovascular disease, including racial and ethnic minorities, low-income individuals, and those living in underserved communities. The statement outlines evidence-based strategies and interventions that can effectively promote physical activity and reduce disparities, such as community-based programs, policy changes, and partnerships with diverse stakeholders. By prioritizing equity in physical activity promotion, the AHA aims to optimize cardiovascular health outcomes for all adults. The statement in its entirety can be found here.  
[Source: Circulation]

PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES:

Drew Brees Bringing Annual Pickleball Fest to New Orleans

Drew & Brittany Brees recently announced the creation of the NOLA Pickleball Fest, an inaugural tournament that will take place from August 10-13 at a downtown convention center. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Brees Dream Foundation, which aims to improve quality of life for cancer patients. The festival will have divisions based on skill level as well as two age brackets. The festival will also include live music. More information, including registration information, is available online.
[Source: Saints News Network]

Rec-Connect™ Makes Fitness Fun for Everyone

The Michigan Fitness Foundation has implemented a statewide program titled Rec-Connect, which aims to increase community physical activity by leveraging existing community facilities and engaging families in exploring these resources. The program is funded by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed), which is a U.S. Department of Agriculture program. Rec-Connect initiatives such as a Wayne State University Detroit Healthy Youth program offers high school students in Detroit Public Schools Community District activities like cardio kick, kickboxing, Zumba, and yoga.
[Source: Second Wave Media]

Department of Health Unveils Free, Dual Language ‘Walk With Ease’ Program

The evidence-based program, Walk With Ease, is now freely available to Washington State residents through the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). The program, available in English and Spanish, has been found in multiple studies to be effective in getting people active and helping participants engage in healthier movement behaviors. To enroll for the Walk With Ease Program, Washington residents need only to register and choose a start date to being the walking program. Materials including a Walk With Ease Guidebook and a walking journal will be provided, as well as the ability to use the online portal that also includes additional online resources. Additional information about Washington State’s Department of Health or use of the Walk With Ease program can be found on the DOH website.
[Source: Washington State Department of Health]

Billings Nonprofit, The Phoenix, Expanding Sobriety Through Social Events and Physical Activities

Billings is the home of the largest The Phoenix group in the state of Montana. The Phoenix is an organization created in 2006 to foster sobriety through physical fitness and community. Stevie Robinson, a Billings native, yoga instructor, and the current overseer of the Montana chapter of The Phoenix, found her love for yoga while recovering from drinking. Robinson now aims to help others in their journey to sobriety by encouraging local residents in their sobriety journey to join The Phoenix and become active in a community that engages in yoga, kickboxing, CrossFit, book clubs, and other healthy activities. To join The Phoenix is free; participants’ only requirement is at least 48 hours of sobriety. The Billings Chapter of Phoenix is supported by the Gianforte Family Foundation and other grants to help provide program expansion in the area and provide childcare services and equipment to the chapter. More information about the Billings Phoenix chapter, programs in local areas, and The Phoenix organization can be found on the site.
[Source: Billings Montana Local News]

UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:

JULY

AUGUST

Writers: Kelsey Day and Jasmin Parker-Brown

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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.

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.