July 24, 2008

Rosanne Prinsen, MSc
Resource Coordinator

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

City of Calgary draft pedestrian cycling policies

City of Halifax active transportation plan

City of Toronto walking strategy

Toronto coalition for active transportation
The Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation (TCAT) was formed in 2006 to give a unified voice to the many groups working for a better cycling and pedestrian environment in Toronto.

CHILDREN

Action Schools! BC: A school-based physical activity intervention designed to decrease cardiovascular disease risk factors in children
They conclude Action Schools! BC was an effective school-based physical activity model for improving the CVD risk profile of elementary-school children.

Increasing preschoolers' physical activity intensities: An activity-friendly preschool playground intervention
The results suggest simple interventions, requiring little teacher training, can yield increases in healthy physical activity.

Perceptions about the local neighborhood and walking and cycling among children
They conclude that ‘Perceptions of the local neighborhood may influence children's physical activity.’

HEALTHY EATING

Nutrient value of some common foods (NVSCF) booklet.
Just released by Health Canada "The NVSCF has just been updated and is now free of charge. This new version now emphasizes mixed dishes rather than just individual ingredients."

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

A randomized trial to increase physical activity among native elders
Physical inactivity is common among older populations and American Indians. Our objective was to compare two methods for increasing physical activity and walking among American Indian elders.

OLDER ADULTS

Effectiveness of a lifestyle intervention and a structured exercise intervention in older adults
This study evaluated the effects of a lifestyle intervention and a structured exercise intervention on physical activity in older adults.

The 24-h distribution of falls and person–hours of physical activity in the home are strongly associated among community-dwelling older persons
They found that older persons may be at increased risk of falling if they are encouraged to become more physically active, or if they often get out of bed at night. Thus in addition to health-related factors, changes in level of physical activity should also be taken into account when estimating a person's risk of falling.

July 21, 2008

by Rosanne Prinsen, MSc
Resource Coordinator

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Bicycle safety
“The need for safe, convenient, and attractive facilities to encourage safe bicycling is essential. This site is designed to make it easier for the bicycle safety practitioner and advocate to locate and acquire the most appropriate resources to meet their particular planning, designing, and operating needs for bicycle facilities.”

Making cycling irresistible: Lessons from the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany
While history, culture, topography and climate are important, they do not necessarily determine the fate of cycling. Government policies are at least as important: transport policies, land-use policies, urban development policies, housing policies, environmental policies, taxation policies and parking policies.

Pedestrian safety
“This site is designed to make it easier for the pedestrian safety practitioner and advocate to locate and acquire the most appropriate resources to meet their particular planning, design, and operation needs for pedestrian facilities.”

Velomobiles
Human-powered vehicles -- fully enclosed recumbent bicycles that usually have three wheels, a chair-like seat and a standard bicycle drivetrain. The modern velomobile is the closest that anyone has come to building a truly practical all-weather, human-powered vehicle.

CHILDREN

A comparison between children's physical activity levels at school and learning in an outdoor environment
Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, Volume 7, Issue 2 December 2007, pages 161 – 176

Australia's active after-school communities (AASC) program
“The program is designed to engage traditionally inactive children in structured physical activities and build links with community based organizations to create opportunities for ongoing participation.”

Energy expenditure of obese, overweight, and normal weight females during lifestyle physical activities
International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, Volume 3, Issue 3 2008, pages 177 – 185

Family physical activity and sedentary environments and weight change in children
International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, Volume 3, Issue 3 2008, pages 160 - 167

How physical activity can work?
International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, Volume 3, Issue S1 2008, pages 10 – 14

International conference on physical activity and obesity in children: Summary statement and recommendations
Journal of Pediatric Obesity, Volume 3, Issue 1 2008, pages 3 – 21

Neighborhood characteristics in relation to diet, physical activity and overweight of Canadian children
International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, Volume 3, Issue 3 2008, pages 152 - 159

HEALTH PROMOTION

Find thirty every day
“The campaign aims to increase the number of West Australian adults who are sufficiently active for good health.”

Prevention institute
Prevention Institute helps identify ways to improve community environments so that healthy eating and physical activity become the easy choice.

Redesigned healthfinder.gov
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has redesigned healthfinder.gov. Physical activity information can be found under the ‘quick guide to healthy living” or by using the a-z encyclopedia.

Take life on, one step at a time
A new health promotion (physical activity is included) multimedia campaign from the Scottish Government.

OLDER ADULTS

The effectiveness of a physical activity intervention for seniors
American Journal of Health Promotion May/Jun2008, Vol. 22 Issue 5, p318 4p.
The purpose of this study was “To determine whether a tailored, 6-month, neighborhood-based, physical activity intervention for people aged 65 to 74 years could increase their total physical activity levels and to identify factors associated with physical activity times.” It concluded “The program was successful in increasing weekly mean time for physical activity in seniors and in identifying factors that affect their commitment to physical activities.”

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

ACSM American fitness index
This was developed “to provide an evidence- and science-based measurement of the state of health and fitness at the community level throughout the U.S. Communities, organizations and individuals will be able to assess factors that contribute to health and fitness and measure the progress.”

Russ Kisby fitness walk
1st Annual walk. “We are inviting you to visit the website and we hope that wherever you are, you will take time on July 20th to walk and remember Russ.”

USA physical activity guidelines advisory committee report
The new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans will be issued later in 2008. Find out more information in this report.

URBAN DESIGN

A resident's guide for creating safe and walkable communities
“This guide provides examples from other communities working to improve pedestrian safety. It includes information, ideas, and resources to help residents learn about issues that affect walking conditions; find ways to address or prevent these problems; and promote pedestrian safety.”

Designing and building healthy places (CDC)
…. “the interaction between people and their environments, natural as well as human-made, continues to emerge as a major issue concerning public health.” Many documents, links and resources here J

Working together to create healthy people in healthy places
“There is growing recognition that creating healthy places–neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces–is essential to supporting healthy eating and physical activity behaviours. The documents, briefs, and toolkit, in this section, present a comprehensive and cross-cutting review of policy, strategy, and program recommendations to create healthy eating and active living environments.”

The causal influence of neighborhood design on physical activity within the neighborhood: Evidence from Northern California.
American Journal of Health Promotion May/Jun2008, Vol. 22 Issue 5, p350 9p.
The purpose of this study was to “Test for a causal relationship between neighborhood design and physical activity within the neighborhood by controlling for self-selection” It concluded “Both cross-sectional and quasi-longitudinal analyses provided evidence of a causal impact of neighborhood design. Improving physical activity options, aesthetic qualities, and social environment may increase physical activity.”

June 19, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living



ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Investment in safe routes to school projects: Public health benefits for the larger community
Results suggest that SRTS projects in urban areas can improve the walking and bicycling environment for adults as well as for children, the target users. Investment in SRTS can contribute to increased physical activity among children and adults.

Centre for sustainable transportation
There are many good publications here. Click on Publilcations and then Completed Projects. You will find such things as Kids on the Move and Child Friendly Transportation Planning.

Children’s active commuting to school: Current knowledge and future directions.
Literature on children’s active commuting to school published before June 2007 was compiled…….

CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION

Shifting the Dialogue on Chronic Disease
…. for large-scale improvements in population health, action at the level of the social determinants is needed….There is a need to look beyond individual responsibility to understand the ways in which the social environment shapes the decisions we make and the behaviours we engage in.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Increasing access to places for physical activity through a joint use agreement: A case study in urban Honolulu
Several barriers to implementing the joint use agreement and recreational program were encountered. However, participants were satisfied with the recreational classes they attended and said that the In-Motion program helped them to engage in more PA. Program awareness by high school students and staff was high.

National outdoor recreational injury estimates
Almost 213,000 people were treated each year in emergency departments for outdoor recreational injuries from 2004 to 2005, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study…….

Ontario's action plan for healthy eating and active living
….Developed to address an epidemic of overweight and obesity in Ontario and as part of a world wide response to reduce chronic disease by targeting nutrition and physical activity.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY

Screen time among Canadian adults
This study, uses data 2007 CCHS to profile Canadian adults who were frequent television viewers and those who were frequent leisure-time computer users, two sedentary activities that are related to obesity.

Sedentary behaviour and obesity
This 2007 CCHS study used data from 42,600 men and women aged 20 to 64 and found strong evidence of a positive association between the time spent watching television and obesity among both sexes.

WORKPLACE

Employer adoption of evidence-based chronic disease prevention practices: A pilot study.
Workplace Solutions recommends 15 employer practices in 5 categories: 1) health insurance benefits, 2) policies, 3) workplace programs, 4) health-promoting communication, and 5) tracking of employee health behaviors to measure progress.

June 12, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Cycling - Getting Australia moving: Barriers, facilitators and interventions to get more Australians physically active through cycling
This report has been developed to assist practitioners, policy makers and planners to increase adult physical activity levels through bicycle riding.

CHILDREN

Active and safe routes to school
Green Communities Canada, in partnership with Ecology Action in Nova Scotia, SHAPE Alberta; and the Way to Go! School Program in British Columbia, is launching School Travel Planning (STP). STP brings together community stakeholders to identify barriers to active transportation for each school and develop a written action plan.

Building solutions for preventing childhood obesity
Consisting of seven separate modules covering both nutrition and physical activity topics.

Children and nature network
The Children & Nature Network (C&NN) was created to encourage and support the people and organizations working to reconnect children with nature. C&NN provides access to the latest news and research in the field and a peer-to-peer network of researchers and individuals, educators and organizations dedicated to children's health and well-being.

CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION

Influence of combined exercise training on indices of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes patients
The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of combined exercise training on indices of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes patients.

CONFERENCES

Active living research annual conference
The theme of the conference is Active Communities for Youth and Families: Creating Momentum for Change. February 18-20, 2009 in San Diego, CA.

HEALTH PROMOTION

From news to everyday use. The difficult art of implementation (Sweden)
Once new health–promoting methods have been presented, sometimes after years of research, it often takes a long time for them to come into daily use. This delay means that possible health gains are not achieved as quickly as we would perhaps like. The aim of this report is to facilitate the work of public health planners, prevention coordinators and others who sometimes face the challenge of disseminating and implementing new methods in the field of public health.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

How socio-economic status contributes to participation in leisure-time physical activity

Special issue of Canadian journal of public health
An issue focusing on the evaluation of the Canadian physical activity guides. Click on Supplement 2e under the 2007 heading.

Worldwide variability in physical inactivity: A 51-country survey

OLDER ADULTS

Group exercise can improve participants' mobility in an outpatient rehabilitation setting: a randomized controlled trial
The authors report that this short-duration circuit class programme improved mobility, but not strength.

Regular vigorous physical activity and disability development in healthy overweight and normal-weight seniors: A 13-year study
Public health efforts that promote physically active lifestyles among seniors may be more successful than those that emphasize body weight in the prevention of functional decline.

June 5, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE LIVING

Health, place and nature
How outdoor environments influence health and well-being: a knowledge base…. Research from across Europe found people living in areas with high levels of greenery to be three times more likely to be physically active and 40 per cent less likely to be overweight or obese than those living in areas with low levels of greenery.

CHILDREN/YOUTH

Alberta nutritional guidelines for children and youth
Alberta is the first province to create a nutrition guidelines resource specifically for caregivers operating childcare facilities, schools and recreation centres where Alberta’s children learn, gather and play.......

Federal-Provincial-Territorial sport ministers meeting
Federal-Provincial-Territorial Governments to boost aboriginal participation in sport, set physical activity targets for children and youth, and encourage action to reduce violence in sport.

Kid’s sports
This article examines trends in regular organized sports participation of children aged 5 to 14. It also looks at the factors that influence children’s participation in sports including parental involvement in sports, sociodemographic characteristics of the family, and geography.

Study finds positive link between childhood nutrition & literacy
What our children eat affects more than their health - it impacts their future. New research has shown that overall diet quality affects academic performance.

CHRONIC DISEASE

Designed for disease: The link between local food environments and obesity and diabetes
The study examines the relationships between retail food environments, obesity and diabetes, and community income. The study demonstrates that people who live near an abundance of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores compared to grocery stores and fresh produce vendors, have a significantly higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes.

Diabetes in America
Public knowledge, perceptions and behavior regarding diabetes and diabetes prevention. A societal barometer. The report presents the findings of a quantitative survey research program….

The prevention of lifestyle-related chronic diseases: An economic framework
This paper provides an economic perspective on the prevention of chronic diseases, focusing in particular on diseases linked to lifestyle choices. (Physical activity is mentioned a number of times.)

COMMUNITY

Local governments and schools: A community-oriented approach
This guide offers strategies for how local governments and schools can bring their respective planning efforts together to take a more community oriented approach to schools and reach multiple community goals—educational, environmental, economic, social, and fiscal.

HEALTH CARE

A look at national health care systems around the world
There has been much discussion about the merits of different systems around the world. This is a March 2008 Executive Summary on the topic.

Health Canada web-site changes
Health Canada has updated the look of their web-site. Please note, "Due to new file naming requirements, the URLs for each page of our Web site have been changed."
Check the links on your web-sites and personal favorites.... they will have to be updated.

OLDER ADULTS

Centre for policy on ageing (UK)

Continuous-scale physical functional performance test
The CS-PFP is based on ordinary activities of daily life, performed at maximal effort within the bounds of safety and comfort. It requires standard conditions and utilizes a scripted dialogue. All tasks are quantified by time, distance, or weight.

Lifetime homes, lifetime neighbourhoods: A national strategy for housing in an ageing society (UK)
Includes chapters on providing for people with disabilities, lifetime homes, lifetime neighbourhoods and more.

Preventing falls among seniors
This article outlines the ways seniors and professionals can work to lower the risk of falls. Statistics on falls are highlighted, followed by fall risk factors and interventions to prevent falls.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Low-income groups and behaviour change interventions: A review of intervention content and effectiveness
This review focuses on interventions specifically targeted at low-income populations – one index of disadvantage. It includes three targeted behaviors related to health: smoking, healthy eating and physical activity.

Physical activity and sport act (2003, c. 2)
This act is current to May 9th, 2008. If you are initially directed to an “update notice” page don’t fret, just click on the link on the page titled -> return to http:// …… ‘

STATISTICS

Commonly used public health statistics and their confidence intervals
A technical briefing produced by the Association of Public Health Observatories (APHO), designed to support public health practitioners and analysts and to promote the use of public health intelligence in decision making.

In this briefing we describe the calculation of the more common types of statistics used within public health intelligence, specifically: rates, proportions, means and age-standardized rates and ratios. We also describe the use of confidence intervals......snip

WORKPLACE

Promoting physical activity in the workplace: Intervention guidance on workplace health promotion with reference to physical activity
This guidance is for employers and professionals in small, medium and large organisations who have a direct or indirect role in, and responsibility for, improving health in the workplace. The guidance complements and supports, but does not replace, NICE guidance on: physical activity and the environment, workplace smoking and obesity.

June 2, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE LIVING

A resident’s guide for creating safe and walkable communities – Feb 08
‘This guide provides examples from other communities working to improve pedestrian safety. It includes information, ideas, and resources to help residents learn about issues that affect walking conditions; find ways to address or prevent these problems; and promote pedestrian safety.”

Improving conditions for bicycling and walking: A best practices report


ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Literature review of walking programs
Includes walking program best practices based on provincial, national and international literature reviews.

CHILDREN

Canada's report card on physical activity for children and youth for 2008
Canada’s Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth for 2008 is the fourth annual overview of key indicators in relation to the physical activity levels of Canada’s young people. While the Report Card is again a comprehensive overview of issues, this year the focus is on screen time and physical activity.

The influence of age and gender on recreation participation
Previous ‘A Look at Leisure’ bulletins have provided an overview of participation patterns, favourite activities, reasons for participation, and constraints. In this report, we take a closer look at these variables but with emphasis on differences and similarities between age and gender groups.

NUTRITION

Stand up (more) & eat (better)
This is an educational and participatory site to help people balance the calories they eat with the calories they burn each day. We are promoting "calorie literacy".

OLDER ADULTS

Guidelines on the promotion of physical activity with older people
“These guidelines have been drafted to assist the work of those in the position to promote physical activity and well being with all older people. They are not intended to provide exercise recommendations relating to specific diseases and conditions associated with ageing or on exercise prescriptions for individuals.”

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GENERAL

Active2010 newsfeed now active
‘Stay up-to-date with our news feed. Come back often to see what the media is saying about sports and physical activity.’

BC on the move: Physical activity strategy
The “PAS is committed to its goal to improve the health of British Columbians through leadership that enhances community action to promote physical activity, with a targeted focus on inactive 35-54 year olds.”

British national heart foundation: Physical activity and health
Information on the annual conference as well as links to great resources for many populations and settings. A web-site well worth exploring!

WOMEN

Pregnancy and sport
Exercising during pregnancy is becoming more popular as it has been known to limit weight gain during the pregnancy, help with delivery and make returning to exercise after the birth much easier. With the increase in the number of female athletes, pregnancy in sport has become a hot topic as it raises a number of legal, ethical, medical and even insurance issues….

WORKPLACE

ENACT strategy: Reimburse employees for preventive health and wellness activities

International and national perspectives on workplace health
Though active in workplace health promotion, Canada can learn much from European success stories that demonstrate a more structural and legislative approach…….

Move Europe - A campaign for the improvement of lifestyle-related workplace health promotion in Europe

Nova Scotia’s comprehensive workplace health promotion strategy
There are dedicated sections for employees, employers and practitioners.

May 20, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

Active Living

Active living approaches by local government, 2007

Active living in diverse and disadvantaged communities
This is the April Issue of the Journal of Preventive Medicine, it has an active living theme.

Active Transportation

Ciclovia in Bogota, Columbia
Ciclovia is a weekly event in which over 70 miles of city streets are closed to traffic where residents come out to walk, bike, run, skate, recreate, picnic, and talk with family, neighbors & strangers.

Global alliance for EcoMobility
A cross-sectoral partnership for the integrated promotion of walking, cycling, wheeling and use of public transport to improve health and the urban environment, to mitigate global climate change.

Healthy transportation network
Educational tools, success stories, and resources to help you promote safe walking and bicycling in your communities.

Children

Alberta project promoting active living & healthy eating
Also know as the APPLE schools program, it is designed to create a culture of health promotion in local elementary schools, in order to combat the effects of poor nutrition on the learning process.

Healthy eating, Active communities
Healthy Eating, Active Communities aims to fight the growing childhood obesity epidemic in California and to develop state policy changes that will reduce the risk factors for diabetes and obesity.

Let them be kids
A nation-wide program that helps communities build playgrounds in areas of need, while also building community capacity amongst citizens and laying a strong foundation for a brighter tomorrow.

Physical activity and neighbourhood resources in high school girls
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between selected neighbourhood physical activity resources and physical activity levels in high school girls.

Preschool children and physical activity: A review of correlates
A literature search was conducted to identify studies that investigated correlates of preschool children's physical activity. Data were collected and analyzed in 2007.

Walking school bus becomes streets ahead
VicHealth developed the Streets Ahead program in 2008 to build on the successes of the Walking School Bus (WSB) program to allow for the development of more comprehensive and flexible children’s independent mobility demonstration projects….

Conferences

British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health (BHFNC)
The conference (Wednesday November 19th 2008) aims to provide practical examples, solutions and guidance on how to engage inactive communities in physical activity.

Environment

Associations of neighbourhood greenness with physical and mental health: do walking, social coherence and local social interaction explain the relationships?
Perceived neighbourhood greenness was more strongly associated with mental health than it was with physical health. Recreational walking seemed to explain the link between greenness and physical health, whereas the relationship between greenness and mental health was only partly accounted for by recreational walking and social coherence. The restorative effects of natural environments may be involved in the residual association of this latter relationship.

Climate change and sport and recreation
How climate change could affect sport and recreation now and in the future.

Recreational values of the natural environment in relation to neighbourhood satisfaction, physical activity, obesity and wellbeing
Immediate access to natural environments with high recreational values was rare in the study population and was distributed in an inequitable manner. Moreover, such access was associated with a positive assessment of neighbourhood satisfaction and time spent on physical activity, which can be expected to reduce obesity and increase vitality by having a buffering effect on stress.

Nutrition

Webcast symposium on research results from the CCHS cycle 2.2, nutrition focus
This symposium (May 29th 1-5pm EDT) will provide an introduction to the CCHS 2.2 datasets and presentations by leading academic researchers of the latest research results. There will be panel discussion on the dietary recall data as well as on food security issues.

Obesity

Messages about obesity – Making them stick
A recent literature search on obesity messaging.

Older Adults

Prospective association between physical activity and falls in community-dwelling older women
The results suggest that at least daily moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity is required for the primary prevention of falls to the ground and fractured bones in women aged 70–75 years.

Physical Activity General

California Centre for Physical Activity
The California Center for Physical Activity creates opportunities for everyday activity by connecting partners to active living resources and helping develop more walkable and bikeable communities.

SummerActive – May 8th to June 20th
Through our SummerActive initiative, you’ll find the opportunities and information you need to get physically active, eat healthily, live tobacco-free and participate in sport opportunities.

Recreation

The potential of parks and recreation in addressing physical activity and fitness
The article summarizes current research on the relationship between physical activity and parks & recreation.

Urban Planning

A resident's guide for creating safe and walkable communities
This guide provides examples from communities that are working to improve pedestrian safety.

How to create and implement healthy general plans
A toolkit for building healthy, vibrant communities through land use policy change.

Planning for healthy places
They develop toolkits, factsheets, model policies, and trainings for practitioners and advocates in the relationship between the built environment and public health, and provide technical assistance for creating and implementing land use and economic development policies that support healthier communities.

Women

Physical activity in older women: associations with area deprivation and with socioeconomic position over the life course: observations in the British Women’s Heart and Health Study
Adverse socioeconomic position across the life-course is associated with an increased cumulative risk of low physical activity in older women. Reducing socioeconomic inequalities across the life course would thus be expected to improve levels of physical activity and the associated health benefits in later life.

Workplace

Changes in leisure time and occupational physical activity over 8 years: the Cornellè Health Interview Survey Follow-Up Study
While changes in physical activity are evident in this population-based cohort, no clear determinants of such changes were recognized. Further longitudinal studies including other potential individual and contextual determinants are needed to better understand determinants of changes in physical activity at the population level.

Healthy active workplaces (W. Australia)
A web-resource from the Government of Western Australia. Includes information on a Healthy Active Workplace Initiative.

Healthy Minnesota workplace initiative
The toolkit is a one-stop-shop for wellness coordinators charged with improving the health of their workforce.

May 2, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

CHILDREN

Accessible play spaces
Annex H of the CSA playground standard that includes information for people who want to incorporate accessibility into new or redeveloped play spaces.

Creating active playgrounds in primary schools
This case study has demonstrated that a supportive process enables environmental changes to be undertaken in primary school playgrounds that may increase students' physical activity levels.

It's not about the weight: It's about the person
This presentation encourages the participation of overweight and obese youth in physical activity, explains how to use language and develop attitudes in activity instruction that support increased participation, and how to identify and address self-handicapping issues.

Residential proximity to school and the active travel choices of parents
Despite the overall low prevalence of walking to school by parents, health-enhancing benefits may be achieved even when other modes of transport are used in conjunction with walking.

The contribution of preschool playground factors in explaining children’s physical activity during recess
Discover which aspects of the playground environment are associated with increasing physical activity in pre-schoolers.

Value of playgrounds to children
An explanation of the value play spaces provide to children.

CONFERENCES

Ophea’s kids’ health conference - Building active healthy school communities
Alliston, Ontario, October 16-18, 2008.

HEALTH PROMOTION

Beyond masculine stereotypes: Moving men's health promotion forward in Australia
The health promotion community needs to critically reflect on theoretical commentary relating to hegemonic masculinity and, more recently, multiple masculinities. This will provide greater capacity to tailor health promotion interventions to the most disadvantaged and marginalised populations of men in Australia.

MENTAL HEALTH

Effects of a walking program in the psychiatric in-patient treatment setting: A cohort study
Introducing a program of walking in a psychiatric in-patient setting is a potentially low-cost, low-risk, well-tolerated intervention that may have benefits extending beyond mental health.

The relationship between organised physical recreation and mental health
A literature review was undertaken to explore evidence relating to the mental health benefits of participation in organised physical recreation.

NUTRITION

Eating and activity: the importance of family and environment
The aim of this paper was to examine the eating behaviours, physical exercise and television viewing of secondary school students, and to investigate their relationship with parental monitoring and family cohesion.

Translated Canada's food guides now available
Canada’s Food Guide is now available in 10 languages in addition to English and French. Translated directly from the 2007 Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide, they are available in Arabic, Chinese, Farsi (Persian), Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, and Urdu.

OLDER ADULTS

Joint pain survey results
Results of an arthritis survey done by the Active Living Coalition for Older Adults. “The research examined Canadians' feelings and perceptions about active living - awareness and understanding of the benefits of active living, thoughts about changing activity levels as they age, and barriers to living an active life at any age.”

Stay active – Stay independent
This article provides an example of a physical activity promotional program effectively targeting a key age group demographic.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GENERAL

Active living better practice case studies
Specific considerations to help create environments for active living are summarized for six key environments.

Participation in sports and physical recreation – Australia
Regular physical activity is beneficial to people's health and wellbeing. This article investigates the types of sports and physical recreation Australians engage in. Using data from the 2005–06 Multi-Purpose Household Survey, it focuses on the characteristics of participants as well as the main motivators for involvement and the main constraints given for not participating.

WOMEN

A brief report of attitudes towards physical activity during pregnancy
The study has clear indicators for developing education and health promotion programs that enable women to make informed choices about physical activity levels during pregnancy.

April 21, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

CHILDREN

An ounce of prevention revisited: A review of health promotion and selected outcomes for children and youth in BC schools.
http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca/url.php?i=4770&f=News&l=En
The overall health and well-being of B.C. students is improving thanks to efforts such as Healthy Schools and ActNow BC, but schools still need a more comprehensive approach to promoting health, according this report. An Ounce of Prevention Revisited explores how schools can work effectively to influence the health and well-being of young British Columbians. (Physical activity is mentioned 72 times.)

Developing physical literacy: A guide for parents of children ages 0 to 12 http://www.edmontonsport.com/pdf_folder/
Developing_Physical_Literacy.pdf
“....being physically active later in life depends on feeling confident in an activity setting; and that confidence, as an adult, most often comes from having learned fundamental movement and sport skills as a child. Therefore, to create an active and healthy population ALL Canadian children need a sound foundation of movement and sport skills to build on later in life; and this foundation is called Physical Literacy.......”

This paper covers the first 3 stages of the LTAD (long term athlete development) plan. If you are unfamiliar with it see http://www.ltad.ca/content/home.asp

Factors associated with children being driven to school: Implications for walk to school programs
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/
AusPAnet_Article_Commentary_7
The study’s authors concluded that walk to school programs need to address the link between the parent journey to work and student journey to school, to be effective in increasing rates of active commuting.

Healthy settings for young people in Canada
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/
dca-dea/yjc/pdf/youth-jeunes-eng.pdf
This report examines smoking, alcohol and drug use, physical activity/body image, eating patterns, emotional health and injuries in children and youth aged 11 to 15. Some key findings indicate positive changes in the health behaviours and attitudes of young people since the last report in 2004.

Reach for the top: A report by the advisor on healthy children & youth
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/pubs/child-enfant/
advisor-conseillere/index_e.html
Physical activity is mentioned 95 times.

CONFERENCES

7th International Conference on Urban Health
http://www.icuh2008.com/
The conference theme is Knowledge Integration: Successful Interventions in Urban Health and we encourage delegates to move beyond description and to share with us their actions, which have improved health of urban communities. The theme was chosen to showcase action-oriented projects and best practices.

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Discussion paper: Defining sport and exercise, a conceptual model
http://tinyurl.com/4zsgzc
The discussion paper presents definitions of sport, exercise and physical recreation. It also examines the relationship between these overlapping concepts, and brings them together in a conceptual model. The model outlines what activities may be considered in scope for research on exercise, physical recreation and sport. (Physical activity is mentioned 137 times in 40 pgs of text)

Does getting a dog increase recreational walking?
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/
AusPAnet_Article_Commentary_8
….this study provides evidence to suggest that dog acquisition leads to an increase in walking through behavioral intention via the dog’s positive effect on owner’s cognitive beliefs about walking, and through motivation and social support for walking.... (International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2008, 5:17)


HEALTH DETERMINANTS

Does your address determine your life span?
http://www.barhii.org/press/
download/barhii_report08.pdf
Most experts agree that health care con­tributes only about 10-15% to health outcomes and life span. Where you live is probably a bigger determinant of your health than whether you have health insurance. People who live in West Oakland, for example, can expect to live on average 10 years less than those who live in the Berkeley Hills……


HEALTH PROMOTION

Ontario health promotion – News from the field spring 2008
http://www.ohpe.ca/
Lots of news from the health promotion world, including a farewell to CHN.


WORKPLACE

Health work wellbeing
http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca/
url.php?i=4765&f=News&l=En
Health Work Wellbeing is a Government-led initiative to improve the health and wellbeing of working age people in UK. Founded on a growing evidence base that working is good for health, it brings together employers, unions and healthcare professionals in helping more people with health conditions to find and stay in employment.

April 11, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Special issue of preventive medicine
http://tinyurl.com/4x7rbf
The January 2008 special issue of Preventive Medicine (Volume 46, Issue 1: pp. 1-84) focuses on self-transportation, public transportation, and health. Many of these articles are related to physical activity. Access is free.

BEHAVIOUR CHANGE

Choosing health: Making healthy choices easier:
Executive summary
http://tinyurl.com/2mld8w
Physical activity is mentioned many times.

Kings fund - Kicking bad habits: Resources
http://tinyurl.com/3nja27
Many interesting behavior change papers here.

Low-income groups and behavior change interventions:
A review of intervention content and effectiveness
http://tinyurl.com/4jlhob
Many physical activity interventions are included.

Partnerships for better health - Small change, big difference
http://tinyurl.com/2smqws
The Partnerships for Better Health report highlights the government's role in influencing non-statutory, commercial and not-for-profit sectors in securing public health goals. Through the report, case studies and best practice tips we are encouraging the greater use of such partnerships for health at a local level.

CHILDREN

Active education: Physical education, physical activity and academic performance
http://tinyurl.com/3wpvy4
It “summarizes peer-reviewed research on the relationship between physical activity and academic performance among children and adolescents”.

Childhood obesity
http://tinyurl.com/4kv5em
Facts and statistics (USA)

Childhood obesity toolkit
http://tinyurl.com/4pknny
“This Tool Kit provides (USA) policymakers with resources, data, trends and examples of solutions being implemented or considered by states and legislators across the country that aim to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic.”

Designing for active living among children
http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/builtdesign.pdf

Increasing preschoolers' physical activity intensities:
An activity-friendly preschool playground intervention
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/AusPAnet
_Article_Commentary_3
Find out how to effectively increase physical activity in preschoolers.

Promoting good nutrition and physical activity in child-care settings
http://tinyurl.com/4rgg9o

Push play parents (New Zealand)
http://www.sparc.org.nz/getting-active
/push-play-parents
"....ideas to help you get your kids moving. Choose the age group that applies to your child and you'll be well on your way to becoming a Push Play Parent."

Unplug and play - Parent campaign (Australia)
http://tinyurl.com/ytvysd
The Unplug + Play Parent Campaign targets parents in Western Australia, to increase their awareness of the urgent need for children to spend more time in active play and less time using TV, electronic games and the Internet for entertainment.

CHRONIC DISEASE

Talking points on preventing disease through physical activity
http://tinyurl.com/2gxlb5
“Describes the effects of being inactive, benefits of PA, associated disparities, and action items for state legislators.”

Trends alert: Cost of chronic disease
http://tinyurl.com/469too
From the USA – published in 2006

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Balance: a report on state action to promote nutrition,
increase physical activity and prevent obesity
http://www.healthyeatingresearch.org/
uploads/Balance122006.pdf

CDC community health resources
http://www.cdc.gov/communityhealthresources
The site features direct links to hundreds of resources, including program guidelines and recommendations, campaign materials, handbooks, fact sheets, evaluation frameworks, and behavioral and risk factor data, among other topics. For physical activity information, click on "Physical Activity" under "Browse by health topic."

Getting to know the competition: A content analysis
of publicly and corporate funded physical activity advertisements
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/AusPAnet
_Article_Commentary_4
Learn more about what was discovered when a content analysis of physical activity advertisements was carried out.

HEALTH PROMOTION

Ontario prevention clearinghouse now the Health Nexus
http://www.healthnexus.ca
Effective April 1, 2008 the Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse became Health Nexus. This is a bilingual web-site.

OLDER ADULTS

Keeping the aging population healthy
http://tinyurl.com/53a4fr
“This (USA)Legislator Policy Brief provides policymakers with key information to develop strategies to enhance health and preserve independence in the growing aging population.”

Silversneakers fitness program
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2008/
jan/07_0148.htm
A CDC-funded study conducted by Group Health and the University of Washington reports that older adults who participated in the SilverSneakers Fitness Program visited their primary and specialty physicians more often, were admitted to the hospital less, and had lower overall healthcare costs compared to a control group of over 9,000 people who were the same age and gender.

WOMEN

Physical activity, pregnancy & postpartum inventory of resources
http://tinyurl.com/3vak8o

April 4, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

City of Toronto walking strategy
http://www.toronto.ca/transportation/
walking/walking_strategy.htm

London vote on cycling May 1st
http://www.newstatesman.com/200803310004
“….they need to be behind cycling, because without a 400% increase in cycling from 2000 to 2025, the anticipated increase in population of one million will mean that London’s transport system will grind to a halt. Under Ken Livingstone cycling has soared by more than 83% in the capital…”

Walkable towns curb obesity, pollution, expert says
http://www.reuters.com/article/
healthNews/idUSCOL15888220080401
Jim Sallis is interviewed

Walking Englishman: Walk time calculator
http://www.walkingenglishman.com/walktime.aspx
Allows you to calculate how much time it will take you to walk to your destination.

CHILDREN

Government investment in childhood obesity strategy applauded
http://tinyurl.com/2ovphs
The Ontario Collaborative Group on Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (OCGHEPA) commends the government's significant investment in a strategy to reduce Ontario's childhood obesity rates.

CHRONIC DISEASE

The prevention of lifestyle-related chronic diseases: An economic framework
http://tinyurl.com/3468bv
This OECD paper provides an economic perspective on the prevention of chronic diseases, focusing in particular on diseases linked to lifestyle choices. (Physical Activity is mentioned a number of times)

CONFERENCES

2008 International congress on physical activity and public health
http://www.icpaph08.org/
Find out more about plans to form a new professional society - the International Society for Physical Activity and Health.

Recreation summit 2008
http://tinyurl.com/387kaf
May 16th & 17th – Australia. The Summit will bring together local, national and international enthusiasts on active recreation

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Adapted physical activity quarterly
http://www.humankinetics.com/
APAQ/currentIssue.cfm
The official journal of the international federation of adapted physical activity.

Adulthood lifetime physical activity and breast cancer
http://tinyurl.com/2k9maw
Conclusions: Leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous activities reduce breast cancer risk irrespective of underlying host characteristics.

Correlates of the stages of change for physical activity in a population survey
http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/
AJPH.2007.123075v1?papetoc

National association of counties: Active living survey (December 2007)
http://tinyurl.com/yvhln2

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

How to create and implement healthy general plans: A toolkit for building healthy, vibrant communities through land use policy change
http://www.healthyplanning.org/healthygp_toolkit
/HealthyGP_Toolkit.pdf
“In recent years, the dramatic rise in chronic disease rates in cities and towns has begun to bring public health and planning back together…. planning and public health professionals have begun to promote design and development patterns that facilitate physical activity and neighborly interactions as antidotes….”

Increasing active living -a guide for policy-makers: Policy-making for healthy and active communities
http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/
activelivinglhc2007.pdf

Rural obesity: Strategies to support rural counties in building capacity
http://tinyurl.com/294b6v
Physical activity is mentioned prominently.

POPULATION HEALTH

Senate sub-committee on population health reports
http://tinyurl.com/2zqg9oThe 3rd and 4th reports were just published

March 28, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Be aware of cyclists
http://www.dothetest.co.uk/
Great cycling ad from the UK

Halifax Regional Municipality active transportation plan
http://www.halifax.ca/TDM/
activetransportation/index.html

CHILDREN

A comparative case study on active transport to and from school http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/
2008/apr/07_0064.htm
This study investigates active-transport-to-school initiatives through the Active Living by Design Community Action Model framework. The framework outlines five strategies that influence physical activity: preparation, promotion, programs, policies, and physical projects.

Not gonna kill you
http://www.notgonnakillyou.ca/
A new web-site managed by the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion. The target audience is youth.

Rural-urban differences in physical activity, physical fitness, and overweight prevalence of children
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/
AusPAnet_Article_Commentary_7
This research looked at the differences in physical activity prevalence, physical fitness, and overweight levels of children living in urban, semi-urban and rural areas in Iowa in the United States.

Transition game
http://www.lin.ca/Files/10200/
Spelling.htm
“One of the greatest times of risk working with children and youth is a lull in classroom and recreation activities when your guard is down. A transition game can be a bridge between different classroom and recreation activities...”

WANTED: Schools to participate in the SMART tool Project
Ever Active Schools has teamed up with the Centre for Health Promotion – Children, Youth, and Women’s Health Service South Australia to pilot their SMART tool in 100 schools in Alberta. Ever Active Schools is currently seeking schools to participate in the SMART Tool Pilot Project. For more information or to participate in the project survey please contact Jardath Nelson at jnelson@brsd.ab.ca

CHRONIC DISEASE

The Sydney Resolution - February 2008
Healthy people in healthy places on a healthy planet
http://www.oxha.org/meetings/
08-summit/sydney-resolution
An advocacy call to take action to halt the impact of chronic disease.

CONFERENCES

Integrated Chronic Disease Prevention: Taking Action Together
http://www.cdpac.ca/conference/
content.php?sec=5
CDPAC 2008 Conference Ottawa November 26th – 28th.

GENERAL HEALTH

Health literacy and health promotion: A compilation
http://tinyurl.com/2pwrds
“Research shows a strong link between low health literacy and poor health, and that low health literacy may contribute to higher health service costs.”

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to build a healthier America
http://www.commissiononhealth.org/
AboutUs.aspx
“The Commission will look beyond the medical care system to investigate how factors such as education, environment, income, housing and personal health choices impact the health of all Americans.”

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Step conversion chart
http://www.corp.delta.bc.ca/stepsout/
steps_equivalencies.pdf
Comprehensive 12 page listing of conversions - with references to academic research. From the Delta, BC web-site.

Walking the way to health Wales
http://www.ww2h.org.uk/
Designed for health professionals.

MENTAL HEALTH

Physical activity and likelihood of depression in adults: A review.
http://tinyurl.com/2wvvpm
This review presents up to date evidence on the links between physical activity and the risks of developing depression.

MULTILINGUAL & MULTICULTURAL RESOURCES

Canadian Cancer Society
http://tinyurl.com/ypqvm6

Canadian Diabetes Association
http://www.diabetes.ca/
section_main/translations.asp

Cultural adaptations of Canada's food guide to healthy eating
http://www.nutritionrc.ca/guide.html

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
http://tinyurl.com/2y289p

Ontario Public Health Association: Physical activity guides
http://www.opha.on.ca/resources/
multilingual/physical.html

OLDER ADULTS

Community-wide campaign to promote activity among midlife & older adults: Lessons learned from AARP's Active for Life campaign and a synopsis of evidence-based interventions
http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/
articles/health/pagefive.pdf
Find out what makes an effective physical activity campaign for adults over 50 years of age.

March 14, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

CHILDREN

After school programs in the 21st century
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/afterschool
/resources/issuebrief10/
Do afterschool programs make a difference and if they do what is it about the program that makes it work?

CONFERENCES

CDPAC 3rd national conference – Call for abstracts
http://www.cdpac.ca/media.php?mid=393
Ottawa November 24th – 26th 2008

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

A review of public exercise stations and trails in the ACT
http://catalogue.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/nhf/
publicexercisestations.pdf
A user survey of a select range of facilities clearly indicated that the use of the stations is low and that the cost of a regular maintenance regime would be high relative to the low usage. The majority of trails on the other hand (with or without stations) are used frequently for walking/cycling/jogging. This finding is consistent with evidence that the majority of people prefer to walk as a regular form of activity.

A field survey undertaken to evaluate condition, safety and effectiveness of each of the stations and trails revealed that the majority of exercise stations have not been maintained and are in poor working order. There are safety risks associated with poorly maintained and/or inappropriately designed/located exercise equipment.

HEALTH

Unnatural causes
http://www.pbs.org/unnaturalcauses/
A new PBS series about “why some of us get sicker more often and die sooner and what causes us to fall ill in the first place….. Compelling personal stories illustrate obstacles and inequities in society but they also point the way to new possibilities, as individuals and communities organize to gain control over their destinies and their health.

Airing nationally four consecutive Thursdays (March 27, April 3, 10, 17 at 10 PM) on most PBS stations.

HEALTH LITERACY

A vision for a health literate Canada
http://www.cpha.ca/en/portals/h-l.aspx
Links to the executive summary and full report from the Canadian Public Health Association.

HEALTHY WEIGHT

Measured BMI data now available
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/surveill/atlas/index_e.html
Choose “view maps for each indicator” from the right hand navigation column to go to the statistics.

State of the evidence review on urban health and healthy weights
http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=GR_1929_E
“The resulting analyses provide a high-level overview of the strengths of and gaps in the research on associations between urban environments and healthy weights.”


URBAN PLANNING

Complete streets bill introduced in US senate
http://blog.smartgrowthamerica.org/?p=137
“The Complete Streets Act of 2008 would encourage towns, cities, and metropolitan planning organizations to consider the needs of all users when building new roads or improving existing roads.”

MISCELLANEOUS

The Interviewing Cheat Sheet: 100 Resources for interviewers and candidates http://www.hrworld.com/features/interviewing-cheat-sheet-092507/
Resources for interviewers, answers for candidates, types of interviews, interviewing techniques and advice, interviewing strategies for candidates and more.

March 7, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Economic assessment of transport infrastructure and policies: Methodological guidance on the economic appraisal of health effects related to walking and cycling
http://tinyurl.com/2nll3h
This new document from the WHO provides guidance on approaches to the inclusion of health effects through transport-related physical activity in economic analyses of transport infrastructures and policies.

CHILDREN

Assessment of an after-school physical activity program to prevent obesity among 9- to 10-year-old children: a cluster randomized trial.
http://tinyurl.com/3e3zf2

Gym class can boost other grades
http://tinyurl.com/2oy6ac
The Vancouver Sun (Fri 29 Feb 2008 Source: Reuters) reports on a new U.S. study that suggests spending time in gym class can actually help to boost elementary school children's grades.

Outcomes of Switch-Play: A trial to prevent excess weight gain, reduce screen behaviors and promote physical activity in 10-year olds
http://tinyurl.com/yuja9s
Learn about the effectiveness of the Switch-Play intervention that is based in Melbourne, Victoria.

Unplug + Play parent campaign
http://tinyurl.com/ytvysd
The Heart Foundation's Unplug + Play Parent Campaign targets parents' awareness of the need for children to spend more time in active play and less time using TV, electronic games and the Internet.

CONFERENCES

International conference on childhood obesity: Evidence and practice from Exercise Science
http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/spe/obesity
2008/announce_eng.html
Target Attendants: Exercise scientists, health professionals, PE teachers, policy makers, researchers, students in related areas, and those who have an interest in the prevention and intervention of childhood obesity.

COMMUNITIES

Age-friendly rural and remote communities: A guide
http://tinyurl.com/3dlwxz
The federal/provincial/territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors and the Public Health Agency of Canada, in partnership with nine provinces, the Nova Scotia Department of Seniors and Guysborough County, have developed the Age-Friendly Rural and Remote Communities: A Guide. Complementing this guide is a research report detailing the focus group findings specifically from Guysborough County.

Measuring up
http://www.2010legaciesnow.
com/measuring_up/
Measuring Up helps B.C. communities assess and improve how accessible and inclusive they are for people with disabilities and for the whole community.

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Motivators and constraints to participation in sports and physical recreation
http://tinyurl.com/2895kb
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has produced a new report on the associations between participation in sport and activity and motivations and constraints across different demographic groups.

Promoting or creating built or natural environments that encourage and support physical activity
http://tinyurl.com/3dm629
From the U.K. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence – 2008

With moderate exercise, you can lower your stroke risk
http://tinyurl.com/2uhff8
By engaging in moderate exercise, new research finds both men and women can lower the risk of stroke.

HEALTHY EATING

Using healthy eating and active living initiatives to reduce health disparities
http://tinyurl.com/3atplv
“Healthier eating and being physically active can significantly improve health. In low income communities and communities of color, it can reduce health disparities. This report identifies key lessons from eight (USA) national programs for making healthy eating and active living initiatives successful in reducing health disparities.”

HEALTHY WEIGHT

Motivators and constraints to participation in sports and physical recreation
http://tinyurl.com/2895kb
The Australian Bureau of Statistics have produced a new report on the associations between participation in sport and activity and motivations and constraints across different demographic groups.

MISCELLANEOUS

Mythbusters teaching resource
http://www.fcrss.ca/mythbusters/
teaching-resource.php
The CHSRFoundation's new online Mythbusters Teaching Resource is a resource to facilitate instructors of graduate-level classes to teach students how to write plain-language research summaries for policy makers, managers and others.

February 22, 2008

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE LIVING

Healthy living comes to town: Developing a statewide campaign for active living
http://www.bikewalk.net/presentations/
LeighAnnVonHagen.pdf
(PDF Format - 6MB)

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Climate emissions by travel type
http://tinyurl.com/2plf3p
"Charts CO2 emissions by transportation mode, from an SUV to a plane to a bus. The best strategy for reducing your impact: walk, bike, or fill up a seat that's already going your way!"

Ontario drops PST on most bikes
http://www.rev.gov.on.ca/english/
notices/rst/61.html
Starting on December 1, 2007, Ontario dropped the PST on bicycles under $1,000.00, bike helmets and other cycling safety equipment. It’s part of the province’s plan to encourage more people to get active.

CHILDREN

Smart Moves Queensland
http://www.pando.com.au/san/
articles/story/38234.html
The State Government have launched a new school physical activity program, called Smart Moves, as part of the "Year of Physical Activity" in Queensland.

GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The association between physical activity in leisure time and leukocyte telomere length
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/
AusPAnet_Article_Commentary_2

Scottish Physical Activity and Health Alliance (PAHA) briefing papers http://www.healthscotland.com/
physical-activity-publications.aspx
The Scottish Physical Activity and Health Alliance (PAHA) produces briefing papers on key topics, including two new papers on physical activity, inequalities and the importance of sedentary behaviour. (There is lots of other good info here.)

Sport participation in Canada 2005
http://www.statcan.ca/english/
research/81-595-MIE/81-595-MIE2008060.htm
Click on the link in the left-hand navigation column to download the 101-page report.

HEALTHY WEIGHT

Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A cross government strategy for England http://tinyurl.com/36rp5h
This new strategy, produced by the Department of Health in England, aims to support people to maintain a healthy weight. It includes a large section on "building physical activity into our lives."

MISCELLANEOUS

How does copyright infringement apply to the Internet?
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/
tips/ST05-004.html