December 4, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ABORIGINAL
Recreational Tool Kit for Rural, Northern & Remote Aboriginal Communities
This toolkit contains information and resources to help guide you through creating, planning, implementing and evaluating your Recreational Programs. It is designed in a way to educate and remind individuals of the four aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Within each section you will find information pertaining to personal, emotional, spiritual and physical growth.

CHILDREN
Couch Kids: The nation's future
A new report from the BHF which serves to outline the current picture of children’s physical activity levels in the UK. This comprehensive report includes the latest statistics and evidence relating to: Activity levels among children and young people in the UK and why physical activity is so important; Differences in participation by gender, age, socio-economic status and ethnic origin; Screen based sedentary behaviour; and Prevalence of overweight and obesity and trends over time.


Healthy Hearts
An initiative of the Black Gold Regional School District, designed to help parents and teachers connect with resources that will help create and maintain a healthy learning environment.

Shaping the Future
The first Ever Active Schools Health Promoting Schools Conference is taking place Jan. 14-16, 2010

COMMUNITY
An Innovative Approach to Great Neighbourhoods
After researching leading practices across North America, the City of Edmonton is embarking on a new, comprehensive approach to creating and sustaining great neighbourhoods. All city departments will work together, and with its partners and citizens, to deliver services more effectively and efficiently, synchronize planning efforts and facilitate improved two-way communication with residents

Attitudes Toward Physical Activity
New Data discussion from the 2008 CFLRI Physical Activity Monitor

Bridging the Terminology Gap in Support of Active Communities: Land-use Planners and Public Health Professionals
This report will be of interest to those working in the area of: land-use planning; built environment; active transportation and chronic disease prevention through community design. Includes an overview of the development of a joint glossary of terms for land-use planners and public health professionals based on provincial terms. This joint glossary of terms consists of an alphabetical listing of 130 terms and their corresponding sources.

Understanding Your Community: The Key to Building an Impactful, Sustainable Coalition
Through research, extensive experience and practical application, LiveWell Colorado has gained tremendous insight into coalition building, serving as a champion of the importance of community partners, as well as utilizing the broad reach of community members.

HEALTH GENERAL
What Does it Take to Make a Healthy Province?
A benchmark study of jurisdictions in Canada and around the world with the highest levels of health and the best health behaviors.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Fit vs. Fat – Acting on Your New Year’s Resolutions – CFLRI Lifestyle Tips
The new December issue,

The Gift of an Active Lifestyle – CFLRI Research File
The new December issue.

Making the Link from Transportation to Physical Activity and Obesity
This research brief presents an overview of findings demonstrating the potential impact of infrastructure investments and other transportation programs on walking and bicycling for transportation, and on related health outcomes. It focuses on public transit, greenways and trails, school-related infrastructure and programs, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and efforts to manage car traffic.

Rating Canada’s Regional Health
Latest statistics from CFLRI

Social Determinants of Health and Physical Activity – Online workshops
This workshop will present information and considerations on ways to address the social determinants of health when developing physical activity programs and services.
January 14th and February 3rd, 2010.
By the end of the workshop you should:
1. Have a good understanding of what the social determinants and health inequities are and the connection to physical activity.
2. Be aware of some existing physical activity programs that address the social determinants of health.
3. Understand how to create physical activity programs that address the social determinants of health.
4. Have increased knowledge of current research in the area of physical activity and the social determinants of health.

URBAN DESIGN
Future Health: Sustainable Places for Health and Well-being
Future health tells us how good design makes healthy places. It brings what CABE has learned about sustainable, health-promoting environments together with the latest thinking about health and well-being.

November 6, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Cycle Tracks: Lessons Learned
A cycle track is an exclusive bicycle facility that combines the user experience of a separated path with the on-street infrastructure of a conventional bike lane. This document describes the lessons learned from the European experience with cycle tracks, including implementation, safety concerns and design features of cycle tracks in Europe.

CHILDREN
“Caution! Kids at Play?” Unstructured Time Use among Children and Adolescents
This paper looks at the allocation and purpose of unstructured time for children and adolescents with respect to environments, activities, expectations and outcomes, and argues for a balanced approach.

Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Guidelines for Early Childhood Settings
The page looks blank but scroll down and you will see the description and the 4 resources. You will also notice an entire PA and Nutrition Section (of which this is a subsection) in the left hand nav column.

Promoting Positive Youth Development Through Physical Activity
This article looks at regular physical activity as leading to important physical, social, psychological, and academic competencies and healthy outcomes among children and adolescents.

DISABILITY
AMELIA: making streets more accessible for people with mobility difficulties
An important aspect of making streets more liveable is ensuring that they are accessible to everybody. This is part of the process of reducing social exclusion. There is a wide range of characteristics that are associated with being socially excluded: for example, having a disability which includes being in a wheelchair, having learning difficulties, and being visually impaired; being elderly; being a member of an ethnic minority; having a low income; being unemployed; not having access to a car; and being a single parent

HEALTH
Bringing Health to the Planning Table - A Profile of Promising Practices in Canada and Abroad
This report profiles case studies of 13 Canadian communities where collaborative approaches to improve health outcomes have been a key consideration in planning decisions related to the built environment. With one case study from each province and territory, it provides a pan-Canadian perspective. Two international examples highlight similar work happening abroad.

Health policy guidelines for organizations
Includes a Physical Activity Policy. This booklet is designed to assist organizations in developing, implementing, promoting, monitoring and reviewing their health policies. It contains sample position statements and clauses that may serve as a guide to organizations developing a health policy.

OLDER ADULTS
Creating Age Friendly Environments A resource for developers, designers, engineers, project managers, planners and architects.
Age friendly design supports active living, good health and social connectedness for all ages. Three key areas that need to be addressed in bringing about Age Friendly Environments are Transport, Urban Planning and Design and Housing.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
As baby boomers flock to get fit, gyms prepare for aging exercisers
Over the next decade, the 18- to 49-year-old fitness market will grow by 0.6% and the 50-plus market will grow 25% yet most fitness clubs still cater to the younger market. To attract and keep baby boomers, the clubs will need to make some changes……

Building community capacity to increase participation in regular and social physical activity
A factsheet.

The health and economic benefits of reducing disease risk factors Research Report
July 2009
It is a large report and will take a bit of time to download. Physical activity is specifically mentioned 31 times and exercise is mentioned 33 times.

Preventive Medicine Volume 49, Issue 4, Pages 275-352 (October 2009)
Themed Issue: Forum on Physical Activity Research and Funding

URBAN DESIGN
A Resident’s Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities
This guide is intended to assist residents, parents, community association members, and others in getting involved in making communities safer for pedestrians. The guide includes facts, ideas, and resources to help residents learn about traffic problems that affect pedestrians and find ways to help address these problems and promote pedestrian safety. The guide includes information on identifying problems, taking action to address pedestrian concerns, finding solutions to improve pedestrian safety, and resources to get additional information.

September 18, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Tools to Encourage Active Transportation – Kingston, ON
A report suggesting a variety of measures to encourage Kingstonians to choose active forms of transportation like walking or cycling. "Trails for Active Transportation" was developed out of a Walk & Bike for Life community workshop on Active Transportation that took place last March.

CHILDREN

Benefits of Providing SPORT 4 ALL YOUTH
Evidence that quality youth sport programs that remove the participation barriers of cost and transportation will help reduce crime, drug use, depression, and obesity.

Journal of Adolescent Health: Special Issue on Adolescent Obesity
This supplement highlights recent findings that illustrate the depth of research related to adolescent obesity prevention and its relevance for informing policy changes. The issue is free and open to the public.

Local Government Actions to Prevent Childhood Obesity
The report identifies specific actions that local (USA) governments can take to improve healthy eating and increase physical activity in communities. Highlighted are twelve policies that have the greatest potential for impact, including incentive programs to attract grocery stores to underserved areas, complete streets policies, and joint use. Many of these policies can be found in Prevention Institute’s Environmental Nutrition and Activity Community Tool (ENACT), along with tools and resources for implementation

Physical Literacy Website Launched
PHE Canada has launched a new website that targets educators and parents to support the development of physical literacy in children and youth.

SPARK Together for Healthy Kids
Spark Together for Healthy Kids is the Heart and Stroke Foundation's response to the growing epidemic of childhood obesity. This announcement also includes the release of a report card on the Heart Health of Ontario’s children.

DISABITLITY/ACCESSIBILITY

Disability Health Promotion Network
A new on-line health promotion resource from the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities (SMD). Our goal is to provide credible and timely health information for people living with disabilities and seniors living with disabilities. In the absence of the Canadian Health Network SMD thought that it was important to continue to provide an online health promotion tool for the groups of people that our organization serves.

HEALTHY EATING

The Role of the Registered Dietitian in Primary Health Care: A National Perspective
Dietitians of Canada (DC) released a report describing the integral role played by registered dietitians, as members of multi-disciplinary teams that contribute to promoting and supporting health among Canadians. The report presents evidence for the cost-effectiveness of nutrition services in the prevention and treatment of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer and heart disease.

HEALTH (GENERAL)

Health Impact Assessment e-News
Produced by the Centre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation (CHETRE), part of the Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity at the University of New South Wales, Australia.
OLDER ADULTS

Checklist of Essential Features of Age-friendly Cities
This checklist is intended to be used by individuals and groups interested in making their city more age-friendly. For the checklist to be effective, older people must be involved as full partners.

Growing Stronger - Strength Training for Older Adults
From the CDC a web-site showing a series of exercises including the warm up and cool down.

How much physical activity do older adults need?
From the CDC. As an older adult, regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It can prevent many of the health problems that seem to come with age. It also helps your muscles grow stronger so you can keep doing your day-to-day activities without becoming dependent on others.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

APHA Physical Activity Special Primary Interest Group (PA SPIG)
The groups mission is to provide a visible and credible home within APHA for PA researchers, practitioners, advocates and partners, help close the gap between science and practice, and integrate PA into APHA’s advocacy efforts.

Physical Activity for Everyone – Videos
From the CDC, these videos help explain the guidelines, give you tips on how to meet them and show you how to do muscle strengthening exercises properly.

RESEARCH TOOLS

Increasing the use of evidence in health policy: practice and views of policy makers and researchers
Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2009, 6:21
Better communication is often suggested as fundamental to increasing the use of research evidence in policy, but little is known about how researchers and policy makers work together or about barriers to exchange. This study explored the views and practice of policy makers and researchers regarding the use of evidence in policy. The paper identifies four potential strategies for increasing the use of research in policy.

URBAN DESIGN

Where We Want To Be: Home Location Preferences And Their Implications For Smart Growth
Although market surveys indicate that most North American households preferred single-family homes, they also indicate strong and growing consumer preference for smart growth features such as accessibility and modal options (reflected as short commutes and convenient walkability to local services).

September 4, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

Rosanne will be on holidays next week :) Info Round Up will return September 18.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Communities in Motion: Bringing active transportation to life
From the Federation of Municipalities and Green Municipal Fund. Learn how your municipal government can take action to integrate active transportation into your planning.

The Economic Benefits of Bicycle Infrastructure Investments
This article highlights the impact the bicycle industry and bicycle tourism can have on state and local economies, describes the need for bicycle facilities, discusses the cost effectiveness of investments, points out the benefits of bike facilities for business districts and neighborhoods, and identifies the cost savings associated with a mode shift from car to bicycle. The evidence demonstrates that investments in bicycle infrastructure make good economic sense as a cost effective way to enhance shopping districts and communities, generate tourism and support business.

CHILDREN
Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Take Action to Increase Physical Activity for Children and Youth
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, August 14, 2009 - Federal, provincial and territorial Ministers responsible for Sport, Physical Activity, and Recreation, at their annual meeting, agreed to take specific key measures to increase physical activity levels for children and youth.

Interventions for treating obesity in children
A review by Health Evidence – With a ‘strong’ review quality rating.

Physical activity in young people—Assessment and methodological issues
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2009, 12: 513-514
Learn about useful strategies to engage parents to increase physical activity in young people.

School Bicycling and Walking Policies: Addressing Policies that Hinder and Implementing Policies that Help
A tip sheet by the National Center for Safe Routes to School and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. Sept. 1, 2009

Why Kids Need Hangouts
Do kids have a hangout place in your neighborhood? If they don’t, they probably won’t spend much time there.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
Alberta Interactive Health Data Application
Provides information on health status and determinants of health. The IHDA contains many health indicators derived from various sources, in topics such as Children's Health, Chronic Disease, Demographic Patterns, Immunization Events, Injury Patterns, and Mortality Patterns in Alberta.

Systematic Literature Reviews (SLRs) from the Diet and Cancer Report
The site has been updated with all the systematic literature reviews (SLRs) that underpin the Expert Report. These SLRs were conducted by nine independent teams of scientists from institutions around the world, who carried out reviews on the different types of cancer, as well as on cancer survivors, obesity, and authoritative reports on other chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

MENTAL HEALTH
The effectiveness of exercise in the management of post-natal depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis
They conclude: Due to heterogeneity, it is uncertain whether exercise reduces symptoms of PND.

OLDER ADULTS
Expected values for pedometer-determined physical activity in older populations
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:59
The purpose of this review is to update expected values for pedometer-determined physical activity in free-living healthy older populations.

National Seniors Australia- Promoting Productive Ageing Online
Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot today officially launched two online tools developed by National Seniors Australia to help recognize and promote productive ageing in Australia. The Productive Ageing Centre website and The Atlas of Productive Ageing.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Correspondence of perceived vs. objective proximity to parks and their relationship to park-based physical activity
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:53
Poor levels of correspondence were observed between self-reported and objective proximity to parks, but certain individual, neighborhood, and park variables increased the likelihood of a participant being aware of local parks. Future research should examine how people conceptualize parks and what urban and park planners can do to increase awareness and use of these community assets.

New Zealand Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2009 - 2015

URBAN DESIGN
Applying health impact assessment to land transport planning
The New Zealand Transport Agency has released a report that examines the application and incorporation of a health impact assessment into transportation planning in New Zealand.

Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Housing Values in U.S. Cities
The report, analyzed data from 94,000 real estate transactions in 15 major markets provided by ZipRealty found that in 13 of the 15 markets, higher levels of walkability, as measured by Walk Score, were directly linked to higher home values.

WOMEN
Girls Only Incentive Program
Its goal is to facilitate the development of new sport programs that are tailored specifically to the needs of girls and women in communities across BC. The project provides workshops and seed funding to BC communities to aid in the implementation of girls only programming.

WORKPLACE
British Heart Foundation – Health at Work website
The website replaces the old Think fit! website, and has been redesigned with a new, fresh, vibrant look, easier navigation, lots of new content and exciting features.

The website contains up-to-date information on physical activity, healthy eating and mental wellbeing, plus lots of ideas, practical tools and downloads for the workplace health promoter to create a health club at work.

August 19, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ABORIGINAL
Balancing the Medicine Wheel through Physical Activity
This article highlights the findings of a research project based on the medicine wheel teachings of balance between the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional aspects of oneself. Specifically, this traditional approach to understanding health was used to explore the impacts of physical activity on emotional, spiritual and mental well-being.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Bicycle Boulevard Planning & Design Guidebook
This new guidebook was designed to serve as a planning and conceptual design guide for planners, engineers, citizens, advocates and decision makers who are considering bicycle boulevards in their community.

International Scan Summary Report on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety and Mobility
Follow up to a project first reported in Info Round Up June 11th. A sample of findings include: (1) Implementing foreign practices in the U.S. will require a careful, evidence based approach. (2) Numerous factors contribute to higher rates of pedestrian and bicyclist safety improvements and higher walking and biking mode splits in the host countries (3) “Safety in numbers” (also called “awareness in numbers”) is a clear motivator behind the promotion of walking and bicycling as a safety improvement strategy.

Transit for Livable Communities
A nonprofit organization working to reform Minnesota's transportation system. Through advocacy, organizing, and research, we promote a balanced transportation system that encourages transit, walking, bicycling, and thoughtful development.

Walking and Cycling International Literature Review: Final Report
This report presents the findings from an extensive literature review aiming to help professionals and researchers in the State of Victoria understand barriers to walking and cycling as well as infrastructure and policy supports for non-motorized transportation.
The research team located almost 500 articles, papers, and reports assessing walking and cycling infrastructure, policies, programs, and models. We reviewed over 300 of them…..

CHILDREN
Engaging Parents to Increase Youth Physical Activity: A Systematic Review
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 37: 141-149.
The researchers found that a lack of uniformity in way of reporting outcomes, multiple pilot studies relative to full trials and varied measurements of physical activity outcomes meant that systematic conclusions could not be drawn. However, they suggested that interventions with educational or training programs during family visits or via telephone communication with parents appear to be promising strategies.

Obesity and the Impact of Marketing on Children: Developing an Intersectoral Policy Consensus Conference
A OHPE feature article by Manuel Arango, co-chair of the Consensus Conference on Obesity and the Impact of Marketing to Children, that describes the background issues, process, and outcomes of this March 2008 event.

COMMUNITY
Healthy Spaces and Places Web-Resources (Australia)
A national guide for planning, designing and creating sustainable communities that encourage healthy living.

Healthy Spaces and Places. A National Guide to Designing Places for Healthy Living: An Overview
This overview provides a summary of the information available on the Healthy Spaces and Places website (above), which is the primary resource.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
Health and the Natural Environment (Natural England)
Growing medical evidence shows that access to the natural environment improves health and wellbeing, prevents disease and helps people recover from illness. Experiencing nature in the outdoors can help tackle obesity, coronary heart disease and mental health problems. A great web-site with links to many more resources, feature subject pages.

OLDER ADULTS
ACSM Position Stand Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults
Physical activity – even at a moderate level of intensity – can greatly improve quality and life and longevity for adults over age 65, according to an updated Position Stand from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Growing Smarter, Living Healthier: A Guide to Smart Growth and Active Aging
Issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is a user-friendly handbook intended to inspire older adults to become involved in how their communities grow and develop to ensure they become more 'age-friendly.' Age-friendly communities use Smart Growth principles (development that improves the community, environment, economy, and public health) to become healthier places to grow old in - and better places for people of all ages. In addition to addressing the basic principles of neighborhood and town design, the guide helps readers understand why community design matters, and how becoming involved in decisions about growth can make better places in which to grow older.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
CFLRI Lifestyle Tips: Health Benefits of Physical Activity for Adults
Offers practical suggestions for integrating physical activity into one's daily life….

CFLRI Research File: Health Benefits of Physical Activity for Adults
Provides summaries of research findings on various topics related to physical activity…

URBAN DESIGN
Rethinking the Street Space: Why Street Design Matters
Nicely summarizes the importance of street design as a public space asset rather than just a place for driving. The article discusses why this approach to street design can be difficult, gives examples of the new trend, and identifies the benefits it brings for local economies, the environment, and physical and psychological health.

August 15, 2009

By Rosanne Prinson, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

CHILDREN
Keeping Pace – Volume 1 Issue 1
This summary is the first in a series that highlights some of the key findings from the Physical Activity and Dietary Intake of Children and Youth in Nova Scotia (PACY) surveillance studies

Six year follow-up of students who participated in a school-based physical activity intervention: a longitudinal cohort study
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:48
Six years after the 12-month MIGI intervention, whilst intervention students had increased their advantage relative to controls in one skill, and appeared to maintain their advantage in two, they lost their advantage in two skills and were no more active than controls at follow up.

Translating Physical Activity Recommendations for Overweight Adolescents to Steps Per Day
American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume 37, Issue 2, Pages 137-140
Depending on the Moderate to Vigorous PA criteria used, these data suggest that overweight adolescents are likely to meet national MVPA recommendations if they accumulate between 10,000 and 11,700 steps per day.

CHRONIC DISEASE
Health-Care Cost Projections for Diabetes and other Chronic Diseases: The Current Context and Potential Enhancements
As awareness of the significant impact of chronic diseases on health and health care costs has grown, policymaker interest in exploring the role public policy might play in reducing the toll also has increased. Certainly, there is great public interest to find ways to ease the disease burden – and possibly the cost burden as well.

COMMUNITY
2009 Playful City USA Communities announced
In the third year of this annual program, 32 of 93 Playful City USA communities were repeat honorees from 2008, while 22 cities were cited for the third consecutive year. Thirty-nine new communities have joined others in making a commitment to children, These 93 communities created and implemented programs to positively impact childhood wellness, public safety and the quality of life. Also be sure to click on the ‘home’ tab (top left) to check out the Kaboom web-site.

Living Streets Aotearoa
Living Streets Aotearoa is the New Zealand organization for people on foot, promoting walking-friendly communities. We want more people walking and enjoying public spaces be they young or old, fast or slow, whether walking, sitting, commuting, shopping, between appointments, or out on the streets for exercise, for leisure or for pleasure.


DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
Key indicators of progress for chronic disease and associated determinants
To date, information about chronic disease (and determinants) has been problematic in terms of consistency and comparability. This report describes the key indicators of progress for chronic disease and associated determinants (the Indicator set), and is a reference tool for anyone who wishes to measure and report the progress in the prevention of chronic disease in Australia.

Primer to Action: Social Determinants of Health
An electronic resource that helps us understand and influence how the social determinants of health impact chronic disease. Set in an electronic, easy to read format, with hundreds of links and resources, it is a practical resource for busy health and community workers, activists, in their capacity as staff, volunteers or community members.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
Call for a National Charter for Health (Australia)
Effective health promotion and prevention have the capacity to improve health, manage the expenditure pressures of preventable chronic disease, enhance economic productivity, bridge the health divide between different population groups and add healthy years to life expectancy.
Despite these prospects and a growing clamour for greater attention to prevention, it has always remained on the periphery of the healthcare system. Its funding support seems at odds with the compelling evidence base and its power base often too small to influence priority setting.
Partly because of the longer lead time to achieve improved health outcomes, health promotion has been unable to extract significant financial support from funders who face more immediate political and consumer demands for treatment and hospital services…...

MISCELLANEOUS
Nonprofits and Policy Advocacy: Learning from Success
This paper begins by defining what is meant by the term ‘policy advocacy’. In the second section, it looks at why policy advocacy is so important for the non-profit sector. In the third section, it presents examples of successful policy advocacy campaigns, and draws out some of the lessons that can be learned from these successes. Lists of coalitions and further resources are contained in the appendices.

Wellness is……
A 48 pg booklet from the Calgary Health Region which they hope “provides some inspiration to everyone who wishes to improve their health, healing and well-being.”

OLDER ADULTS
Analysis of Individual Social-ecological Mediators and Moderators and Their Ability to Explain Effect of a Randomized Neighborhood Walking Intervention
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:49
Using data from the SHAPE trial, a randomized 6-month neighborhood-based intervention designed to increase walking activity among older adults, this study identified and analyzed social-ecological factors mediating and moderating changes in walking activity.

Efficacy of progressive resistance training on balance performance in older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Although some studies showed significant improvements in balance performance for groups receiving progressive resistance training, the data did not consistently show that the use of progressive resistance training in isolation improved balance in the elderly.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY
Canadian Obesity Network – Nutrition
The purpose of this affiliated web site is to provide a central information and networking area for health professionals who are interested in nutritional aspects of obesity prevention and treatment for children, adolescents and adults.

Factors associated with obesity and coronary heart disease in people with intellectual disabilities
Intellectual functioning and behavioral problems were not associated with greater odds of these conditions.

The obesity epidemic: analysis of past and projected future trends in selected OECD countries
Canada is mentioned 76 times in this 81 page document.

Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States
This report describes the expert panel process that was used to identify 24 recommended strategies for obesity prevention and a suggested measurement for each strategy that communities can use to assess performance and track progress over time.

Recommended community strategies and measurements to prevent obesity in the United States: Implementation and measurement guide
The guide includes measurement data protocols, a listing of useful resources, and examples of communities that successfully implemented each obesity prevention strategy.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Are people in Scotland becoming more active? Combined results from Scotland's routine national surveys
This report provides an assessment of long term trends in physical activity amongst adults aged 16-64 in Scotland. Combining data from three Scottish Health Surveys (1995, 1998 and 2003) and ten Health Education Population Surveys (spanning 1996 to 2006), regression analysis is used to examine whether there has been any change in the proportion meeting the recommendations for physical activity between 1995 and 2006.

British Heart Foundation Physical Activity & Health Update August 2009
Latest issue of their monthly newsletter.

Cost-Effectiveness of Interventions to Promote Physical Activity: A Modelling Study
The findings presented in this study suggest that the assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a combination of interventions designed to promote physical activity might provide policy makers with some guidance about the best way to reduce the burden of disease caused by physical inactivity.

The Economic Costs of Overweight, Obesity and Physical Inactivity Among California Adults – 2006
Just released July 9th this study “found the total annual estimated cost to California for overweight, obesity and physical inactivity was $41.2 billion – $21.0 billion for overweight and obesity, and $20.2 billion for physical inactivity.”

Participation in Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey: 2008 Annual Report
Take a look at the latest results on participation in physical activity for people aged 15 years and over in Australia.

URBAN DESIGN
The Place Doctor- Fred Kent
Fred Kent, founder of the Project for Public Spaces, is on a mission to put soul back into communities, one park bench at a time……

Squeezing innovative green spaces into crowded cities requires looking for land in unexpected places
Are you regularly told that your city is “all built out” and has no room for new parks, even though there seem to be plenty of new high-rises, parking lots, and shopping malls?
Is it perhaps time to start looking for new urban parkland in untraditional places?
That is exactly what’s beginning to happen in densely packed cities. Here are a few of the innovations.

July 30, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc


Rosanne will be taking some time off to photosynthesize in the sun :) Info Round Up will return August 14th.

Alberta Centre of Active Living

ABORIGINAL
Effective chronic disease prevention interventions for Aboriginal populations

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Active Commuting and Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Archives of Internal Medicine 2009;169(13):1216-1223
In what may be the first large U.S. study of health and commuting, the researchers found only about 17 per cent of workers walked or bicycled any portion of their commute. Those active commuters did better on treadmill tests of fitness, even when researchers accounted for their leisure-time physical activity levels, suggesting commuter choices do make a difference.

Association for Commuter Transportation in Canada
Link to their first newsletter. “We aim to provide timely and meaningful news to TDM practitioners and other transportation-related professionals across the country working to promote suite sustainable modes of transportation - by transit, in carpools, by bike, on foot, or through telework.”

International Scan Summary Report on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety and Mobility
In May 2009, a team of 12 transportation professionals with expertise in bicycling and walking from the United States (U.S.) visited five countries in Europe to identify and assess effective approaches to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety and mobility. The scan team identified numerous possible approaches to improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety and mobility in the U.S.

Michigan Smart Commute
A new Michigan web resource has arrived on the scene, complete with tools, information and inspiration to help community leaders encourage residents to 'Smart Commute' (walk, bike, carpool, or use public transit).

Victoria Walks
This Australian website has an extensive array of resources and tools to assist people to work together to make their neighbourhoods better for walking.

CHILDREN
Child Friendly Communities: Position Statement
From the Planning Institute of Australia. Planners have the ability to help create child friendly cities and communities that can contribute positively to the development of a child's, happiness and wellbeing. With the increasing focus on Australia’s ageing population, it is important that policy makers and planners do not neglect the interests of children when managing the structure and form of Australian cities. The physical, social and economic dimensions of urban environments impacts on a child’s life by shaping their ability to form social relationships and by influencing their physical, mental and emotional health.

The Influence of the VERB Campaign on Children's Physical Activity in 2002 to 2006
American Journal of Public Health, published online 16 July 09
The authors conclude that health messages can be successfully marketed to children by applying the same savvy marketing strategies that are used to sell products to children. As in product marketing, when children are reached by an engaging message, their interest is piqued and their attitudes and behaviors can be affected if the choice for action is appealing and easy. Whereas the advertising made physical activity an appealing choice, by promoting physical activity and giving children ideas on how to ‘‘sample the product’’ in their backyards and playgrounds, the intention was for the choice to seem easy and more accessible.

PlaySport
Ophea's PlaySport is an English/French website with all kinds of great activities designed to teach kids games by playing games! PlaySport games encourage fun, free play while helping kids develop the skills needed to not only participate in all kinds of sports, but also to be healthy and active citizens throughout their lives.

Renewed elementary H&PE curriculum for Ontario
A renewed elementary H&PE curriculum for Ontario will be released this Fall. Mandatory implementation of this policy will be required by elementary schools by Fall 2010. A renewed curriculum for secondary schools will also be released in 2010 with mandatory implementation in 2011. The vision of the renewed curriculum is that students will be physically and health literate and have the comprehension, commitment and capacity to lead and promote a healthy active life in an ever-changing global society.

Study Suggests Parents Lack Confidence Necessary to Implement Healthy Behavior Changes for Children
A study published in the journal Pediatrics suggests that parents often lack confidence in implementing and enforcing the behavior changes necessary to reduce their child's risk of obesity.

CHRONIC DISEASE
Public Health Agency of Canada – Chronic Disease Infobase - Profiles
If you get a runtime error message click refresh. Once the main page comes up choose Alberta from the left hand nav column…. Lots of stats there including Leisure Time PA

PHAC Chronic Disease Infobase (homepage)
Chronic Disease Infobase profiles the epidemiology of major non-communicable diseases in Canada, including the most current cancers; and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases; by province/territory and by regional health unit. Every page that is generated retrieves data from the database on the fly, which means that every time you come back to Chronic Disease Infobase, you may get new information; since the database is updated as data become available.

PHAC Chronic Disease facts and figures
Links to many different data sources on many different chronic diseases here.

Power to Prevent: A Family Lifestyle Approach to Diabetes Prevention
Physical Activity is mentioned 236 times in this 253 page document.
It is a diabetes prevention program aimed at African Americans at increased risk for diabetes, This curriculum provides resources and activities that can help people enjoy a way of life that includes healthy eating and increased physical activity. It is designed to give people who want to adopt healthier habits a range of useful information to support their personal decisions to change their lifestyles. The program provides information on diabetes prevention; ideas for tasty and healthy eating; tools for making changes one step at a time; and suggestions for physical activities that are within reach, easy to do, relaxing, and fun.

COMMUNITY
Creating Caring Communities: A guide to establishing intergenerational programs for schools, care facilities and community groups.
This resource contains practical information and resources to support educators, care providers and community agencies in coordinating successful intergenerational (IG) programs that promote learning, understanding, and mutual respect between generations.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
CDC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity
The CDC's DNPAO takes a public health approach to address the role of nutrition and physical activity in improving the public's health and preventing and controlling chronic diseases.

CDC Public Health Image Library
A free collection of photos, illustrations, and other media. I searched using "walking" and "exercise".... Got some strange false positives but also some useable photos. Might be worth book marking :)

Core Competencies for Health Promotion Practitioners
This is a set of health promotion core competencies for health promotion practitioners, organisations, employers, and educators. It identifies competencies for health promotion at beginner practitioner level.

Health promotion spending in US budget
Sweeping healthcare legislation working its way through Congress is more than an effort to provide insurance to millions of Americans without coverage. Tucked within is a provision that could provide billions of dollars for walking paths, streetlights, jungle gyms, and even farmers' markets. The add-ons -- characterized as part of a broad effort to improve the nation's health 'infrastructure' -- appear in House and Senate versions of the bill.

Obesity, Physical Activity and Weight Control Glossary
From the National Institutes of Health this glossary defines words that are often used when people talk or write about obesity, physical activity, and weight control. It is written for people who are overweight or obese, or interested in learning more about obesity, physical activity, nutrition, and weight control.

MENTAL HEALTH
Specific associations between types of physical activity and components of mental health
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Volume 12, Issue 4, July 2009, Pages 468-474
These findings further our knowledge of the mental health benefits of physical activity, demonstrating the greater positive effects from sporting activity. They also suggest the potential worth of specific health recommendations for physical health and for mental health separately in different population subgroups.

OLDER ADULTS
Wheeling Walks
Wheeling Walks is a theory- and media-based community campaign that uses paid advertising to encourage walking among sedentary older adults.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY
F as in Fat 2009 How Obesity Policies are Failing in America
Adult obesity rates increased in 23 states and did not decrease in a single state in the past year, according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009, a report released by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). In addition, the percentage of obese or overweight children is at or above 30 percent in 30 states.

Prediction of Leisure-time Physical Activity Among Obese Individuals
Obesity (2009) 17 4, 706–712. doi:10.1038/oby.2008.599
Participation in leisure-time physical activity is explained primarily by a person's intentions to perform this behavior. The results also suggest that people are more able to translate their perception of control into action if they perceive the built environment as favorable, although this additional gain in prediction is small relative to intention.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Are Obesity and Physical Activity Clustered? A Spatial Analysis Linked to Residential Density
Obesity (2009) Published online 23 April 2009.
The aim of this study was to examine spatial clustering of obesity and/or moderate physical activity and their relationship to a neighborhood's built environment. Overall, the study indicates that the relationship between the urban environment and obesity is not direct.

Effectiveness of the 2006 Commonwealth Games 10,000 Steps Walking Challenge
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2009, 41: 1673–1680
These results demonstrate initial effectiveness of the challenge linked to an international sporting event. Long term sustainability only applied for a small number of participants.

iStep Log Study
The 10,000 Steps team would like to invite all iPhone and iPod Touch users to participate in an exciting study looking at the usefulness and usability of the iStepLog app developed specifically for 10,000 Steps members.

National Physical Activity Guidelines for Ireland
These guidelines provide clear, concise and user friendly guidance to support the public, professionals and policy makers to Get Ireland Active. They present a unique opportunity to create a shared vision and framework to support everyone to be as active as they can and enjoy the innumerable benefits.

Total mortality after changes in leisure time physical activity in 50 year old men: 35 year follow-up of population based cohort
British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2009; 43: 482.
These findings, from a well-designed, high quality study, highlight the fact that it is never too late to start being physically active as those who increase activity levels in middle age and older have a similar reduced rate of mortality to those who were active as younger adults and maintained their activity, at least in men. This message should be communicated to populations as a motivator for initiating and maintaining physical activity.

URBAN DESIGN
Assessing urban and rural neighborhood characteristics using audit and GIS data: derivation and reliability of constructs
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:44
Measures to assess neighborhood environments are needed to better understand the salient features that may enhance outdoor physical activities, such as walking and bicycling for transport or leisure. The purpose of this study was to derive constructs to describe neighborhoods using both primary (neighborhood audit) and secondary (geographic information systems) data.

The Built Environment and Walking: Position Statement
From the Australian Heart Foundation. The built environment can either facilitate or discourage walking: land use systems, transportation systems and urban design coalesce to create a pedestrian environment that impacts upon people’s decisions to walk. There are two key conduits for increasing walking: encouraging more walking for transport, and/or encouraging more walking for recreation.

Civilised Streets
A briefing presenting a future that is about removing the dominance of the car – creating civilised streets that work for all.

This way to better residential streets
For the past 50 years we have thought only of the car, in effect providing parking spaces and access routes for drivers between home and the outside world. Things have to change – we must not let the car dominate when a well designed street can help create sustainable communities, enable people to get around, promote walking and cycling, civic pride and identity, provide safe play for children and allow the community to interact.

WOMEN
Australian Womensport and Recreation Association
The Australian Womensport and Recreation Association Inc (AWRA) is an enthusiastic and dynamic national volunteer association "to provide leadership and advocacy for Australian women and girls in sport and active recreation". AWRA is linked with the International Association for Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women.

Count Us In: Developing Physical Activity Programs for Women
This guideline has been developed on findings from a three year research project titled 'Count Us In: Developing Physical Activity Programs for Women' conducted by Victoria University, Australia. The guidelines are targeted for program providers in private, community and leisure organisations, located in metropolitan and regional areas.

WORKPLACE
Do walking strategies to increase physical activity reduce reported sitting in workplaces: a randomized control trial
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:43
Interventions designed to increase workplace physical activity may not automatically reduce high volumes of sitting, a behaviour independently linked to chronic diseases such as obesity and type II diabetes. This study compared the impact two different walking strategies had on step counts and reported sitting times.

July 15, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
3 Videos of the Trondheim (Norway) Bicycle Escalator/Elevator
Basic Information
More Details
A Family’s First Attempt

Active Travel Publications
A range of Active Travel information sheets and publications are available to download. There are lots of great resources here – be sure to check it out!

CHILDREN
Activity Guide for Recreation Leaders: Asset-Building Nutritional and Physical Activity Program Ideas for Children Ages 6 to 12
This provides 32 ready-to-use asset-building activities, eight activity sheets, eight newsletters, and six handouts that encourage elementary-age children to eat healthy and be physically active.

Healthy lives, brighter futures: The strategy for children and young people’s health
Physical activity and exercise is mentioned quite a few times and chapters 4 and 5.

Researchers Develop Text Message System to Encourage Physical Activity Among Teens
Researchers at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles have devised a system that monitors the physical activity levels of teens and can send cell phone text messages to encourage them to be more active......

Why play?
Why play? is the latest in the series of information leaflets including Why Walk?, Why Cycle?, Get Cycling and Cycling with Children, and explains why active outdoor play is essential for children, including facts and suggestions.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
A Back Injury Prevention Guide for Health Care Workers
The practical suggestions in this guide are focused on orderlies, attendants, nurses, nursing assistants and others who actually lift and move patients and residents.

Ambitions for health: a strategic framework for maximising the potential of social marketing and health-related behaviour.
This framework sets out plans to make sure that policy development and public health interventions are informed by an understanding of what motivates people. It constitutes the (UK) Government's response to It's Our Health!, and sets out how social marketing and other behavioural change activities will be used to put the consumer at the heart of health improvement and delivery.

Health Inequities Educational Video from BC Health Authority
The video features commentary from Vancouver Coastal Health staff and stories from local residents about how the social determinants of health impact their lives.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY
Obesity Among U.S. Adults Continues to Rise
The proportion of U.S. adults who are obese increased to 26.1 percent in 2008 compared to 25.6 percent in 2007.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Building health: creating and enhancing places for healthy, active lives - what needs to be done?
Some people are determined to keep fit and physically active, and will find ways to be active even when special facilities and physical space are either non-existent or inappropriate. But most of us are physically active only when certain social and environmental conditions are in place. Health promotion is about making healthy choices the easy choices. Building Health is a timely report which clearly outlines the current problems and, more importantly, makes practical recommendations for building for health and active living.

Get active, getting there!
This new public information leaflet introduces the benefits of walking and cycling for health, transport and pleasure.

Physical Activity Resources
From the South East Public Health Observatory (UK). Lots of information here, including many different resource publications.

Reasons for Urban Trail Use Predict Levels of Trail-Related Physical Activity
Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 6(4), July 2009.

This study examined whether reasons for trail use predict levels of physical activity on urban trails. Reasons for trail use significantly predicted recreational but not transportation activity. Recreational trail activity was greater for participants who reported exercise and health reasons for trail use as compared with other reasons (ie, social interaction, enjoying nature) for recreational trail use.

Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet: England, February 2009
The NHS Information Centre’s third report on obesity, physical activity and diet includes, for the first time, information on attitudes towards and knowledge about leading a healthy lifestyle for both adults and children. This includes information on how much physical activity should be done, barriers towards doing more physical activity, knowledge of the recommended daily number of portions of fruit and vegetables and attitudes towards a healthy diet.

Walking the way to Health
WHI (Walking the way to Health Initiative) is for everyone with an interest in walking for health. We offer information, support and encouragement to complete beginners, existing walkers and health and leisure professionals.

URBAN DESIGN
'Tell us something we don't already know or do!' - The response of planning and transport professionals to public health guidance on the built environment and physical activity
Journal of Public Health Policy, 30(1): 102-116, 2009.

Researchers analyzed planning and transport practitioners' perceptions and responses to government public health guidance aimed at modifying environmental factors to promote physical activity. Researchers found that evidence-based public health guidance is a new voice in urban and town planning, although much of the advice is already reflected by the 'accepted wisdom' of these professions.

WORKPLACE
Active Travel Workplace Toolkit
The Active Travel Workplace Toolkit is a UK-wide resource designed to help organizations encourage their employees to walk and cycle to work, thus helping improve health, reduce absenteeism and increase productivity.

LEAN works! Leading Employees to Activity and Nutrition
CDC's LEAN Works! Leading Employees to Activity and Nutrition" is a FREE web-based resource that offers interactive tools and evidence-based resources to design effective worksite obesity prevention and control programs, including an obesity cost calculator to estimate how much obesity is costing your company and how much savings your company could reap with different workplace interventions.

July 10, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Air Pollution and Activity During Transportation by Car, Subway, and Walking
American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume 37, Issue 1, Pages 72-77 (July 2009)
Driving cars was associated with less physical activity but not necessarily less exposure to PM2.5 than riding subways or walking in an urban environment. These effect sizes and variances can be used to design larger experiments assessing the health effects of urban transportation

Economic Value of Walkability
This paper describes ways to evaluate the value of walking (the activity) and walkability (the quality of walking conditions, including safety, comfort and convenience). Walking and walkability provide a variety of benefits, including basic mobility, consumer cost savings, cost savings (reduced external costs), efficient land use, community livability, improved fitness and public health, economic development, and support for equity objectives. Current transportation planning practices tend to undervalue walking. More comprehensive analysis techniques, described in this paper, are likely to increase public support for walking and other nonmotorized modes of travel.

The Effect of On-Street Parking on Cyclist Route Choice and the Operational Behaviour of Cyclists and Motorists (US)
The models indicate that on-street parking has a significant impact on motorist and cyclist position; a bike lane combined with a buffer space is the only way to completely remove cyclists from the door zone, and operationally, a bicycle lane is more effective than a wide outside lane. They also note that the empirical models indicate that travel time is the most important attribute for commuters in choosing their routes. These factors also impact bicyclists’ route choice: traffic volume; speed limit; on-street parking characteristics; bicycle route continuity; number of stop signs, red lights, and cross streets; and roadway terrain.

Footfalls: Obstacle Course To Livable Cities
This study provides Detailed analysis of walking conditions in Indian cities. This analysis indicates that walkability is overlooked and undervalued in transport planning, and that improved walkability is justified for equity and efficiency sake. It provides specific recommendations for improving walking conditions to address a variety of planning objectives.

Google Transit
Plan a trip anywhere in the world using transit. This is great!! And the street maps of the cities they provide are good too.

Valuing the Health Benefits of Active Transport Modes
This report seeks to provide a per-kilometre value for the health benefits of active transport modes (such as walking and cycling) that is compatible with the Land Transport New Zealand Economic Evaluation Manual. The first two sections of the report begin by explaining the scope of the project and the background. Section 3 investigates the evidence of the connection between physical activity and health outcomes. Section 4 clarifies the role of active transport modes as physical activity, and reports the New Zealand-specific data about active transport mode engagement. Section 5 gives a brief comparative summary of the literature review of cost-benefit analyses and valuation techniques used overseas to value the health benefits of active modes.

walkON
walkON is a community partnership of Heart Health projects from Central West Ontario. We offer a menu of program activities to engage the community in the creation of environments that support walking.

CHILDREN
An Injury Prevention Perspective on the Childhood Obesity Epidemic
Prev Chronic Dis 2009;6(3).
The purpose of this paper is to initiate discourse on the value of including injury prevention and control as part of public health strategies to increase physical activity among youth. This article describes the connection between injury prevention and physical activity, proposes the benefits of using an injury prevention framework when developing physical activity interventions, and recommends that an injury prevention perspective on the childhood obesity epidemic be used to guide future research.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
Data base of Multicultural Health Publications
Compiled by the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY
Patterns of Physical Activity Among Overweight and Obese Adults
Prev Chronic Dis 2009;6(3).The authors found differences in physical activity patterns by demographic characteristics, day, and time of day. Weekend mornings may be an opportune time to promote additional physical activity.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Healthy Lifestyles for people with learning disabilities: Physical Activity & Diet
A discussion of current research including an annotated bibliography.

New WHO Physical Activity web-site


URBAN DESIGN
Active Living Case Studies
In response to the increasing evidence linking urban planning to low levels of community participation in physical activity, the New South Wales Premier's Council for Active Living (PCAL) has developed a web-based resource Designing Places for Active Living.


The Built Environment and Health: A Review
In general, a planning and development scheme that concentrates growth and creates mixeduse, pedestrian friendly neighbourhoods has been found to be associated with improved health outcomes for many of these impact areas, particularly for physical activity, obesity and associated conditions.

iCANwalk
iCANwalk is a collaboration of partners who support the development of walkable communities. We believe that together, we can build sustainable, walkable communities that will improve the health of our citizens, our children and our environment.

National Geographic Virtual World – The New Suburb?
Interactive site plus resources.

WOMEN
Unequal Opportunities, Unequal Outcomes
In 2008, CAAWS conducted a series of cross-Canada focus groups with low socioeconomic status (LSES) mothers and community physical activity promoters to identify barriers that prevent and/or limit participation of LSES mothers in physical activity within their communities. The findings are contained in a comprehensive report that also includes solutions to improve accessibility, availability and affordability of physical activity and sport programs for LSES mothers.

June 26, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Bike Belles
This website aims to dispel the myths and barriers that sometimes prevent girls from cycling.

Cycling awareness
From the London Telegraph…. “Cyclists were encouraged to slow down thanks to this crater-sized 'hole' in the middle of a towpath. But the hole is an optical illusion, a three-dimensional drawing of a canyon, in an attempt to make careless cyclists hit the brakes rather than ride dangerously and ignore pedestrians..."

Cyclist Harassment A Misdemeanor in Columbia (MO)
Harassment of bicyclists, including shouting threats and honking for the purpose of frightening a cyclist (is now) a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by $1,000 fine or a year in jail.

Town Hall Presentation
10-minute video featuring Dan Burden of Walkable Communities, Inc.;

Way To Go, Seattle!
Way to Go, Seattle! is the City’s umbrella for all of our various, coordinated efforts to increase walking, biking, transit use, carpooling and other eco ways to get around. We’re your resource for Seattle’s “drive less” programs, as well as useful tools and tips to help you get around without driving.

CHILDREN
Bones4Life
The site is divided into two sections. One section is designed for teachers and hosts a variety of resources to use in the classroom to educate children about bone health. The second section is for children and provides interactive games and quizzes to enhance their learning of bone health.

The Built Environment: Designing Communities to Promote Physical Activity in Children
The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a strong policy statement that encourages pediatricians to advocate for policy changes to enable children to safely walk and bicycle in their communities.

CONFERENCES
AICR Annual Research Conference on Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer
November 5th & 6th 2009. This year’s topics include: Challenges of conducting dietary clinical trials; Nutrition and behavior in cancer survivorship; Phytochemicals in herbs, spices and fruits; Bioenergetics and cancer; Turning cancer prevention policy into action and Physical activity and cancer.

International Congress on Physical Activity and Public Health
May 5th – 8th 2010. The 3rd in a series of Congresses organized to better understand the research, public policies and programs pertaining to the complex relationships between physical activity and health.

Knowledge Transfer: Some Assembly Required
September 30th - October 2nd 2009. Hosted by the Health Research Network of Alberta. With the help of our expert speakers and each other, we will explore and gain an appreciation for complexity theory and complex adaptive systems and what this tells us about knowledge transfer or translation (KT), learn what tools and techniques can help facilitate KT, learn how to develop KT plans and how to assess them, and discover how we might measure the success of our KT efforts.

HEALTH (GENERAL)
Institute of Wellbeing
Launched June 11th, 2009. Their signature product - the Canadian Index of Wellbeing -will track Canada’s progress and provide a set of indicators in eight interconnected categories that will enable us to see whether we are better or worse off than we used to be, whether we will leave the world a better or worse place for the generations that follow, and what we need to change to achieve a better outcome.

MENTAL HEALTH
Guidance for Occupational therapy and physical activity interventions to promote the mental wellbeing of older people in primary care and residential care
This guidance is for all those involved in promoting older people's mental wellbeing. It focuses on practical support for everyday activities, based on occupational therapy principles and methods.

Youth Beyond Blue
A new youth mental health website to help raise awareness of symptoms of depression and anxiety, and to help youth get help. See factsheet #7 and #12 for information related to physical activity.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
A Systematic Review of the Evidence Base for Developing a Physical Activity and Health Legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
This systematic review sets out the lessons learned from the best available international evidence. It will enable us to work with greater confidence towards securing a true and lasting health and physical activity legacy from the 2012 Games.

BCPRA Physical Activity Strategy Seasonal Newsletter
Spring 2009 version of the BC Recreation and Parks Association newsletter. While visiting their website, you can also learn about how your community can support inactive adults with regular physical activity.

Early management of persistent non-specific low back pain
With regards to physical activity and exercise, this guidance recommends advising patients to stay physically active and to carry on with normal activities as far as possible.

Weighing it Up
The Australian Government's response to obesity, including several physical activity recommendations.

URBAN DESIGN
City Dwellers Worldwide Healthier than Suburban Counterparts
"No matter which country you are in, new research finds those who live in an urban neighborhood are twice as likely to be physically active the those in the suburbs. According to a San Diego State University study published in this month's American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the biggest single factor influencing physical activity around the world is accessibility to sidewalks.

Public Spaces & Public Life Perth 2009
The surveys document urban change over time and provide empirical evidence of the significant improvement in city life that result from the increase of public space quality. This study analyses the evolution of public space in Perth city centre, contrasting survey data collected in 2008/09 with their seminal study of 1993/94.

WORKPLACE
Determinants of participation in worksite health promotion programmes: a systematic review.
International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2009, 6:26
this review found that worksite health promotion programs that provide 1) incentives; 2) offer a multi-component strategy: and 3) focus on multiple behaviors rather than on physical activity only have a higher participation level.

Improving Diet and Physical Activity with ALIVE: A Worksite Randomized Trial
American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume 36, Issue 6, Pages 475-483 (June 2009)
An RCT, conducted in 2006, of a 16-week e-mail program offered individually tailored, small-step goals; a personal homepage with tips; educational materials; and tracking and simulation tools.

Workplace Wellness Programs: Benefits
A USA Today news article titled: Cost-conscious companies re-evaluate wellness programs. “Companies, desperate to slice fat from their budgets during this recession, increasingly are targeting workplace wellness programs ……”

May 8, 2009

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc

Alberta Centre for Active Living

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

I Walk in My Street: A Guide to Planning Successful Pedestrian Streets in New York City
The pedestrian streets that began to crop up around New York in the summer of 2008 have been a long-time coming, and their arrival was widely celebrated. But care must be taken if their continuation and expansion is to be ensured; if their reintroduction is poorly managed, they could easily meet the same fate as the pedestrianizations of the 1970’s.

Making the Case for Active Transportation
Eight information bulletins have been developed by CFLRI for professionals and community members who want to build a case for active transportation in their community. Each bulletin includes evidence that supports the investment of time and resources for active transportation opportunities at the local level. They focus on designing communities for moving people and not cars. Recommended actions to increase and strengthen collaborative partnerships for active transportation are also included.

New Urban News
A professional newsletter for planners, developers, architects, builders, public officials and others who are interested in the creation of human-scale communities. If you click on “past articles” in the left hand column you will find some interesting articles.

Pedestrian Forum - Spring 2009
The latest edition of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Pedestrian Forum Newsletter is now available. The newsletter highlights efforts by the FHWA and its partners to improve the safety of walking and bicycling as a mode of transportation.

Valuing the health benefits of active transport modes
Land Transport New Zealand has released a report that explores the per-kilometer value for the health benefits of active transport modes, such as walking and cycling.

CHILDREN

A healthy active childhood: giving children the best chance of a cancer-free future
This report published for World Cancer Day 2009: Explains the link between cancer and excess body weight, poor diet and physical inactivity, Calls on parents, teachers, and decision - makers to take action now to encourage healthy habits among children……

Design for Play - A guide to creating successful play spaces
The guide shows how to design good play spaces, which can be affordably maintained, which give children and young people the freedom to play creatively, and yet still allow them to experience risk, challenge and excitement.

Encouraging kids to live an active childhood
A factsheet.
Free play: Improving children's physical health
This briefing for the play sector highlights the official recommendations (England) on obesity that relate to free play, leisure opportunities and access to open space

Play and health: Making the links
This briefing for health improvement specialists, primary care teams and healthy schools coordinators, provides information on why play is crucial to children's health and explores possibilities for joint working between the health and play sectors.

Play for a change - Play, Policy and Practice: A review of contemporary perspectives
Play England has published a comprehensive review of the evidence underpinning current thinking on play. It provides a detailed analysis of research and literature published since 2001 that underpins contemporary understandings of the importance of play and how this relates to social policy and practice.

Using Child-friendly Maps to Promote Active Transportation
A feature article on the Ontario Health Promotion E-Bulletin.

CONFERENCES

2009 Weight of the Nation Conference
The CDC’s inaugural conference on obesity prevention and control will be held in Washington, DC July 27th – 29th. The event is designed to provide a forum to highlight progress in the prevention and control of obesity through policy and environmental strategies and is framed around four intervention settings: community, medical care, school, and workplace.

HEALTH GENERAL

Cancer-related beliefs and behaviors in eight geographic regions
This report provides the first internationally comparable data of people's beliefs about screening, diagnosis and behaviors that increase cancer risk, such as smoking, drinking and being overweight.

MENTAL HEALTH
Up and Running? Exercise therapy and the treatment of mild or moderate depression in primary care
The Mental Health Foundation calls for patients with depression to be offered exercise on prescription. Substantial evidence shows that exercise therapy can be an effective treatment for depression. Includes a report, booklets and FAQ’s.

OLDER ADULTS

Interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community
Exercise interventions reduce risk and rate of falls. Research is needed to confirm the contexts in which multifactorial assessment and intervention, home safety interventions, vitamin D supplementation, and other interventions are effective.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY

2009 Annual Evidence Update - Obesity - Childhood obesity: surveillance and prevention (England).
The current update demonstrates of the growth of evidence within this field, with reviews now covering broader issues around the environment, policy and practice. Although the systematic reviews vary in their quality assurance and inclusion criteria, collectively the available evidence base remains weak, due to the inconsistencies and heterogeneity of available studies. To a certain extent this is indicative of the complexity of the obesity however, the evidence from these systematic reviews will continue to build a foundation for future research and help to inform practice and policy.

Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: One Year On
This report reviews progress on the delivery of Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A Cross-Government Strategy for England (published January 2008) and sets out priorities for the future. One Year On builds on the five themes from Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives, but demonstrates how we have developed our thinking over the last year to keep up momentum in tackling unhealthy weight. (Physical activity in mentioned throughout).

Primary care physicians' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices regarding childhood obesity: a systematic review.
Obesity Reviews 2009 Mar; 10(2):227-36
From this review, it is obvious that there is a need for education of primary care physicians to increase the uniformity of the assessment and to improve physicians' self-efficacy in managing childhood obesity.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The 2007 Physical Activity and Sport Monitor
The CFLRI bulletins are now released in their entirety. There are eleven different bulletins including topics such as social norms, barriers, attitudes, beliefs, intentions etc.

Active Halton
Formally the Halton Active Living Network, is now Active Halton. The network is a group of individuals and organizations who have an interest in promoting the adoption of active lifestyles for all ages in the Halton community. Active Halton has an ambitious plan to increase the physical activity levels of Halton residents by 20% by 2012.

Modeling the lifetime costs and health effects of lifestyle intervention in the prevention and treatment of obesity in Switzerland
This study compared a lifestyle program for overweight or obese patients with the standard care. Patients on the lifestyle program attended dietitian sessions and supervised exercise sessions for the first three years. The lifestyle intervention consisted of regular physical activity and healthy eating, including a diet rich in fruit and vegetables.