Physical Activity Fact

A research team examined the results of 14 randomized controlled trials of walking behaviors, which tested interventions specifically targeting and assessing walking behavior. Results show that among self-selected samples, intensive interventions can increase walking behavior relative to controls. Brief telephone prompts appear to be as effective as more substantial telephone counseling. Although more research is needed, individual studies support prescriptions to walk 5-7 versus 3-5 days per week and at a moderate (vs vigorous) intensity pace, with no differences in total walking minutes when single or multiple daily walking bouts are prescribed.  Mediated interventions delivering physical activity promotion materials through non-face-to-face channels may be ideal for delivering walking promotion interventions and have shown efficacy in promoting overall physical activity, especially when theory-based and individually tailored. Mass media campaigns targeting broader audiences, including those who may not intend to increase their physical activity, have been successful at increasing knowledge and awareness about physical activity but are often too diffuse to successfully impact individual behavior change. Incorporating individually tailored programs into broader mass media campaigns may be an important next step, and the Internet could be a useful vehicle.  Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 40(7) Supplement:S567-S573, July 2008.  Williams, David M. 1; Matthews, Charles E. 2; Rutt, Candace 3; Napolitano, Melissa A. 4; Marcus, Bess H. 1

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Skateboarding Kickflips Into PE

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2008-06-18-skateboarding_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

USA Today, June 24, 2008

Skateboarders aren't frowned on at Oak Elementary School in Albany, Ore. In fact, students there get credit for performing grabs, kickturns and ollies in class.  Oak is among hundreds of schools across the country that have adopted a skateboarding curriculum in their physical education classes.  Skate Pass, the Boulder, Colo., company that created the curriculum in 2006, says skateboarding is now being taught in schools in more than a dozen U.S. states, plus Germany and Canada.  Educators say it's part of a "new PE" movement that recognizes that some kids aren't natural athletes.  "When people first hear 'elementary PE,' the first thing that comes to mind is dodgeball. Then all the other stuff they didn't like," says Jake Gerig, Oak Elementary's PE teacher.  More…

 

Summer Ways to Get Kids Moving

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/20/AR2008062002532_pf.html

Washington Post,  June 24, 2008

To get kids moving this summer, here are some tips from the National Association for Sport & Physical Education, http://www.naspeinfo.org.· Create an activity treasure chest. Fill a chest with balls, tennis rackets, nets, badminton rackets, Frisbees, jump ropes and sidewalk chalk.· Be active close to home. Explore parks, pools and youth centers. Add a few other parents and kids, and turn it into an outing. One fun spot? The Youth Center at Robertson Park in Gaithersburg has a kids' climbing wall.· Take advantage of the county and national park systems. Many offer guided hikes, canoe trips and other programs, with specialized instruction. For information about the National Parks System, check out http://www.nps.gov.  More…

 

Obesity Battle Continues-Advocates Push to Keep Kids Moving

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/20/AR2008062002502_pf.html

Washington Post, June 24, 2008

Classes are out for children across the country, but the fight to boost fitness and curb fat among America's youth doesn't end with the school year, researchers and health advocates say. That's why they're encouraging parents to turn off the television and video games and find ways to get kids moving.  Groups ranging from the American Heart Association to the National Association for Sport & Physical Education succeeded in efforts in Florida and Oklahoma this year to increase the time children spend in physical education classes. But the fourth consecutive defeat this spring of a similar measure in the Maryland legislature highlights the difficulties such campaigns face, even when concern about childhood obesity is high.  About 9 million (or 16 percent) of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight under the standard used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- three times the percentage in 1980. (CDC does not use the term "obese" in describing weight problems in children.)  Many of the same factors that have hampered efforts to limit junk food sales on school campuses -- including tight budgets and political turf battles -- have also blocked efforts to expand physical education.  More…

 

Exercise Plan for Preschoolers Eyed to Thwart Childhood Obesity

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/541971/?sc=rsmn

Newswise Medical News, June 25, 2008

Junk food, video games, TV − these are just a few factors causing an epidemic of obesity in preschool children, putting them at risk for developing high blood pressure, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Sofiya Alhassan of the University of Massachusetts Amherst is researching how to reverse this trend by introducing preschoolers in western Massachusetts to a program that makes physical activity fun.  As the children imitate animals, do the chicken dance and crawl under a giant parachute, Alhassan will document whether 30 minutes of structured outdoor play added to the school program encourages preschoolers to be more active through the rest of the day, which can have a powerful effect on their weight and health. The program began on March 10, 2008 and will end on June 8, 2009.  More…

 

Half-Hour Walk Can Reduce Risk Of Cancer And Heart Disease

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/voice-of-scotland/2008/06/26/half-hour-walk-can-reduce-risk-of-cancer-and-heart-disease-86908-20621234/

The Daily Record, June 26, 2008

You don't need to feel pain to feel the gain from a small amount of physical activity in your daily life.  Nor do you need to join a gym to be active.  In fact, simply walking briskly for a total of 30 minutes throughout the course of your day will help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.  And it need not be done all at once, with three 10-minute walks spread throughout the day being just as effective.  Researchers have described walking as the nearest activity to perfect exercise. It is certainly the most natural and probably the most accessible exercise you can do and is suitable for all ages and abilities.  More…

 

Never Too Old For A Wii Bit Of Fun

http://www.burlingtonpost.com/news/article/188148

Burlington Post, June 28, 2008

Edith Nichol clutches the back of a chair with one hand and a Nintendo Wii remote in the other.  She steadies herself and stares intently at the black, flat-panel TV in front of her. With calculated precision she makes a sweeping gesture with the Wii-toting hand towards the screen.  The audience around her erupts in hoots and hollers.  She threw a strike.  Nichol, 89, is just one of many residents at Burlington Gardens retirement home taking up video games.  The retirement home, like others in Burlington, has started to use the simulated golf and bowling games in its weekly activities.  More…

 

Dodgeball Makes Adults Feel Like Kids Again

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/06/28/news/local/doc48670bea310fa667268418.txt

Quad City Times, June 28, 2008

It looked a lot like a rowdy high school gym class — but with, ummmm, a few “older students” on the court.  Let’s just say some of these dodgeball players, jumping and running from a barrage of kickballs hurtling across the court, were old enough to drink a beer or two between dodgeball games if they wanted (and many of them did).  But during those 3-minute matches Saturday in the Daiquiri Factory’s fourth annual Dodgeball Showdown tournament in The District of Rock Island, they were kids again.  “I saw one guy with a T-shirt that said, ‘Gym Class Hero,’ and I thought that was great,” said Neal Howard of Geneseo, Ill., the tournament’s head official.  More…

Staying Young While Growing Older
http://www.telegram.com/article/20080630/NEWS/806300378/1012/RSS01&source=rss
Worcester Telegram, June 30, 2008
Fact: Every hour of every day, 330 Americans turn 60.  Fact: By 2030, one in five Americans will be older than 65.  Fact: The number of people older than 100 doubles every decade.  Fact: As they age, people lose muscle mass and strength, flexibility and bone.  Fact: The resulting frailty leads to a loss of mobility and independence.  The last two facts may sound discouraging. But they can be countered by another. Regular participation in aerobics, strength training, and balance and flexibility exercises can delay and may even prevent a life-limiting loss of physical abilities into one’s 90s and beyond.  This last fact has given rise to a new group of professionals who specialize in what they call “active aging” and an updated series of physical activity recommendations for older adults from the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine. These recommendations are expected to match new federal activity guidelines due in October from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department.  More…

Fitness For Life: Spinning The Way To Better Concentration

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jun/30/fitness-for-life-spinning-the-way-to-better/

Memphis Commercial Appeal, June 29, 2008

Along with weight control and heart health, Fran Shove relies on exercise to help hone his cerebral side.  For him exercise, particularly golf and spinning, is about improving his focus and concentration, as much as it is about keeping his heart and lungs strong.  "The book that got me more interested in mental techniques is 'Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game,'" said Shove, of Lakeland. The father of two describes himself as age 55-plus. He's worked in human resources for several Mid-South companies.  "Zen means 'action with awareness,' being completely in the present moment," he explained. "I contend everyone can be taught to improve their focus and concentration."  More…

 

Cycle Of Life And Health: Road To Fitness Begins With Feet On The Pedals And Eyes On A New Lifestyle

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/jun/30/cycle-of-life-and-health/

Evansville Courier & Press, June 29, 2008

Marion Brandenberger started riding a stationary bike for exercise in 1988, after his doctor told him he had diabetes.  It quickly became more than just exercise when he hit the asphalt with a neighbor over Memorial Day Weekend in 1989.  "As soon as I got back, I went to my wife and said, 'Let's go buy some bicycles,'" recalls Brandenberger.  The exhilaration of watching the landscape roll past, feeling the sun and the wind on his face and sharing it all with his wife, Faye, and cycling friends they made along the way have kept him in the saddle since then.  At nearly 69, Brandenberger is still 150 pounds lighter than he was in 1988, when he stood 5'10" and weighed 390 pounds. His blood pressure is good, his pulse rate is in the low 50s or slower. After years of managing his diabetes without them, he's now taking minimal medication to maintain the proper insulin levels, he says.

 

For Older Adults, Motivation To Stay Active Comes In Many Forms

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/painter/2008-06-29-your-health_N.htm

USA Today, July 1, 2008

Age is no excuse for inactivity — and neither are heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, bad knees or strokes, say folks over age 65 who responded to my recent column (Your Health, June 16) on lack of exercise among most older adults.  While I did hear from a few people daunted by setbacks, ranging from broken hips to heart surgery, most people who wrote were active seniors eager to talk about what keeps them moving:  Bev Stevens, 70, of Charlotte, walks on a treadmill, lifts weights and works out to exercise videos, despite two knee surgeries. She's motivated by her family and the need to manage an irregular heart beat, fragile bones and arthritis. Also, she says: "I have a pair of polyester jean pants that I bought 40 years ago at JC Penney's and I can still wear them. They are my way of keeping myself in check."  More…

 

Want to Burn Calories? Skip the Green Tea and Go for a Run

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/27/AR2008062703040.html

Washington Post, July 1, 2008

This week we will discuss whether there are things you can do to spend more time sitting on your ashcan. That is not the word the late George Carlin would have used. But even in the Health section, where unmentionable things are often displayed in detail, there are rules.  Why bring this up?  Because the fitness, diet and food industries barrage us with claims about methods or products or substances that "boost metabolism" and thus cause the body to use more calories even at rest. Whether it's the new secret-formula "fat burning" supplement, the "miracle" of green tea (or the Coca-Cola company's effort to capitalize on that with a green tea-based soft drink), or even the sometimes exaggerated claims for the metabolism-boosting benefits of exercise, this is the health equivalent of money for nothing -- a free lunch promise that would, if true, liberate us for more time on the Barcalounger.  Don't count on it.  More…

Specia

Adventure Cycling Seeks Award Nominations for 2008 Bicycle Travel Heroes

Awards program honors inspiring 'above and beyond' individuals, groups, businesses, and bike shops

 

The Adventure Cycling Association is seeking nominations for three of their four annual bicycle travel awards that celebrate the heroes of bicycle travel in the U.S. Nominees are sought for the June Curry Trail Angel Award, the Pacesetter Bicycle Travel Award, and the Sam Braxton Bike Shop Award. The fourth, Adventure Cycling's Volunteer of the Year Award, is selected directly by the organization.

 

"Adventure Cycling's national awards program recognizes the 'above and beyond' contributions made by individuals and organizations in America to improve conditions for bicycle travelers," says outreach and education coordinator Becky Douglas. "These awards are celebrated by the bike industry, cycling groups, local communities—and especially by the many thousands of traveling cyclists who benefit from the selfless actions of these award-winners."

 

The June Curry Trail Angel Award ignited Adventure Cycling's awards program in 2003 and is given to individuals who have gone to tremendous lengths to help bicycle travelers. The award is named in honor of June Curry, the famous "Cookie Lady." Thirty-two years ago, June met a group of thirsty cyclists (who were on the Bikecentennial tour) with a hose at the summit of a long hill on which she lives in Afton, Virginia. Since the summer of '76, she has hosted over 11,000 cyclists, sharing food, lodging, and tales on the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail.

 

The Pacesetter Bicycle Travel Award recognizes the efforts of those who, through extraordinary efforts, have contributed to the success of individuals' bicycle travels in the U.S. Their achievements could include mapping new bicycle-touring routes, carrying a rail-trail from conception to completion, or leading a group of kids on a cross-state adventure. The award is named in honor of Charlie Pace of Columbus, Ohio, who has spent over 40 years creating and supporting bicycle travel opportunities. "Charlie was a key promoter of bicycle travel and helped to shepherd the experience into one that hundreds of thousands of Americans now enjoy," Douglas says.

 

The Braxton Bike Shop Award honors a shop that is committed to getting more people excited about bike travel and goes to incredible lengths to achieve just that. As Marci Moore, a member of Adventure Cycling proclaimed in her nomination of last year's winning shop, "Bicycle Outfitters specializes in getting people on bikes for life. These guys are terrific and they have in a way saved our lives. We are healthier and happier. They change lives everyday by helping people at all levels embrace cycling for a lifetime." The award was inspired by its namesake, the Braxton Bike Shop in Missoula, Montana, which for many years lived up to its motto, "An Oasis for the Cycletourist."

 

The Adventure Cycling Volunteer of the Year Award (selected directly by the organization) is Adventure Cycling's way of saying 'thank you' each year to a volunteer who has helped the organization further its goal of inspiring people of all ages to travel by bicycle. Douglas adds, "These special volunteers have donated thousands of hours to help us further our mission. We could not do it without them."

 

Nominations for 2008 awards opened on July 1 will be accepted through September 30, 2008

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