NCPPA member, Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) recently released a new report that highlights a variety of evidence-based disease prevention programs that have shown results for improving health and reducing costs in communities. The Compendium of Proven Community-Based Prevention Programs report includes a summary and examples from an extensive literature review that NYAM conducted of peer reviewed studies evaluating the effectiveness of community-based disease prevention programs designed to (among others) increase physical activity, reduce tobacco use, and/or improve eating habits. "Heart disease, stroke, and diabetes account for 36.6 percent of ...

Last week, Senators John McCain (Ariz.) and Tom Coburn (Okla.) put forth two amendments to the FY10 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill and fortunately, both were defeated. These amendments were heavily opposed by physical activity advocates, for if passed, they would have effectively eliminated the majority of federal funds for trails, walking and bicycling. Amendment 2370 would have prohibited the use of federal funds for pedestrian or bicycle facilities, as well as other specified Transportation Enhancement (TE) projects if the Highway Trust Fund could not cover unfunded highway authorizations. Many, many trails and bike/ped facilities have been funded ...

The National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (NCPPA) is seeking a Washington, DC based consultant with experience and established relationships in the health promotion/physical activity arena and ability to serve as the leader for the implementation phase of the nation’s first National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP). The initial area of emphasis will be on fundraising and marketing to include seeking grants from charitable foundations, corporations, etc. to enhance our organizational capability to move the National Plan forward.

One of the primary focus areas of work will be on the development and implementation of a formalized, integrated, results-driven fundraising strategy ...

NCPPA is excited and proud to announce the rebirth of www.ncppa.org! The Coalition’s website has been totally redesigned with the viewer in mind! Users should find it easy to navigate around and find exactly what you are looking for. The Resources and Reports pages are like a virtual library of physical activity information…you will a find a veritable plethora of fact sheets, reports, tools, etc. Please visit the events calendar and try out our easy to use entry form to add new events. And don’t forget to “grab” the Physical Activity Fast Facts widget for use on your own pages! ...

Senator Mark Udall (D-CO)  is planning to introduce an amendment to the health reform bill that would promote physical activity, healthy eating, and childhood obesity prevention in a very important setting – the early childcare environment.  The amendment would establish a three year CDC pilot program that would provide grants to five state health departments (or other childcare licensing entities within the State) to provide or contract to provide training to staff at childcare centers and family childcare homes.  The training would focus on physical activity and healthy eating policies and practices that could be implemented in child care settings.  ...

INDIANAPOLIS – Although proper nutrition alone can lead to weight loss, it doesn’t necessarily equal true health or fitness, says a new study in the January issue of the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Enette Larson-Meyer, Ph.D., R.D., FACSM, directed 36 overweight (not obese) adults to participate in one of three programs during a six-month intervention: diet alone, diet plus exercise, or a weight-maintenance program (control group). The diet-only and weight maintenance groups were instructed not to change their physical ...

NCPPA is very  pleased to introduce  the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM),as its newest leadership level member.  Since 1987, the Academy has been a global leader in providing evidence-based certifications and advanced credentials to health and fitness professionals.  In addition to its NCCA-accredited fitness Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certification, NASM offers a progressive career track with access to Advanced Specializations, Continuing Education courses, and accredited Bachelor and Master Degree programs. The NASM educational continuum is designed to help today’s health and fitness professional enhance their career while empowering their clients to live healthier lives.

The Academy became interested ...

NCPPA is pleased and honored to have been asked to serve as a contributing blogger on the Department of Health and Human Services Physical Activity Guidelines blog, Be Active My Way. The purpose of the blog is to stimulate dialog among professionals who work on Physical Activity promotion about how they can encourage Americans to get the physical activity they need based on the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Our first post is was featured on the blog the week of January 12th, 2010.  The post discussed the implementation of the National Plan. Please take a moment to visit the ...

It has become increasingly difficult to keep track of the various options under consideration for proceeding with health care reform since the MA special election this week.  As the Trust for America's health reported in their Daily Digest, it is tough to predict whether there will there be a Senate bill plus reconciliation; reconciliation only; separate smaller bills; a scaled down package or something yet to be determined...or nothing at all.  The real key for physical activity advocates is to continue to communicate to Congress that "REAL HEALTH REFORM STARTS WITH PREVENTION".  The Trust For America's Health, Executive Director, Jeff ...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced awards of more than $372 million to 44 communities, to support public health efforts to reduce obesity and smoking, increase physical activity and improve nutrition.

The awards are part of the HHS Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) initiative, a comprehensive prevention and wellness initiative funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

"This is an unprecedented level of commitment to prevention," said First Lady Michelle Obama.  “Investing in local communities will build a healthier America, and we aim to reach more than 50 ...

Here’s an opportunity to energize your organization and your community!  Share the excitement of a national initiative to get America healthy and active.  On May 3, 2010, the Nation's first National Physical Activity Plan will kick off with a signature launch event in Washington, D.C. States, cities, towns, companies, departments, schools, hospitals—organizations of all sorts—are invited to join in by letting lawmakers, the media and the public know about this important Plan.

What can we do?
Local officials are the key to making the changes that can help ensure opportunities for all Americans to be more active. We’ll ...

First-ever attempt for health plan to reimburse for prevention reflects spirit of new health reform law

Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Al Franken (D-MN) today welcomed the news that UnitedHealth Group will partner with YMCA of the USA to reimburse participants in the Diabetes Prevention Program, a 16 session, group-based lifestyle intervention for individuals at high-risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.  The effort is modeled on the Diabetes Prevention Act, a version of which was included in the health reform bill recently signed into law.  Today’s announcement is the first time in the U.S. that ...

(May 3, 2010) The National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (NCPPA) is part of a broad coalition of experts to support the Nation's first Physical Activity Plan, a sweeping initiative to improve public health. The Plan officially launched this morning in an effort to motivate people in every community to become and stay physically active, and to remove the barriers that may stand in their way. Supported by a wide range of public policy recommendations, the Plan is the product of a 10-month, public/private collaboration of experts in diverse fields.

Experts involved with the ...

Joe Moore, the President and CEO of the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IRHSA) is featured as a guest blogger on the Washington Post's On Leadership blog.  The title of his entry is Health leadership: Be a mountain-climbing CEO and in it he discusses the value that physically active employees bring to a company and the importance of their leaders seving as role models for such.  IHRSA, an NCPPA lead organization member, is  working with fellow NCPPA members, the American Heart Association and the American Council on Exercise to provide the leadership for the Implementation team of ...

The recently released 2010 Shape of the Nation Report: Status of Physical Education in the USA by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and the American Heart Association (AHA), shows that while the majority of states mandate physical education, there are two significant inadequacies relative to time requirements and exemptions/waivers. Given the recent increased attention on childhood obesity prevention initiatives, legislators and school policy-makers can and should be part of the solution by correcting these inadequacies in physical education policies.

The report, which surveyed physical education coordinators in all 50 state education agencies and ...

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today released new data from the Federal Highway Administration’s 2009 National Household Travel Survey which shows that both bicycling and walking trips have increased by 25 percent since 2001. The FHWA funded Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center included this data in The National Bicycling and Walking Study: A 15-Year Status Report. The report details trends and changes in bicycling and walking since 1994.

“This report demonstrates what we’ve been saying here at the Department,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Americans want and need safe alternatives to driving. And by making biking and ...

The following post is by guest blogger Helen Durkin, JD. Helen is the Executive Vice President of Public Policy for the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA)—a not-for-profit trade association representing health and fitness facilities, gyms, spas, sports clubs, and suppliers worldwide. She joined IHRSA in 1989 and developed the health club industry’s first government relations and legal service programs. She has served as the association’s director of public policy since 1999. In this leadership capacity, Durkin has succeeded in aligning IHRSA with the national effort to improve America’s health through healthy lifestyle choices and in promoting public policy that recognizes ...

American adults take fewer daily steps than their counterparts in Switzerland, Australia and Japan, according to research published in the Oct. 2010 Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine. While adults in western Australia, Japan and Switzerland averaged 9,695, 7,168 and 9,650 daily steps, respectively, this new study found that U.S. adults lag far behind, averaging just 5,117 steps per day.

The study, titled "Pedometer-Measured Physical Activity and Health Behaviors in U.S. Adults," gathered step data from 1,136 U.S. adults who varied in age, gender and geographic location. Researchers ...

 This year’s attention to nationwide health care reform has cemented the health and fitness industry’s emphasis on the need for proper accreditation and certification, according to an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) survey of fitness trends published in the November/December issue of ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal^®. The growing demand for educated and experienced fitness professionals claimed the top spot in the survey for the fourth consecutive year.

“As the market in this sluggish economy becomes even more crowded and competitive, the need for regulation, either from within the industry or from external sources, is growing,” said the ...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services invites you to be part of the launch of Healthy People 2020. The event will take place on December 2, 2010 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.  Please attend either in person or participate via Web streaming.

In setting the country's health promotion and disease prevention agenda for the past three decades, Healthy People has articulated overarching goals and tracked movement toward established targets. As we prepare for the next decade, the initiative aims to unify the national dialogue about health, motivate action, and encourage new directions in health promotion, providing ...

Running is one of the most popular and affordable forms of exercise to get and keep people fit and healthy.  Running with a group can also be a positive social experience. Running can generate significant economic impact dollars for communities that host events and support the running community.  Pedestrian networks that include sidewalks, trails, paths, and share lanes often increase property values and overall quality of living in a community. While runners do not require a lot of expensive equipment, there are several ways that local communities can invest to ensure that running is safe, affordable, accessible, and enjoyable for ...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today unveiled Healthy People 2020, the nation’s new 10-year goals and objectives for health promotion and disease prevention, and “myHealthyPeople,” a new challenge for technology application developers. 

For the past 30 years, Healthy People has been committed to improving the quality of our Nation’s health by producing a framework for public health prevention priorities and actions.

“The launch of Healthy People 2020 comes at a critical time,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.  “Our challenge and opportunity is to avoid preventable diseases from occurring in the ...

ACSM Journal Article Probes Relationship Between Childhood Obesity, Physical Activity

INDIANAPOLIS -- Scientists may have discovered a new trend in childhood obesity, according to research published this month in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise_®, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine. In comparing physical activity levels among American children, researchers discovered that the most overweight and obese ethnic groups are some of the most active. This work adds to a growing understanding of ...

Physical Activity repeats as a topic area for Healthy People 2020.  This is the first release of HP since the 2008 introduction of the nation’s first  Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PAG). The Physical Activity objectives for Healthy People 2020 reflect the strong state of the science supporting the health benefits of regular physical activity among youth and adults, as identified in the PAG. Regular physical activity includes participation in moderate and vigorous physical activities and muscle-strengthening activities.

More than 80 percent of adults do not meet the guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. Similarly, more ...

Incidence Of Youth Sports Injuries Spotlights The Need For Improved Health

New Concussion Study News Is Released Today

DALLAS, December 7, 2010 – With the support of 40 sports and health organizations, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) today presented a 2010 report card on the youth sports safety crisis. Today’s event at the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C., was a follow-up to NATA’s first summit earlier this year where it created the Youth Sports Safety Alliance to encourage legislation and action regarding medical care, equipment safety and increased research into making ...

Concussions in High School Sports: Study Reveals Symptom Differences in Male and Female Athletes

DALLAS, December 7, 2010 – According to “Sex Differences in Concussion Symptoms of High School Athletes,” a new study to be published in the January 2011 issue of the Journal of Athletic Training, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s scientific publication, male and female high school athletes present different types of symptoms after experiencing a sport-related concussion. While males report more cognitive symptoms, females report more neurobehavioral and physical symptoms. Even with these symptomatic differences, the time needed for recuperation before returning to play did ...