The following information through today.
well wishes,
Kate


*****************************************************************
1. The (Australian) Bikeability Toolkit
*****************************************************************
The Bikeability Toolkit now published at:
http://www.travelsmart.gov.au/bikeability/index.html#why
or via http://www.travelsmart.gov.au
Soon to be at the Bicycle Federation of Australia's website:
http://www.bfa.asn.au/default.htm
and the Australian Bicycle Council site.
The toolkit also contains information, and link, concerning the health benefits
of bicycling.

******************************************************************
2. USC PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER NOTES
******************************************************************

****UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER NOTES**** "Promoting
Health through Physical Activity"

From the information contained in this edition of PRC Notes, it is clear to me
that the active living/livable community movement is in full force. New
legislation to support these concepts is being introduced. Web-based resources
are growing. New community initiatives are being implemented. New trainings are
now offered. National conferences now routinely have sessions devoted to these
models. And, new funding streams are becoming available. If you haven't yet
embraced the active living/livable community strategies in either your research
or practice, you're missing a wonderful opportunity. It's time to get on the
bandwagon before you miss the ride!

Steven P. Hooker, PhD, Director Delores Pluto, PhD, Newsletter Editor
(dmpluto@...) http://prevention.sph.sc.edu
****************************************************************** IN THIS ISSUE
- July/August 2005

NEWS YOU CAN USE: International Walk to School Week; Family Health & Fitness Day
USA

RESEARCH NOTES: Evidence Based PA for School Aged Youth; Convergent Validity of
the PAQ for Adults

REPORTS AND GUIDELINES: Fitness and Academic Achievement; Preventing Childhood
Obesity Available from IOM; Obesity Focused Newsletter

ASSESSMENT TOOLS: Community Assessment Tool; Livable Communities Evaluation
Guide

NEW WEBSITES: Active Living Resource Center Website; Active Transportation
Website; IPEN Website

PROMOTING PA: NIH Launches We Can!; Golden Shoes Promote PA

PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES: US Conference of Mayors Adopts Complete Streets;
Trails for Health; Free Land Use Publications and Resources

UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS: Walk21; International Congress on Physical
Activity and Public Health (Save the Date!)

USC PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER UPDATE: Recent Publications

****************************************************************** NEWS YOU CAN
USE

INTERNATIONAL WALK TO SCHOOL WEEK: International Walk to School Week is

October 3-7, 2005 (International Walk to School Day is October 5). Register your
event and find your country's website at http://www.iwalktoschool.org. Go For
Green of Canada has several reports available online for schools and communities
interested in increasing the number of children who walk to school. The site
(http://www.goforgreen.ca/walktoschool/home_e.html) also has posters, brochures
and advice on how to plan your walk to school event.

FAMILY HEALTH AND FITNESS DAY USA: Family Health & Fitness Day USA is September
24, 2005. Events will take place at community sites including hospitals, health
clubs, YMCAs, state & county health departments, park districts, houses of
worship, and schools nationwide. For more information and to learn how to
register, visit www.fitnessday.com/family.

For a list of PA related observances and events, visit the PA links section of
our website at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/PAlinks/index.htm.

RESEARCH NOTES

EVIDENCE BASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR SCHOOL AGED YOUTH: A systematic literature
review of the effects of physical activity on health and behavior outcomes found
that most interventions used supervised moderate to vigorous activity for 30 to
45 minutes for 3 to 5 days per week. The panel of reviewers agreed that school
aged youth should participate daily in 60 minutes or more of moderate to
vigorous PA under ordinary conditions (rather than controlled, experimental
conditions) in order to have a beneficial effect on health and behavior
outcomes. Strong WB, Malina RM, Blimkie CJ, Daniels SR, et al. Evidence Based
Physical Activity for School Aged Youth, The Journal of Pediatrics,
146(6):732-737, 2005

CONVERGENT VALIDITY OF THE PAQ FOR ADULTS: Two studies were conducted to develop
the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adults (PAQ-AD). In Study 1, convenience
sample of 247 college students completed an adult version of the Physical
Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) (the questionnaire was
modified to reflect adult schedules and activities), Activity Rating, Leisure
Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ), Healthy Physical Activity Questionnaire
(HPAQ) and Self-report Physical Activity Recall (SR-PAR). In Study 2, 184
predominantly middle-class, Caucasian adults completed the same questionnaires
from Study 1 and sub groups wore one of three PA measurement devices. PAQ-A
correlates moderately with other measures of PA in adults. The addition of this
measure to the measure for older children and adolescents can be useful to
longitudinal research projects that measure physical activity over a number of
years. Copeland JL, Kowalski KC, Donen RM, Trembley MS. Journal of Physical
Activity and Health, 2(2):216-226, 2005.

For additional summaries of recent research on promoting physically active
lifestyles, visit the Research Updates section of our website at
http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/updates/index.htm.

REPORTS AND GUIDELINES

FITNESS AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: In April 2005, California Dept. of Education
released the results of a study examining the relationship between test scores
and physical fitness. Findings show a strong positive relationship between
physical fitness and academic achievement. The relationship between fitness and
achievement was stronger for females and higher SES students. To view the
report, go to

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/pf/documents/2004pftresults.doc. [CDC PA listserv]

PREVENTING CHILDHOOD OBESITY AVAILABLE FROM IOM: "Preventing Childhood

Obesity - Health in the Balance" is now available from the Institute of Medicine
of the National Academies. This book examines the causes, extent, and
consequences of childhood obesity and provides a prevention-oriented action plan
that identifies the short and long-term interventions. Visit
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11015.html for ordering information.

OBESITY FOCUSED NEWSLETTER: The latest issue of Chronic Disease Notes &

Reports, a publication of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion, focuses on the increasing problem of obesity. Several articles
discuss the need for physical activity promotion and successful initiatives such
as VERB and Active Community Environments. Find the issue online at
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/cdnr.htm#winter2005 Chronic Disease Notes & Reports,
Vol. 17 No. 2 Winter 2005.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT TOOL: The Environmental Nutrition and Activity Community
Tool (ENACT) offers a concrete menu of strategies to improve nutrition and
activity environments on a local level. ENACT can be used to learn more about
best practices and promising approaches to improve nutrition and physical
activity environments and to conduct assessments and select priorities for
changing each of the listed environments. Visit
http://www.preventioninstitute.org/sa/enact/enact/index.htm for full access to
tools, resources, articles and other practical "how to" information for
implementing the ENACT strategies. [Prevention Institute e-Update]

LIVABLE COMMUNITIES EVALUATION GUIDE: AARP's "Livable Communities: An Evaluation
Guide" is now available online. This updated version is designed to help
residents, advocates, and local leaders identify areas of success and potential
opportunities for improvement in their community. Although written from the
perspective of persons age 50 and older, the topics are applicable to residents
of all ages and abilities. Topics discussed include transportation; walkability;
safety and security; shopping; housing; health services; recreation and cultural
activities; and other community services. To read the guide, visit:
http://www.aarp.org/research/housing- mobility/indliving/d18311_communities.html

NEW WEBSITES

ACTIVE LIVING RESOURCE CENTER WEBSITE: The Active Living Resource Center has
announced a new website targeted to groups that want to improve their
communities' pedestrian and bicycling environment. The site provides advice and
resources to help community members plan and fund pedestrian and biking
accommodation projects, Safe Routes programs and much more. Visit the site at
http://www.activelivingresources.org. [Centerlines #124]

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION WEBSITE: Bikes Belong, the League of American Bicyclists,
and Active Living by Design have launched a new website created to encourage
more people to use "active transportation." The site provides information,
tools, resources, and inspiration for people to include bicycling and walking in
their daily routines. Visit the site at: www.activetransportation.org.
[Bikeleague News 6/20/05]

IPEN WEBSITE LAUNCHED: The International Physical Activity and the Environment
Network (IPEN) has launched it's own website. IPEN initiative seeks to
stimulate, inform, and support systematic and rigorous studies of physical
activity and the environment. The site provides details about the network such
as how to join, advice on how to conduct an IPEN study and other resources.
Visit www.ipenproject.org

PROMOTING PA

NIH LAUNCHES WE CAN! To help families adopt healthier lifestyles, NIH launched a
new national public education program targeting parents and caregivers of
children ages 8 to 13. Developed by NHLBI and promoted in collaboration with
several other NIH institutes, national health and youth organizations, and
community-based groups, "We Can!" ("Ways to Enhance Children's Activity &
Nutrition!") provides resources to encourage healthy eating, increase physical
activity, and reduce sedentary time. The program offers a parents' handbook in
Spanish and English as well as a new six-lesson curriculum for parents and
tested curricula for children through community-based sites. A new online
resource provides parents, caregivers, communities, national partners, and media
up-to-date health information and tips on maintaining a healthy weight for
families. For more information, visit http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov/ or call
toll-free 866-35-WE CAN (866-359-3226). [CDC PA Listserv]

GOLDEN SHOES PROMOTE PA: Cambridge Walks, a collaboration among city
departments, businesses, health care organizations, and private citizens to
promote physical activity in Cambridge, MA, has implemented several city-wide
physical activity challenges for all ages. For example, to promote walking,
"golden shoes" are placed throughout neighborhoods and parks. Find a specially
marked shoe and win great prizes! Check out this and other community physical
activity programs at:
http://www.cambridgepublichealth.org/prog_serv/walks/walks_index.html

PROMOTING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES

US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS ADOPTS COMPLETE STREETS: The United States Conference of
Mayors passed a resolution in support of a Complete Streets agenda in June.
Complete Streets is a vision of a "seamless network of on-street bicycling and
walking facilities, trails and transit connecting homes, jobs, schools, shops,
families and friends." For more information about Complete Streets, go to:
http://www.americabikes.org/completestreets.asp [Centerlines #125]

TRAILS FOR HEALTH: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now
offers it's "Trails for Health: Promoting Healthy Lifestyles and Environments"
brochure in English and Spanish for general audiences. A brochure is also
available for health promotion professionals, advocates, and policy makers at
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/trails.htm.

FREE LAND USE PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES: The Local Government Commission offers
several free publications and resources focusing on land use and creating
active, livable communities. Articles, presentations, fact sheets, tips, tools
and case studies are included on their website
http://www.lgc.org/freepub/land_use/index.html.

UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

WALK21: The 6th International Conference on Walking in the 21st Century -
"Everyday Walking Culture" - will take place in Switzerland September 22-23. The
conference will focus on the planned implementation of walking into daily life
by technical, political and structural means. Go to http://www.walk21.ch/ for
more information.

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH - SAVE THE DATE:
The Physical Activity and Health Branch at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention will host the International Congress on Physical Activity and
Public Health on 17-20 April 2006 in Atlanta, GA. This event will commemorate
the 10-year anniversary of the release of the landmark U.S. Surgeon General's
Report on Physical Activity and Health. Key scientific and programmatic advances
in the field in the past 10 years will be emphasized and the direction of future
research and promotion will be highlighted. Abstracts and contributed papers
will be accepted for presentation at the Congress. Stay tuned for more info.

For a more complete list of conferences and workshops, visit the PA links
section of our website at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/PAlinks/index.htm.

USC PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER UPDATE

RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF THE USC PRC: Wilcox S, Sharpe PA, Hutto B, Granner ML.
Psychometric Properties of the Self-Efficacy for Exercise Questionnaire. Journal
of Physical Activity and Health, 2(3):285-297, 2005.

****************************************************************** Writers: Lara
Peck, Delores Pluto

This and past issues of the "University of South Carolina Prevention Research
Center Notes" are available on our website at
http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/Newsletter/index.htm. To submit an item, please
e-mail Delores Pluto at dmpluto@....

To subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, e-mail the Prevention Research
Center at USCPRC@.... When subscribing, please include your name, e-mail
address, title, and organizational affiliation. There is no subscription cost.
If you have an e-mail filter in place that only allows messages from approved
email addresses, please add uscprc@... to your approved list.

For continuing discussions about physical activity, join the Physical Activity
and Public Health On-Line Network listserv. Instructions are located on our
website, at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/Listserv/index.htm.

The USC Prevention Research Center is a member of the CDC Prevention Research
Center's National Network, consisting of 28 Centers in the U.S. For more
information about the PRC National Network, visit http://www.cdc.gov/prc.
****************************************************************** Prevention
Research Center, University of South Carolina 730 Devine Street, Columbia, South
Carolina 29208 803-777-4253

This publication was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number 1-U48-DP-000051
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are
solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the
official views of the CDC.
******************************************************************