The benefits of physical activity are well documented and participation in regular physical activity can prevent or reduce the risk of numerous diseases and health conditions. In addition, physical activity has been shown to improve a person’s function and allow him or her to better participate in their chosen life roles. These benefits extend to individuals with functional impairments and movement limitations. In 2008 there were more than 35 million persons in the United States living with a disability in the US. Individuals with mobility challenges often experience difficulties participating in their routine physical activities. They also may experience access problems to typical environments for exercise. Others may be fearful of further injury or have co-morbidities which they perceive as a barrier to activity. These individuals may often require additional education, counseling, and other assistance to overcome barriers and optimally participate in physical activity.

Connecting the Dots: Community Participation

All healthcare professionals need to actively engage patients in conversations about physical activity and its lifelong health benefits. In doing so we need to consider not only their individual needs and capabilities, but also the environment in which they live. But do we provide enough input and advice to our patients to support them in this endeavor? In order to be successful, physical activity needs to be integrated into their lives – where they live, work, learn and play. All healthcare providers should be knowledgeable about and collaborate with the available resources in the local community to meet patients’ needs as they move from rehabilitation to managing their own care.

How well do you know your community resources? Do you know...

• Where your patients can go in the community to be physically active?
• Where there is a gym that is accessible for individuals with mobility complications?
• If there is a local shopping center that opens its doors to ‘mall walkers’ in the morning?
• If there are municipal sites (parks, trails) that might encourage physical activity?
• If your community supports programs such as bike to work, walking school bus, stroller moms group, etc?

Collaborative Leadership: Community Advocacy

As health care providers we can play an essential role in our local communities through leadership and advocacy for a well designed community plan that encourages activity and reduces barriers for people with disabilities. We are well aware that the external environment can significantly help or hinder an individual’s ability to participate in all of life’s roles, and this holds true for participation in physical activity.

How can organizations collaboratively address the crisis of inactivity for those with movement or other challenges?

Work sites are important partners in promoting physical activity with their employees.   Healthcare costs can be reduced by having physically active employees.  Many organizations recognize that healthcare costs can be reduced by promoting physical activity but lack the tools to do so.  The release of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and related information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site provides an opportunity to promote physical activity together with information about physical activity and the management of chronic diseases. Additionally, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommends worksite programs to improve diet and/or physical activity behaviors based on strong evidence of their effectiveness for reducing weight among employees. We would like to share several CDC resources for the workplace.

Business Case for Physical Activity

A toolkit will be available that will build on the most effective materials and practices for promoting opportunities for physical activity in the work place. At the same time, the toolkit will include information about the new Physical Activity Guidelines as a key part of promoting increased activity. While the toolkit may be shared directly with business groups, this resource will be particularly useful to nutrition and physical activity promotion state and local community programs, as well as other chronic disease state programs. Look for announcements about this new resource on this blog and on the CDC DNPAO listserv later this year.

Lean Works

As a Web-based resource, Lean Works!, offers interactive tools and evidence-based resources to design effective worksite obesity prevention programs. The site includes an obesity cost calculator to estimate how much obesity is costing a company and how much the company could save by using different workplace interventions. The site also includes a step by step approach for organizations to develop such interventions: Why, Plan, Build, Promote, and Assess.

CDC’s Healthier Worksite Initiative (HWI)

The Healthier Worksite Initiative is guided by an advisory committee made up of representatives from many CDC centers and locations. HWI has worked on improving stairs, the cafeteria, and walking trails, implemented fitness discounts, and modified policies for healthier foods at CDC-sponsored meetings and events. This Web site is comprised of lessons learned from these

CDC activities for program design.

There is also a wealth of new policies and steps for implementing similar programs in work sites. For example, one policy section contains specific policies that impact healthy promotion at federal workplaces, including laws, regulations, and rules to promote voluntary and legally binding behavior. The Web site includes many toolkits available from other programs: general workforce health promotion, nutritious eating, physical activity, preventive health screenings, and healthy choices.  There is also guidance on how to use and adapt the toolkits.

Chronic Disease web portal

The CDC Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) will soon have a Web portal providing links to all of the CDC Chronic Disease prevention work site toolkits and resources. Look for this resource later in 2010. 

Does anyone have an example of an effective promotion of the Physical Activity Guidelines by a business or at a worksite? If so, we are interested in hearing about it and might be interested in featuring it in one of the worksite toolkits or Web sites.

This week, we introduce New York City’s Active Design Guidelines, and share a popular press description of research on sedentary behavior:

·        NY releases design guidelines to aid fitness  (Source:  Boston Globe) New York City recently unveiled Active Design Guidelines to increase physical activity in and around public buildings.  View the guidelines here:  http://www.nyc.gov/html/ddc/html/design/active_design.shtml

·        Your health:  Too much sitting puts the body on idle   (Source:  USA Today) Recent research out of Australia has led to a surge in media attention regarding the health effects of prolonged sitting (particularly in front of the television). View the original publication here:  http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/121/3/384?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=sedentary&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=date&resourcetype=HWCIT

What are your thoughts on NYC’s new guidelines – breadth, transferability, and public/private buy-in?  Share your comments and spark a discussion.