The CDC is going to produce a Surgeon General’s report that is “a call to action on walking.” This will be accompanied by a national campaign for walking. “We want to lend the voice of the Office of the Surgeon General to this particular physical activity,” said Dr. Regina Benjamin. “It’s easy to do, anyone can do it and it’s fun. Learn more about this call to action here. ...
The city of El Paso received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities Program. The funding will support active living and improve community neighborhoods where Latino children with the highest obesity rates live. ...
The city of Los Angeles is working to get people walking again. The year 2012 marked great strides for residents of Los Angeles, who experienced the city's first street-to-plaza conversion, and continental crosswalk. Moreover, the city appointed two pedestrian coordinators, approved a Complete Streets pilot program for parklets or "plazitas," and featured initiatives to help residents discover ways to navigate the city without their cars. ...
From the Huffington Post blog, an article about how the Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act will positively impact not only farms but regular consumers, ...
The YMCA announces that it will create new standards establishing a a minimum amount of physical activity for children of different ages. The standards were developed through collaborations with the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), University of Massachusetts at Boston, the Healthy Out of School Time Coalition (HOST) and the National Institute for Out of School Time (NIOST). Through collaborations such as these, the Y has learned the most effective ways to create healthy environments in out-of-school time ...
Senator Shirley K. Turner (D-Mercer) the Vice Chair of the Education Committee believes that educators should look at recess as something that is part of a curriculum rather than something that takes away time from learning. The Association for Childhood Education International estimates that 40% of US schools have reduced or eliminated recess. This number may be even higher among high-minority, underserved populations. ...
Rep. Stewart Barlow (R-Fruit Heights) says that obesity needs to be tackled not only at an individual level but also at a community level. In order to promote awareness of growing obesity rates in Utah, Rep. Barlow proposed HCR2, which is a resolution to recognize obesity as an important public health issue. Although the resolution does not require any specific actions, it calls on state leaders to take the issue of obesity more seriously. The resolution was received favorably by the House and a Senate committee, and has been placed on the Senate's calender for consent, to be voted on by the full Senate. ...