Active Living Programs

Active Living by Design is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and is a part of the UNC School of Public Health in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This program establishes and evaluates innovative approaches to increase physical activity through community design, public policies and communications strategies.

25 community partnerships have been funded to develop, implement and sustain collaboration among a variety of organizations in public health and other disciplines, such as city planning, transportation, architecture, recreation, crime prevention, traffic safety and education, as well as key advocacy groups concentrating on land use, public transit, non-motorized travel, public spaces, parks, trails, and architectural practices that advance physical activity.

Active Living Leadership is a National Initiative supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), developed to support government leaders as they create and promote policies, programs and places that enable active living to improve the health, well-being and vitality of communities.

Coordinated at San Diego State University, Active Living Leadership is a partnership effort of the International City/County Management Association, the Local Government Commission, National Association of Counties, National Conference of State Legislators, National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, and United States Conference of Mayors.

Active Living Research is a $12.5-million national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation® (RWJF).
We support research to identify environmental factors and policies that influence physical activity. Findings from this research will be used to help inform policy, design of the built environment and other factors to promote active living.

Active Living Research is administered by San Diego State University and led by expert staff and advisors.

In healthy communities, walking and bicycling are a normal, routine part of daily life. In these 'active community environments' the community leaders and citizens recognize that providing for active living through community design is a health issue as well as a quality of life issue.

This site tells you how to help create neighbor-hoods and communities where people walk and bicycle. This doesn't just mean sidewalks, bikelanes and trails, though these will certainly be elements of an overall plan.

Creating active community environments means taking a look at the broader scope of where there are and aren't opportunities to walk and bicycle safely, easily, and conveniently.

The National Blueprint: Increasing Physical Activity Among Adults Age 50 and Older was developed as a guide for organizations, associations and agencies to plan strategies to help people age 50 and older increase their physical activity. This plan synthesizes input from more than 60 individuals, representing 47 organizations with expertise in health, medicine, social and behavioral sciences, epidemiology, gerontology/geriatrics, clinical science, public policy, marketing, medical systems, community organization, and environmental issues.

Regular physical activity can bring dramatic health benefits to people of all ages and abilities, according to a substantial body of scientific evidence. Media and medical professionals often tout the benefits of exercise for younger and middle-aged people. But scientific evidence increasingly indicates that physical activity can extend years of active independent life, reduce disability, and improve the quality of life for older persons as well. Although the evidence is clear, it is not yet been translated into national action. That is the aim of this Blueprint.