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June 2008
Previous
Newsletters
From
the Active for Life Program Office
Tips,
Tactics and Tools
In
the News
Upcoming Events
Funding Opportunities
The
Active for Life® E-Newsletter Update is produced
monthly by the Active for Life® National Program
Office at The Texas A&M Health Science Center School
of Rural Public Health. To include information, contact
Brigid McHugh Sanner at brigid@sannerco.com
or call 214-244-4186. This program is funded by a grant
from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation®.
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From
the Active for Life® National Program Office
FirstHealth of the Carolinas
Fit Community Grant
Congratulations to FirstHealth of the Carolinas, an Active
for Life grantee, on receipt of a Fit Community grant
to implement Pinehurst Walks. The project is designed to facilitate
community walkability in the Village of Pinehurst through
greenway enhancements that will encourage walking to and from
an elementary school. The Fit Community initiative is a designation
and grants program that promotes a more holistic approach
to address obesity in North Carolina.
American Fitness IndexTM
Active for Life is one of the many organizations
supporting the American College of Sports Medicine’s
(ACSM) American Fitness Index™, which was launched
at the May ACSM Annual Meeting. The American Fitness Index™
program measures the state of health and fitness in 16 of
America's most populous metropolitan areas.
Enjoy the Warmer Weather
Spring and summer weather afford outdoor opportunities for
activity. For older adults sunglasses are not just a fashion
statement; their lenses block harmful UV rays that, in severe
cases, can cause permanent damage to the eyes in the form
of cataracts, pterygium, and possibly retinal degeneration.
Consumers should buy sunglasses from reputable companies to
ensure that they block both UVA and UVB rays. Other tips for
summer-time safety:
- Wear lightweight, light-colored,
loose clothing that reflects heat and sunlight, and helps
the body maintain normal temperatures.
- Drink plenty of water and other
non-alcoholic fluids. The body needs water to keep cool.
Caffeinated beverages should be minimized in favor of water
and sports drinks. A good test of hydration is to make sure
your urine is always clear in color.
- Don't get too much sun. Always
remember to use sun block (SPF 15 or greater) when outdoors
for prolonged periods of time in the summer months, even
on hazy or cloudy days.
- People at the extremes of age are
most susceptible to heat injury. Check on your elderly neighbors
to make sure that they are staying cool and hydrated.
Tips, Tactics
and Tools
CDC’s Healthy Eating
Index
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control &
Prevention (CDC) presents Healthy Eating Index
(HEI) scores for adults, aged 60 and older. The data, from
the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES),
examines the association between the HEI scores and sex,
age, race and ethnicity, education, smoking status, tooth
retention, self-reported health, and body mass index (BMI).
The report can be downloaded at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad395.pdf.
Quick Health Facts 2008
AARP’s Quick Health Facts 2008: A Compilation
of Selected State Data (http://www.aarp.org/research/reference/statistics/d18971_healthfacts.html)
provides a snapshot of each state’s health care landscape
by providing comparable state-level and national data for
over 30 indicators. Data are presented for each state and
the District of Columbia in regard to demographics, Medicare,
Medicaid, and health insurance coverage. This publication
is adapted from the State Profiles series that was published
annually from 1990 to 2000 and biennially from 2001 to 2005
by the AARP Public Policy Institute.
Consumer Nutrition Information
Eating
Well as You Get Older is the latest topic to be
added to the NIHSeniorHealth Web site. The site is sponsored
by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National
Library of Medicine (NLM), both part of the National Institutes
of Health. It provides practical consumer information on
health and wellness. (http://nihseniorhealth.gov)
In
the News
Physical Activity Reduces
Heart Disease Risk
The risk of heart disease in women associated with being
overweight or obese is reduced but not eliminated by higher
levels of physical activity, according to a report in the
April 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine,
one of the JAMA/Archives journals. (http://archinte.ama-assn.org/)
Tai Chi and Diabetes
A study in the April issue of the British Journal of
Sports Medicine indicates that Tai Chi exercises can
improve the control of type 2 diabetes. Researchers note
that a combination of Tai Chi with medication may provide
even more improvement in both metabolism and immunity of
type 2 diabetes patients. (http://www.bjsm.bmj.com/)
Weight Loss Needed to Reduce
Heart Disease Risk
Even high quantities of physical activity are unlikely to
fully reverse the risk of coronary heart disease in overweight
and obese women without concurrent weight loss, note researchers
reporting in the April 28 issue of Archives of Internal
Medicine. See the article at http://archinte.ama-assn.org/.
Exercise Can Help Reduce
Disability
Healthy seniors who are physically active and exercise for
more than 60 minutes each week can lessen their chances
of disability as they age. These results are from a study
reported in the July issue of the American Journal of
Public Health. (http://www.apha.org).
Older and Happier
Americans grow happier as they grow older, according to
research published in the April issue of the American
Sociological Review. The study also reports that baby
boomers are not as content as other generations, African
Americans are less happy than whites, men are less happy
than women, and happiness can rise and fall between eras.
(http://www2.asanet.org/journals/asr/)
Observances
July is UV Safety Month.
American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.aao.org/eyemd
September is Healthy Aging
Month. Healthy Aging® Campaign. http://www.healthyaging.net.
America on the Move Campaign.
September. America on the Move Foundation. http://www.americaonthemove.org.
National Cholesterol Education
Month. September. National Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute. http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/cholmonth.
Meetings and Conferences
n4a Annual Meeting.
July 20-23, 2008. Nashville, TN. http://www.n4a.org.
World Congress on Physical
Activity and Aging. Tsukuba, Japan. July 26-29,
2008. The University of Tsukuba, in collaboration with
the Japan Ministry of Health and Nutrition; the Foundation
of Fitness Promotion and Exercise Guidance, the Japan
Health Promotion and Fitness Foundation, the Center of
Excellence in Health and Sport Sciences, and the Tsukuba
Advanced Research Alliance will host this important scientific
event. Information will be posted at http://www.isapa2008.org.
CDC National Conference
on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media.
August 12-14, 2008. Atlanta, GA. http://www.cdc.gov/healthmarketing/conference2008.htm.
American Public Health
Association Annual Meeting. October 25-29, 2008.
San Diego, CA. http://www.apha.org.
Gerontological Society
of America Annual Meeting. November 21-25, 2008.
National Harbor, MD.
http://www.agingconference.com.
ICAA Conference.
December 4-6, 2008. San Antonio, TX. http://www.icaa.cc.
National Conference on
Chronic Disease Prevention & Control. February
23-25, 2008. Washington, DC. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/conference/
National Council on Aging-American
Society on Aging Aging in America Conference.
March 15-19, 2008. Las Vegas, NV. http://www.ncoa.org.
Funding
Opportunities
AoA Funding
The Administration on Aging is accepting applications
for projects that further the purposes of Title IV of the
Older Americans Act. The deadline for application is June
30. http://www.aoa.gov/doingbus/fundopp/announcements/2008/OpenSolicitationPA2008Q4.doc
Local Funding Partnership
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is seeking applicants
for its Local Funding Partnerships program. The initiative
is designed to forge relationships between RWJF and local
grantmakers to fund promising, original projects that can
significantly improve the health of vulnerable people in
their communities. The deadline for application is July
8. http://www.rwjf.org
Active Aging/Healthy Communities
The EPA seeks applications for Excellence in Building Healthy
Communities for Active Aging. This award recognizes communities
for their outstanding comprehensive approaches to implementing
principles of smart growth, as well as strategies that support
active aging. This award will be presented to communities
with the best and most inclusive overall approach to implementing
smart growth and active aging on a variety of fronts, at
the neighborhood, tribe, city, county, and/or regional level.
The deadline for application is Sept. 12. (http://www.epa.gov/aging/bhc/awards/)
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