Active Living Research News
ALR Conference
Register now and save!
Register by December 19th to receive the early bird registration discount to the 2017 Active Living Research Annual Conference. The conference is February 26 – March 1, 2017 in Clearwater Beach, Florida. The theme, Active Living Across the Life Span, will be brought to life by keynote speaker Jana Lynott of AARP’s Public Policy Institute, two dynamic panels, 11 learning workshops, 75 oral presentations and 150 posters. The agenda also features extended physical activity breaks and many opportunities to network. Register now for another energizing ALR conference!
Active Transport is Key to Healthier Cities
Lancet Series on urban design, transport, and health
A 3-part series in The Lancet explores how integrated multi-sector city planning, including urban design and transport planning, can be used as an important and currently underused force for health and well-being within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals in high-, middle-, and low-income countries. ALR program director Jim Sallis was a co-author in the Series.
Safe Routes to Parks
New action framework for practitioners
Ensuring safe access to public parks is key to improving health outcomes in America, but not all communities are equipped with the resources needed to provide safe access to parks, such as investing in new sidewalks and crosswalks with personal safety improvements. A new Safe Routes to Parks Action Framework developed by the National Recreation and Park Association in collaboration with the Safe Routes to School National Partnership provides evidence- and practice-based guidance to help local park and recreation agencies implement policies and practices that create safe and equitable access to parks for all people.
Increasing Youth Sports Participation
New research on how fee waivers can boost participation
Registration fees can impact the ability of low-income youth to participate in public sports programs. A new research paper by ALR grantee Marc Berk evaluated the impact of a facilitated registration fee waiver program on program participation. The paper reports that the number of waiver applications increased 1200 percent across the program, and in schools with high concentrations of low-income students, sports program enrollment increased by 78 percent.
Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
Improving activity for nation’s youth
The National Physical Activity Plan Alliance has released the 2016 United States Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth indicating that only 21% of American children are meeting current Physical Activity guidelines. The report card discusses how the U.S. is performing on 10 key indicators and what can be done to improve these outcomes in the future.
International Conference on Transport and Health
Accepting abstracts for presentation
The Call for Abstracts for the International Conference on Transport and Health is open until January 22, 2017. The 2017 conference will be held June 27-29, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Abstracts on the conference theme, Changing Perspectives: Health Impacts of Urban and Transport Related Exposures, are encouraged for submission.
