Hairy exercise machines....

3-3-10: I saw this article on our current newsletter for our PA Special Interest Group (SPIG) for the APHA. Since we're a dog family, I just had to post it in here! Another great reason to have dogs as family members. They can literally help save your life!

Summer taking 8-mo old Yorkie Terrier Davy, our newest family member, out for one of his daily 2-mile walks.
My wife Keri and Summer just back from one of Roxy's 3-mile run in the hills of Loma Linda. We got Roxy for a local shelter last March. She's turning 2 this month!
Here's a shot of Roxy and her best girlfriend, Nabi, who is also 2 years old. Nabi is the family dog of some close friends, John and Nanci Choi. We swing by their house and pick Nabi up from their backyard on the way to the hills.

Here's another shot of Roxy and I after our AM mtn. bike ride/run. Roxy gets a nice fast, hard, run in the AM when I mtn. bike, and a more leisurely run with Keri in the afternoon.


NOVEL APPROACHES TO INCREASING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS - GO WALK THE DOG
Libby Richards, MSN, RN, CHES
erichards@purdue.edu


Walking is considered a simple and cost-effective strategy to increase physical activity levels. Interestingly, it is estimated that 40 percent of U.S. households own a dog (Cutt, Knuiman, & Giles-Corti, 2008). Therefore, dog walking may provide a promising option to increasing physical activity at a population level.

A modest number of studies have shown a positive relationship between dog ownership and physical activity behaviors (Coleman, et al., 2008; Serpell, 1991; Yabroff, Troiano, & Berrigan, 2008). Acquiring a dog has been shown to increase the number and duration of recreational walks when compared to people who don't own dogs (Serpell, 1991). Data from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey found that while dog owners were less likely to walk for transportation, they were more likely to walk for leisure and that dog owners walked an average of 19 more minutes per week than non-owners (Yabroff, et al., 2008). Furthermore, Coleman and colleagues (2008) found that dog owners who walked their dog(s) were significantly more likely to meet national recommendations for moderate to vigorous physical activity than non-dog owners and dog owners who did not walk their dog(s).

International studies also show promising results for the effects of dog walking on physical activity. Brown and Rhodes (2006) examined associations between dog ownership and leisure-time walking in Canadian adults and found that dog owners spent more time in mild and moderate physical activity and walked an average of 300 min/week compared to those who did not own dogs who walked an average of 168 min/week. In a 12-month Australian study, Cutt and colleagues (2008) concluded that new dog owners significantly increased their neighborhood recreational walking by 48 min/week compared to a 12 min/week increase for non-owners. To date, most studies are cross-sectional but do show promising results. Interventional studies are under way and include using dogs from the local shelters to encourage community members to get out and be active (University of Missouri-Columbia, 2009).


References

American Council on Exercise. (2010). http://www.acefitness.org/pressroom/psa.aspx.

Brown, S. & Rhodes, R. (2006). Relationships among dog ownership and leisure-time walking in Western Canadian adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 30, 131-136.

Coleman, K., Rosenberg, D., Conway, T., Sallis, J., Saelens, B., Frank, L., & Cain, K. (2008). Physical activity, weight status, and neighborhood characteristics of dog walkers. Preventive Medicine, 47, 309–312.

Cutt, H., Knuiman, M., & Giles-Corti, B. (2008). Does getting a dog increase recreational walking? International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 5, 17.

Serpell, J. (1991). Beneficial effects of pet ownership on some aspects of human health and behaviour. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 84, 717-720.

University of Missouri-Columbia (2009, September 29). A Pet in your life keeps the doctor away. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 5, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­/releases/2009/09/090928172532.htm

Yabroff, K., Troiano, R., & Berrigan, D. (2008). Walking the dog: Is pet ownership associated with physical activity in California? Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 5, 216-228.

US Surgeon General also promotes PA

2-11-10: Here's another federal VIP, our US Surgeon General, giving her vision for a healthy and fit America. Thx to Pam Sampson (Dept of Public Health, County of San Bernardino) for this post.

Information regarding the Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation 2010. For the full 21 pager visit… http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/obesityvision/obesityvision2010.pdf

The Surgeon General, Regina Benjamin, M.D., urges that “child care programs should identify and implement approaches that reflect expert recommendations on physical activity, screen time limitations, good nutrition, and healthy sleep practices,” all of which were key actions at the Healthy Kids, Healthy Future conference in September 2009. Action steps to support the Surgeon General’s goal of standardizing state regulations on physical activity, nutrition and screen time, are being addressed by the HKHF Steering Committee. Through changes in policy, dissemination and implementation of best practices, and continued development of the evidence base in research, the child care environment will become a healthier place for kids to grow and develop.

1st Lady promotes physical activity!

2-10-10: 1st Lady Michelle Obama unveils a new initiative as part of her campaign to fight pediatric obesity: "Let's Move". Check it out and join for updates!

Blast back to B Active!

1-21-10: Blast to the past! Here's our B Active videos and forum...enjoy!

7-26-09: Hot off the iMac! Here's a sneak preview of the video clip introducing the new Be Active Resource Directory for Desert Sierra Region including San Bernardino, Riverside and Inyo Counties. This vid will be played on Thur. at the PA Forum.




7-30-09: DSHN held it's annual physical activity forum today. There were a lot of great speakers and the audience did a LOT of physical activity--this was the least sedentary conf. most of us have attended!

Great job by Pam, Erin, and Brianna, who organized this conf. and working through all the last minute glitches and snafus!

Check out some pixs from this AM. Video clips to follow soon--the activity looks much better in video!



Here's a video clip of the forum yesterday. Couldn't stop the music during the Zumba music, so bear with me...it was edited on Flip's editing software. ;-)

For the "Be Active Resource Directory", go to SB County website and go to the "Things You Can Use" section. Enjoy!

Power of Camaraderie

Excellent article from the "Be Active Your Way" blog I subscribe to!

The Compelling Power of Camaraderie

Posted: 20 Jan 2010 10:42 AM PST

The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans provided the nation with an airtight scientific case for why a person should make exercise a top priority. The case is unchallenged and polls show that the health benefits of exercise are generally acknowledged by an overwhelming majority of Americans. Nevertheless, research suggests that most Americans are not active enough to actually reap the benefits.

We are left, therefore, with one simple, maddening, urgent question:

“How do we compel more Americans to exercise regularly?”

We know there are real barriers to physical activity (injury/illness, unsafe environment, etc.), but other commonly cited barriers, such as “lack of time,” seem too often to simply be the consequence of low prioritization; conscious or subconscious choices to put-off exercise until a theoretical later date.

At IHRSA, one way we’ve attempted to address the question is with our I Lost it at the Club! program, an eight-week motivational weight loss program designed to help individuals keep their New Year’s resolutions and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle year-round. Currently in its 6th year, I Lost it at the Club! is set up as a competition among the participating health clubs. Last year, a total of 4,857 participants lost over 22,100 lbs.

Undoubtedly, much of the program’s success is due to the great passion and spirit of the participating clubs and their communities, but we think a critical component of the program is that it ties people to something bigger than themselves. It fosters camaraderie, holds people accountable to others, and celebrates accomplishments. Moreover, it recognizes that physical activity, like obesity, is contagious, and that social environments play a major role in our levels of physical activity.

The compelling power of camaraderie is certainly not a novel concept, but perhaps it has nevertheless been undervalued or underemphasized in the promotion of physical activity. It seems like the business community is beginning to incorporate the idea into workplace wellness programs, and social gatherings like running clubs have certainly flourished, but we’d like to see it spread deeper into society, embraced by families, friends, religious groups, book clubs, Facebook friends, etc.

We want us all to challenge those around us – the people we care about – to be more physically active.

We know there are several wonderful organizations with programs designed to bring people together for physical activity. We would love to hear from as many of you as possible. What are you doing and how has it worked?

New Year's Day Noon hike!

1-1-2010: Almost 40 people showed up for the noon hike, a first-time event for my annual New Year's Day hikes. A lot more kids and dogs showed up at this one. The temp got into the mid-70's s it was very nice for a hike. Enjoy the pixs!

New Year's Day Sunrise Hike

1-1-2010: Happy New Year! Over 40 people showed up at 5:30 AM at the base of Blue Mountain in Grand Terrace (including the Sheriff--called in by a neighbor reporting "suspicious activity"--but by the time I was done talking with him, he wished he was off duty so he could join us!) for my annual sunrise hike.

The full moon lit our hike up so we didn't need to use flashlights, and the temp was just perfect--no wind, too.

After 2 miles of hiking in the dark, we arrived at the top where we shared some words and did a toast with sparkling cider as the sun rose over the San Jacinto mountains.

Now getting ready for the noon hike! Here are pixs from this AM's hike: