Fitness is Fun!
November 2007

Greetings from the office of the President's Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program! You have received the November 2007 issue of Fitness is Fun, the official e-mail distribution of the President's Challenge. These monthly e-mails will keep you updated on our programs, activities of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) and other current information pertaining to health and fitness.

Fitness Question of the Month for November:

Which outdoor activities do enjoy most during autumn?

Please respond via E-mail to The President's Challenge at preschal@indiana.edu. We'll include the most insightful responses in the December issue of Fitness is Fun. Be sure to view the responses to October's Fitness Question near the end of this newsletter.

Have you or someone else motivated a group of children or adults to lead a healthier life? Email us your story at Preschal@indiana.edu and it could be featured in next month’s newsletter!

PCPFS NEWS:

PCPFS Physical Activity & Fitness Research Digest
The PCPFS Fitness Research Digest is published quarterly by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The Research Digest began in 1971 by H. Harrison Clark, Ed.D., a research professor of physical education at the University of Oregon. In keeping with H. Harrison Clark’s original intent, the editorial team does its best to identify and produce Digests that are current to the fields of physical activity, fitness, physical education, and sports. To subscribe to the Digest please visit http://www.presidentschallenge.org/misc/news_research/research_digest.aspx.

Announcing the National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit: Creating a Culture of Wellness
We are pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will host the 2007 National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit: Creating a Culture of Wellness. This November 27-29, 2007 event will unite health professionals, business entrepreneurs, and government leaders at all levels who are dedicated to health promotion, chronic disease prevention, health preparedness, birth defects, disabilities, genomics, and wellness.

Please visit http://www.healthierus.gov/ for important updates on this national meeting.

President's Challenge NEWS:

Carolina Turkey and President’s Challenge help encourage exercise among employees
For years Carolina Turkey’s, an international food company, goal has been to produce great products. The Carolina Turkey and The President’s Challenge are out to set another goal; to encourage Carolina Turkey’s 2500 employees and all of their consumers to adopt an active lifestyle. The company believes the program will have a positive impact on its employees and their families, as well as promote their commitment to a healthy lifestyle with their consumers. For more information visit http://carolinaturkey.presidentschallenge.org/.

The National President’s Challenge is coming!
We will be launching a National Challenge in the spring of 2008. This physical activity challenge will help Americans of all ages "Spring into Action" by utilizing the President's Challenge website to track physical activity. Look for more information in upcoming issues of Fitness Is Fun and on the President's Challenge website.

Track your Time Ad Campaign
The President's Challenge recently launched an ad campaign featuring an all new set of characters being physically active. The characters highlight the importance of being physically active and promote the tracking tools on the President's Challenge website. These characters are also highlighted on the 2007-08 President's Challenge poster and in the instruction booklet. The ads can be found on our website at http://www.presidentschallenge.org/misc/news_research/press_room.aspx under Media Downloads. There is also a screensaver version to remind everyone to track their time.

The 2006-2007 State Champions Winners Announced

On October 1, the 2006-2007 State Champion Winners were announced. The President’s Challenge would like to congratulate all of the winning schools. We would like to also thank all other participating schools and hope you will continue your school’s goal of becoming a President’s Challenge state champion school. To view the winners in each state visit http://www.presidentschallenge.org/educators/school_recognition/state_champs_06_07.aspx.

“Get Healthy Kentucky” positively affecting staff and students’ health
The Get Healthy Challenge officially began September 10 throughout the KY Tech school system. The schools’ employees devoted time to better understand the benefits of participating in a health and physical program. The important lessons learned among employees are the awareness of eating healthy foods; exercising and living a healthy lifestyle are easier because of the support by colleagues. The employees participated in activities across the state, including healthy lunches, walks, weight reduction contests and challenges to other principals in a local school district.

School staff began to help students and families adopt a healthy lifestyle by hosting family nights, challenges and health education classes across Kentucky. Floyd County ATC Principal Leville Martin and Health Sciences Instructor Charolette Jarrell partnered with the Floyd County Health Department to plan a Family Night at Dewey Lake Dam. The evening was all about exercise for both children and adults. Activities included walking, swinging, running, climbing, hula-hoop and playing Frisbee.

Montgomery County ATC staff included students in their endeavor to accept the Challenge of living a healthy lifestyle. Each Friday, staff and students go to the track to walk or run a mile. Health Science Instructor Joyce Colliver planned the school’s annual blood drive to coincide with the Get Healthy kick-off. Colliver says, “We encourage all students to actively participate and have been able to talk about healthy snacks during the drive. In my class, we have taken time to become knowledgeable of blood components and how they use the blood.” For updates on the progress of “Get Healthy Kentucky visit http://www.gethealthy.ky.gov/.

Have you or someone else motivated a group of children or adults to lead a healthier life? Email us your story at preschal@indiana.edu. and it could be featured in next month’s newsletter!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Physical Activity Guidelines meeting, December 6-7, 2007
The second Physical Activity Guidelines meeting will be held in the Cohen Building in Washington D.C. You may submit public/oral comments at this meeting. Please check http://www.health.gov/PAguidelines for more information. Meeting information and instructions for submitting comments will be available soon.

The 2007-2008 President’s Challenge Exhibit Schedule
Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD)
St. Charles, IL
November 15-16, 2008
http://www.iahperd.org/

National Catholic Education Association (NCEA)
Indianapolis, IN
March 25-28, 2008
http://www.ncea.org

National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)
Nashville, TN
April 4-8, 2008
http://www.naesp.org

American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD)
Ft. Worth, TX
April 8-12, 2008
http://www.aahperd.org

NEWS AND RESEARCH

Study results indicate exercise improves brain function
Research financed by the National Institutes of Health suggests children who are physically active 20 to 40 minutes a day, may be better able to organize schoolwork, do class projects and learn mathematics than those who are not physically active. Catherine Davis, an associate professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia performed the three month study, consisting of 163 inactive children ages 7 to 11. The children were divided into three groups: a control group that did not engage in physical activity after school; a group that did 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity five days a week after school; and a group that did 40 minutes of specific activities after school.

Findings indicate children in the 40-minute activity group, consisting of activities like relays and jump rope, had significant improvement on an executive-function (skills important for planning and organizing, focusing on school work) test compared with the control group. They increased about 4 points on a cognitive-performance scale. Those in the 20-minute group showed half that improvement. There was a small improvement in math achievement for both exercise groups, but no signs of improvement in reading.

Howell Wechsler, director of the Division of Adolescent and School Health for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, says many children don’t have as many opportunities outside school to be as active as previous generations. He explains, “Today there is so much more competition for their time with all the options to be sedentary, from hundreds of cable stations to video games and computer games. This makes it even more important to have physical education and other opportunities for physical activity at school.” For more information visit http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-10-29-exercise-brains_N.htm?csp=34&POE=click-refer.

Yoga improves students test scores and attitudes
Kindergarten through fifth grade students at Fernbank Elementary in Decatur, Georgia are learning to use deep breathing and basic yoga at their desks to cope with stress and anxiety that may occur before taking tests. Staff is seeing improvements in their students’ attitudes, and test scores after incorporating yoga into their lesson plans. School guidance counselor June Neal said, “We’ve seen an improvement in test scores and test-taking skills because their stress level is decreased after yoga.” They received instructions from YogaKids International, an Indiana-based company that distributes materials to more than 50 schools around the country. For more information visit http://www.yogakids.com/.

FITNESS QUESTION OF THE MONTH

Who inspires you to maintain an Active Lifestyle?

Fitness Question Responses for the Month of October:

Shadow does! He gets me up early in the morning to walk for 30 minutes before work, and gets me out walking for 30 minutes to an hour after dinner. Whether it’s dark, cold, windy or raining, Shadow gets me off the couch and out walking and is responsible for keeping me active.
~Karen

My granddaughter, Taylor, is my inspiration. She has lived with me since she was 3. She is 15 now and I am 57. I have to stay fit to keep up with her, and I want to be healthy enough to take care of her as long as she needs me.
~Jane

My family inspires me, especially my children. I want to be around for them, and to help coach sports for their children when they eventually become parents. I want to be a good example for them on how to get and stay fit. I also am inspired by memories of my high school gym teachers, who talked and promoted fitness, even though at the time I didn't listen very well. Well, I'm listening and acting on that now, and at 46, am in better shape, and am lighter and stronger than when I was in high school. It's never too late to get active.
~Jeff

Mostly myself. I have energy and being active helps me use up the energy. I also want to set a good example for my kids by being active. Obesity is on the rise and I want them to know they can help combat obesity by eating within limits and exercising. I also believe that if you don't do it for yourself, you won't stay with it.
~Carol

My doctor. I found out a few months ago that I had lost 6 ½ percent of the bone in my hip in a year and a half, which is the beginning of osteoporosis. That scared me into making SURE I walk or do some sort of weight-bearing exercise every single day. I was pretty much doing that before, but now, every time I think about skipping a day, I think about the possibility of getting premature fractures and what a crimp that would put in my lifestyle, and that is enough to get me up and moving.
~Nancy

I'd have to say I am inspired by the prospect of a longer life. As a 5 year cancer survivor I need to do what I can to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I joined a weight training class at work four years ago and it lasted about 6 months before everyone else lost interest. I continued to work out by myself and now I lead the class with 3-5 others showing up to work out with me. I worked out alone for more than a year before others started to join and none of the original people stayed with it.
~Russ

My two dogs, Alamo and Willie, inspire me to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They whine outside my backdoor every morning. They want their morning run and will not rest until they get it. We run about 4 miles every morning. I have lost over 40 lbs. since the beginning of the year and consider their "encouragement" to be a big part of my success.
~Brad

REMINDERS:

Remember to fill out State Champion, Model School, and Demonstration Center applications to ensure that your students are rewarded for their hard work! For more information, including application deadlines and guidelines, please visit http://www.presidentschallenge.org/educators/school_recognition.aspx.

SPECIAL THANKS

We would like to extend a special thanks to all of the President's Challenge Advocates. Please visit the Advocates area on the http://www.presidentschallenge.org/ web site to see how companies, organizations and groups are making a difference with the President's Challenge.

FEEDBACK

We would like to hear from you. If you have any topics that you would like to see addressed in Fitness is Fun or any comments regarding this list, please let us know. You can provide them by emailing us at preschal@indiana.edu.

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Fitness is Fun! November 2007

Fitness is Fun!
November 2007