Isanti County active living: measuring change in perception and behavior.

BACKGROUND: In 2003, Isanti County MN received an Active Living by Design grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to increase physical activity through environmental changes. PURPOSE: The goal of the Isanti County Active Living project was to provide leadership in promoting environments that offer choices for active living and increase the physical activity of community members. The project conducted two surveys to examine whether project activities had helped in shaping levels of physical activity and perceptions of the built environment. METHODS: The project conducted a mail survey with a random sample of Isanti County adult residents in February-March 2005 and repeated this survey in August-December 2008, using the same methodology for survey administration. RESULTS: There was a significant increase between 2005 and 2008 in the percentage of Isanti County adults who reported participating in moderate physical activity. In contrast, there was no change in the percentage of Minnesota adults as a whole who reported comparable amounts of moderate physical activity between 2005 and 2007. On measures of the physical environment, there was a significant increase between 2005 and 2008 in the percentage of residents who perceive that their neighborhood encourages physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: The Isanti County Active Living project likely contributed to the increase in moderate physical activity in Isanti County as well as to perceptions of a safe environment conducive to physical activity.

Elevating physical activity as a public health priority: creation of the National Society of Physical Activity Practitioners in Public Health.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity has emerged as a distinct area of public health practice. As this field evolved, the need for a professional organization for physical activity practitioners in public health became evident. A collaboration of several existing public health professional organizations formed to address this new area of public health practice. The collaboration laid the foundation to establish a professional organization. National Association of Physical Activity Practitioners in Public Health (NSPAPPH) was launched in April 2006. NSPAPPH accomplishments to date include convening a national meeting of physical activity practitioners, conducting strategic planning, adopting bylaws and core competencies for professional practice, developing a website and electronic newsletter, and establishing training opportunities for practitioners. CONCLUSIONS: Future plans for NSPAPPH include development of a professional certification for physical activity practitioners in public health; enhancement of training and professional development opportunities; recruitment of members from national, tribal, state, and local organizations working in public and private sectors; publications of journal articles, reports, and issue briefs; and development of a policy agenda. Implementing these plans will serve to strengthen public health infrastructure for physical activity, thus improving the physical activity behaviors of Americans and the health of the nation.