Blueprint Partners Progress Newsletter: May 2005

In this Issue:

New NIH Senior Health Web Site Feature
AHA and RWJF Offer Obesity Sourcebook
Press Release on Blue Cross and Blue Shield Health Fitness Discounts
Study Shows Middle-Agers are Inactive Due to Fear of Falling
AARP Releases Evaluation Guide on Livable Communities
Women’s Health Survey Highlights the Impact of Physical Activity, Nutrition
National Diabetes Education Program for American Indians and Alaska Natives

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New NIH Senior Health Web Site Feature
A new feature entitled, “Exercise Stories” has been added to the NIH Web site to encourage older adults to start and stick with their own exercise program. The stories feature exercise activities of adults age 60 and older.

NIH is inviting older adults to submit stories of 150 words or less, written in their own words, describing their exercise of choice. A photo of the person exercising must also accompany the story. Blueprint partners can help promote the site by sending this information to local affiliates.
nihseniorhealth.gov

AHA and RWJF Offer Obesity Sourcebook
A new publication on the prevalence of obesity and the factors that contribute to unhealthy eating patterns is available for free from the American Heart Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Order “A Nation at Risk: Obesity in the United States” by contacting the American Heart Association at 800-AHA-USA1 or send e-mail to inquiries@heart.org

Press Release on Blue Cross and Blue Shield Health Fitness Discounts
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is offering a fitness center credit of up to $20 per month for fully insured Medicare supplement members who exercise at least eight days a month at local fitness centers.

Study Shows Middle-Agers are Inactive Due to Fear of Falling
A new study published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciencesshowed that 13 percent of 998 African American adults age 49 to 65 said they were afraid of falling and another 13 percent were so afraid of falling that they curtailed their activity as a result. The people who were less active because of their fear tended to be in poorer health and have worse social, emotional, and physical functioning than adults with no fear of falling.
Medline Plus article:

AARP Releases Evaluation Guide on Livable Communities
The AARP Public Policy Institute has released a research report on livable communities that have affordable and appropriate housing, supportive community services, and adequate mobility options. The guide is based on focus groups’ perceptions of the features that make communities livable.
www.aarp.org

Women’s Health Survey Highlights the Impact of Physical Activity, Nutrition
The “Women’s Health USA 2004” survey has been released by the Health Resources Services Administration. The survey explores the impact of physical activity, nutrition, overweight, and obesity on women’s health.
The report is available in hard copy through the HRSA Information Center:

National Diabetes Education Program for American Indians and Alaska Natives
The Department of Health and Human Services’ National Diabetes Education Program is introducing new materials tailored for American Indians and Alaska Natives. “Take Care of Your Heart: Manage your Diabetes for Future Generations” promotes the message that people with diabetes can reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke if they manage the disease by controlling their blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
The campaign provides tip sheets, posters, and print ads.
www.ndep.nih.gov

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The Blueprint Partners Project is an initiative of the Active Aging Partnership. For more information, contact the Blueprint Partnership Office at the University of Illinois Department of Kinesiology.
Web site: www.agingblueprint.org