Blueprint Partners Progress Newsletter: October 2005

In This Issue

New Diabetes Education Campaign Launched for Adults 60+
ASA Offers Free Resource on Diabetes
First Step to Active Health E-Newsletter Now Available
ACE Study Examined Health Benefits of Hatha Yoga
Study: Poor Expectations about Aging are Associated with Inactivity
WHO Provides Global View on Chronic Disease Impact
Upcoming Events: November-January

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New Diabetes Education Campaign Launched
This month, the National Diabetes Education Program introduced a public awareness campaign called “The Power to Control Diabetes is in Your Hands” to help the 18.3 percent of adults age 60 and over with diabetes to manage the disease. Highlights of the campaign include a community action kit and a brochure. Information stresses the importance of keeping blood glucose close to normal levels and addresses how to access Medicare benefits for disease management.

ASA Offers Free Resource on Diabetes
Diabetes Prevention and Management: Small Steps with Big Rewards is the new resource available online from the American Society on Aging. Designed for professionals serving older adults, this resource contains current national guidelines for diabetes management and physical activity for people with diabetes, suggestions for creating organizational and community-wide partnerships for improving care of elders, and information on evaluating a diabetes education program. Education curricula and handouts are also available.

First Step to Active Health E-Newsletter Now Available
Thera-Band Products is now offering an e-newsletter to provide professionals and consumers with news and research information on physical activity and aging. The First Step to Active Health program is an evidence-based exercise program for older adults, developed by the Hygenic Corporation and several National Blueprint partner organizations. The Active Aging Toolkit was also developed to aid health care providers in educating their patients about physical activity and in providing individualized physical activity prescriptions.

The newsletter is available at:
www.firststeptoactivehealth.com/newsevents/index.htm
To subscribe to the newsletter, visit:
www.firststeptoactivehealth.com

American Council on Exercise Study Examined Health Benefits of Hatha Yoga
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse studied two groups of sedentary women, average age 33, to determine the health benefits and calorie expenditure of Hatha yoga, the beginner-friendly practice. They found that the group of women who participated in 55-minute yoga classes three times per week for eight weeks showed a total body flexibility improvement of 13 percent, and a 17-second increase in their one-legged stand time. Muscular fitness also improved in the yoga group, enabling them to do an average of six more push-ups and 14 more curl-ups. They did not burn many calories, however. In one 50-minute session, participants burned just 144 calories, which is similar to a slow walk.
www.acefitness.org

Study: Poor Expectations about Aging are Associated with Inactivity
Reuters Health reported that study participants aged 65 and older who expected to experience more health-related decline with aging were more likely to report spending less time engaging in physical activity than adults with higher expectations. These low expectations may be a barrier that keeps them from being more active. The University of California at Los Angeles study was published in the October issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

WHO Provides Global View on Chronic Disease Impact
In a new report, “Preventing Chronic Diseases: A Vital Investment,” the World Health Organization provides new projections for the economic impact of chronic diseases in nine countries: Brazil, Canada, China, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United Republic of Tanzania. The report projects that 17 million people die prematurely each year as a result of chronic diseases. An estimated 80 percent of all chronic disease deaths occur in low and middle income countries.
www.who.int

Upcoming Events: November-January
AAFP Conference on Patient Education
American Academy of Family Physicians
Nov. 17-20, 2005; Orlando, FL

GSA Annual Conference
Gerontological Society of America
Nov. 18-22, 2005; Orlando, FL

ICAA Active Aging 2005
International Council on Active Aging
Dec. 1-3, 2005; Orlando, FL

APHA Annual Meeting
American Public Health Association
Dec. 10-14, 2005; Philadelphia, PA

2005 White House Conference on Aging
U.S. Administration on Aging
Dec. 11-14, 2005; Washington, D.C.

Obesity, Lifestyle, and Cardiovascular Disease Symposium
American Heart Association
Jan. 18-20, 2006; Washington, D.C.

SGMA Super Show
Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association International
Jan. 23-26, 2006; Orlando, FL

5th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth
Center for Livable Communities
Jan. 26-28, 2006; Denver, CO

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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 and Community Health.
Web site: www.agingblueprint.org