National Physical Activity Plan Alliance/American College of Sports Medicine Attend May 20 Global Summit Comparing Recent U.S. Report Card On Physical Activity of America’s Children and Youth

Newswise — Indianapolis, IN (May 19, 2014) – Peter Katzmarzyk, Ph.D., Chairman of the 2014 Report Card Research Advisory Committee, will be representing the United States at a Global Summit in Toronto, Canada, on Tuesday, May 20, to compare and contrast results of graded research on physical activity among children and youth.

Dr. Katzmarzyk is available for interviews while in Toronto and after he returns, by contacting the media contacts above.

At a Congressional Fitness Caucus briefing in Washington, D.C. on April 29, Russ Pate, Ph.D., Chairman of the National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) Alliance, revealed the first-ever United States Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, in collaboration with its Organizational Partner, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Dr. Katzmarzyk, Associate Executive Director for Population and Public Health Sciences at Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University, also spoke at the briefing.

U.S. Reps. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) and Ron Kind (D-Wis.) kicked off the briefing, which included remarks from representatives of Designed to Move; SHAPE America; Ken Harvey, four-time Pro Bowl Washington Redskins linebacker; and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic gold medalist.

The primary goal of the U.S. Report Card is to assess levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviors in American children and youth, facilitators and barriers for physical activity and related health outcomes.

The key indicators that were evaluated and graded as part of the U.S. Report Card include:1. Overall Physical Activity: D-2. Sedentary Behaviors: D3. Active Transportation: F4. Organized Sport Participation: C-5. Active Play: INCOMPLETE6. Health-Related Fitness: INCOMPLETE7. Family and Peers: INCOMPLETE8. School: C-9. Community and the Built Environment: B-10. Government Strategies and Investments: INCOMPLETE

Data from multiple nationally representative surveys were used to provide a comprehensive evaluation of physical activity for children and youth. The grades for the U.S. Report Card were assigned by the Report Card Research Advisory Committee using the most recent data available with consideration of published scientific literature and reports. The Report Card is the first in a historic series of national physical activity report cards in countries around the world that will be updated annually, providing an unprecedented global benchmark using a common methodology on this pivotal public health.

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For the full U.S. Report Card or a summary edition, please visit: http://www.physicalactivityplan.org About National Physical Activity Plan Alliance:The National Physical Activity Plan Alliance is a coalition of national organizations that have come together to insure the long term success of the National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP). The NPAP is a comprehensive set of policies, programs and initiatives that aim to increase physical activity in all segments of the U.S. population.

About ACSM:The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 50,000 international, national and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. More details at www.acsm.org.

About Designed to Move: Designed to Move (DTM) is a framework for action supported by public, private and civil sector organizations dedicated to ending the epidemic of physical inactivity. To ensure a better future for everyone, we must create early positive experiences for children in sports and physical activity, and integrate physical activity into everyday life. Find out more at www.designedtomove.org.

About SHAPE America:The vision of SHAPE America is "Healthy People – Physically Educated and Physically Active!" Headquartered in Reston, VA, SHAPE America is the largest organization of professionals involved in physical education, physical activity, dance, school health and sport--all specialties related to achieving an active, healthy lifestyle. Its mission is to advance professional practice and promote research related to health and physical education, physical activity, dance and sport by providing its members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources, support and programs to help practitioners improve their skills to further the health and well-being of the American public. Learn more about our history at http://www.shapeamerica.org/about/upload/Alliance_History.pdf

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