NCHPAD NEWS & PRODUCTS

Be good to your heart, and strive to achieve your fitness goals in February! MyNCHPAD provides tools for your ongoing physical activity progress (http://www.ncpad.org/myncpad/).

These include:

• E-Valuators: surveys that help to assess your barriers to physical activity and current levels of physical activity.
• E-Steps: to help you track your daily activity. The NCHPAD pedometer factsheet (http://www.ncpad.org/368/2062/What~is~a~Pedometer~and~How~Can~I~Benefit~from~
  Using~One~) provides essential information on using a pedometer.
• E-Calculators: determine your BMI (Body Mass Index) or target heart rate.
• E-Logbook: to track your goals and improvements.
• E-Forums: an opportunity to share your progress with other MyNCHPAD users.

In anticipation of the upcoming camp season, please review the NCHPAD Camp Resources factsheet (http://www.ncpad.org/78/597/Camp~Resources) to locate a camp in your area and Discover Camp (http://www.ncpad.org/get/discover/index.html) to answer questions of what to expect at a camp for individuals with disabilities.

OTHER NEWS

• Inclusive Fitness Coalition (IFC): The IFC, a partnership initiative between NCHPAD and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), was launched with powerful momentum before a capacity crowd at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on January 24th. Coalition efforts will be focused on addressing policy, environmental, and societal issues associated with the lack of access to physical activity among people with disabilities, and are based on the U.S. Surgeon General's First Call to Action on the Health and Wellness of People with Disabilities (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/disabilities/calltoaction). To learn more, visit www.incfit.org.
• Release of IOM Workshop Summary on Adequacy of Evidence for Physical Activity: Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and a joint project of the Institute of Medicine's Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice and its Food and Nutrition Board, "Adequacy of Evidence for Physical Activity Guidelines Development" was publicly released on January 25, 2007. A copy of the summary is available for download at no charge from the National Academies Press website (www.nap.edu, search on "physical activity"). Included is the available evidence related to physical activity and the general population, as well as special population subgroups including children and adolescents, pregnant and postpartum women, older adults, and persons with disabilities. Contact Geraldine Kennedo at gkennedo@nas.edu with questions.
• ICAA Physical Activity Tools for Older Adults: ICAA Information for the older adult on becoming more active in 2007. Links include topics on questions to ask your doctor, an age-friendly fitness checklist, a personal trainer checklist, and health tips, such as a variety of self-assessment tools. Go to http://www.icaa.cc/welcomeback.htm, http://www.icaa.cc.
• Health-Related Information and Resources for Persons with Down Syndrome: http://www.k12academics.com/downsyndrome.htm.
• Mental Acuity Linked to Physical Fitness: Physical fitness is linked to mental acuity in older age (I.J. Deary, L.J. Whalley, G.D. Batty, and J.M. Starr. (2006). Physical fitness and lifetime cognitive change. Neurology, 67, 1195). Read more at http://www.alzinfo.org/newsarticle/anmviewer.asp?a=172&z=1.
• Exercise Your Ability: Exercise Your Ability, 2nd edition, by the New York City Sports Commission, provides information on a variety of adapted sports and recreational programs throughout the U.S. Go to http://www.nyc.gov/html/sports/html/eya2-pr.html for information.
• Obesity Awareness and Prevention Program for Children: Rollie Robin is an obesity awareness and prevention program designed to encourage physical activities and healthy food choices among children in preschool to 3rd grade at www.rollierobin.com.
• ADA Basics Course: Visit http://www.adabasics.org to register for a 12-topic Americans with Disabilities Act Basics Course. This is a free course. CEU's are available for a fee.

MONTHLY NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES

• February is American Heart Month. Go to www.americanheart.org, www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth (T: 301-592-8573), www.womansheartday.org (T: 301-718-8033) for more information on the prevention of heart disease and stroke. Also, see NCPAD's factsheet on congestive heart failure (http://www.ncpad.org/349/2029/Congestive~Heart~Failure=),
• Congenital Heart Awareness Week was celebrated February 7-14. Go to www.tchin.org/aware for more information, or call T: 215-627-4034.
• National Eating Disorders Awareness Week will be observed February 25-March 3. Go to www.nationaleatingdisorders.org, or call 800-931-2239.