Background National plans are increasingly common but infrequently evaluated. The 2010 United States National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) provided strategies to increase population levels of physical activity. This paper describes (i) the initial accomplishments of the NPAP sector teams, and (ii) results from a process evaluation to determine how the sectors operated, their cross-sector collaboration, challenges encountered, and positive experiences. Methods During 2011, a quarterly reporting system was developed to capture sector-level activities. A year-end interview derived more detailed information. Interviews with 12 sector leads were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for common themes. Results The 6 sectors worked on goals from the implementation plan that focused broadly on education, promotion, intervention, policy, collaboration, and evaluation. Through year-end interviews, themes were generated around operations, goal setting, and cross-sector collaboration. Challenges to the NPAP work included lack of funding and time, the need for marketing and promotion, and organizational support. Positive experiences included collaboration, efficiency of work, enhanced community dynamic, and accomplishments toward NPAP goals. Conclusions These initial results on the NPAP sector teams can be used as a baseline assessment for future monitoring. The lessons learned may be useful to other practitioners developing evaluations around state- or national-level plans.
A pedestrian plan is a public document that explains a community's vision and goals for future pedestrian activity. This study explored whether involvement by public health professionals in the development of pedestrian plans was associated with certain characteristics of the plan (vision, goals, identified programs, and evaluation). This study identified, collected, and analyzed content of all pedestrian plans in North Carolina through 2008. Among the 46 plans, 39% reported involvement by public health professionals in their development. Overall, 72% of pedestrian plans included a vision statement; health was mentioned four times and quality of life was mentioned five times. Slightly more than half (52%) of the plans included goals to improve public health. Plans that involved public health professionals more often included the type of physical activity, safety, or education program. Only 22% of all pedestrian plans included a proposal to evaluate their implementation. Plans that included public health professionals were less likely to include an evaluation proposal (11%) compared with those that did not involve public health professionals (21%). Public health professionals are encouraged to seek involvement in the pedestrian planning process, particularly in the areas of health program development, implementation, and evaluation. Keywords pedestrian; physical activity; planning; public health; recreation; walking Physical activity continues to remain suboptimal in the United States, with many youth and adults not meeting the minimum level of physical activity recommended by the 2008 "Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans" (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Based on a systematic review of physical activity studies, the 2002 U.S. Guide to Community Preventive Service recommended the creation of or enhanced access to places for physical activity combined with informational outreach activities (Kahn et al., 2002). In addition, they recommended community-and street-scale urban design and land use policies and practices to promote physical activity (Heath et al., 2006). A transdisciplinary focus is needed to address these recommendations, with a goal of increasing population levels of physical activity (Sallis, 2009).Both planners and public health professionals are interested in walking and bicycling, the former generally from a transportation perspective and the latter typically with a focus on health promotion. Several reviews targeted at addressing the connection between planning and public health discuss that overlap (Lee & Vernez Moudon, 2004;Saelens, Sallis, & Frank, 2003). Common to both disciplines is an interest in changing the built environment, at the community-and street scales, to support increased physical activity. Evidence is accumulating about how infrastructure improvements, land use decisions, programs that aim to manage neighborhood road traffic, and efforts to make streets and sidewalks safer for active travel inf...
Pedestrian and bicycle planning has traditionally been viewed from an urban design perspective, rather than a rural or regional planning perspective. This study examined the prevalence and quality of pedestrian and bicycle plans in North Carolina according to geography, regional planning, and sociodemographics. Plan prevalence was lower, but plan quality tended to be higher, in rural areas compared with urban areas. Correlations between plan prevalence and active commuting were strongest in lower-income rural areas. By engaging in the planning process, rural residents and other stakeholders can support active living.
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