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Run Around Town:Federal Initiative

Hillary DeLong – Fall 2011

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Why We Run1. Low barrier of entry– No expensive equipment required;– Can be done anywhere;– Solo or group activity;– Set own pace.

2. Transferable skill-set– Physical skills transfer to other athletic endeavors;– Mental skills transfer to academic, social, and

athletic settings.

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Running the Numbers

• 1/3 of American children are overweight or obese.• Nearly 40% of children in African-American and Hispanic

communities are overweight or obese.• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

recommends that young people aged 6–17 years participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily.

• The National Association of Sports and Physical Education recommends 150 min/week of physical education and 20 min/day of recess to maintain healthy activity levels.

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• The majority of students participating in after-school based running programs require financial assistance.

• Only six states — Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Illinois and Iowa — adhere to standards from the National Association of Sports and Physical Education that schoolchildren participate in 150 minutes a week of physical education.

• Almost half of states (24) have no established physical education policies.

• Less than 1 in 5 school districts required daily recess (most less than the recommended 20 minutes per day) and approximately 2 in 3 school districts had no recess policy at all.

Running Low

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A Running Start

• Running programs promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being, as well as character development.

• Participants gain:– Stronger sense of identity;– Greater self-acceptance;– Healthier body image;– Heightened understanding of teamwork.

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Sample Program Rundown• 12-week program, 24 sessions• Two age groups:

– Girls on the Run -- 3rd-5th graders– Girls on Track -- 6th-8th graders

• Program Focus: teamwork, community, and self-understanding.

• GOTR programs are currently in 45 states. • Program goal: Completion of a 5k non-competitive running event• Program objective: Reduce potential display of at-risk activities

among participants, including:– Adolescent pregnancies and eating disorders;– Depression and suicide attempts;– Substance/alcohol abuse problems; – Confrontations with the juvenile justice system.

• Cost: $150/participant – Sliding income-based scale; scholarships can defray these costs

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Janay, 9yo

Mindy, 11yo

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Running Tally

• Programs include educational, motivational, and physical skill development.

• Programs promote teamwork and camaraderie among students of different backgrounds/schools.

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Hit the Ground Running

• Several programs/organizations exist to address childhood obesity in the public and private sectors:– The Partnership for a Healthier America– Robert Wood Johnson Foundation– Let’s Move!– President's Challenge Physical Activity, Nutrition and

Fitness Awards Program– U.S. Dept. of Education’s Carol M. White Physical

Education Program

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Proposal

• Encourage the inclusion of long-term, youth-based running programs within the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations for the expansion and improvement of the Presidential Fitness Program to include long-term running requirements.

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Potential Proponents• Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States• Cory A. Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey• Senator Bill Frist (R), Honorary Vice Chair, Partnership for a

Healthier America• U.S. Department of Education• Institute of Medicine• Russell Pate, Fitness Measures and Health Outcomes in Youth

Committee Chair, Institute of Medicine• Public Health Law & Policy • National Association for Sport and Physical Education

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Resources• CDC: www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/index.html• "Childhood Obesity: Most U.S. Schools Don’t Require P.E. Class or Recess" -

Bonnie Rochman, Time Magazine, December 7, 2011• Girls on the Run: www.Girlsontherun.org• Let’s Move: http://www.letsmove.gov/• Partnership for a Healthier America: www.ahealthieramerica.org/• President’s Challenge: www.presidentschallenge.org• "Preventing Diseases Through Physical Activity" Talking Points - The Council

of State Governments• "Trends and Policy Solutions in Youth Obesity" Tool Kit - The Council of State

Governments• U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services: www.hhs.gov