Getting Americans Moving
Since World War II, physical activity has been systematically engineered out of Americans' lives, with a dramatic, corresponding increase in obesity-related deaths. The communities where we live, work and play have been beset by sprawl, with development focused on accommodating cars rather than pedestrians or cyclists. In one effort to begin to look for solutions, the Foundation launched a $12.5-million program called Active Living Policy and Environmental Studies (ALPES). ALPES, which awarded its first round of grants in 2002, is funding research to examine how policy and environmental factors affect physical activity levels. Funded projects range from developing and validating an “e-diary” system for measuring physical activity to determining which characteristics of public recreational spaces promote the most use and activity. Findings will inform environmental and policy changes to promote active living among all Americans.

The Foundation’s $16.5-million Active Living by Design initiative will put that research and theory into practical use when it awards five-year grants of up to $200,000 each to 25 community-based partnerships to plan, develop and implement strategies that will make it easier for people to be physically active in their communities. The first grantees will be named in 2003.

Getting Older Americans Moving
When local leaders in Madison, Wis., went for a walk through the city’s downtown streets in September 2002, the numerous roadblocks in the way of pedestrians and cyclists surprised them. Volunteers in Richmond, Va., learned similar lessons in the heat of last summer while scouring 150 blocks of the city’s East End to conduct an environmental assessment of its “walkability” and “bikeability.” Both activities represented the launch of an RWJF partnership with AARP that is part of the Foundation’s Active for Life initiative. The Madison and Richmond pilot projects are designed to use communications, advocacy and community-based interventions to increase physical activity among adults 50 and older. These adults are the least likely to be physically active, and yet can reap significant benefits from incorporating physical activity into their daily lives—from reducing their risk of certain chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, to improving their quality of life by making them feel more energetic and involved. Active for Life also tests the effectiveness of model interventions to improve physical activity among older adults. The program has authorized nine four-year grants totaling $8.7 million to community-based organizations that have experience working with adults age 50 and over. The projects begin in 2003.