What if free exercise classes were offered in public spaces such as parks, beaches and recreation centers?
When a city government in Brazil tried such a program, it greatly increased physical activity among community members.
A group of health researchers who studied the program believes it could also work in U.S. cities with warm climates.
"This is the first thorough evaluation of a program of its kind and highlights the importance of renewing public spaces and providing physical activity classes," says Ross C. Brownson, Ph.D., senior author of the study and a professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis.
Since 2002, the program, called the Academia de Cidade program (ACP), has enrolled more than 10,000 residents per year and taught 888,000 exercise classes.
The study was a collaboration of Washington University, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Brazil's Health Ministry, the Universidade Federal de São Paulo and other Brazilian partners.
Additionally, researchers evaluated factors related to exposure to one of the exercise sites, such as living near a site, hearing about or seeing the exercise activities and participating in activities.
"Coupled with healthy eating, physical activity can help prevent and control diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, resulting in improved quality of life and health."
Brownson, also a faculty scholar of Washington University's Institute for Public Health and a professor at the School of Medicine, says he hopes local governments in the United States will someday consider similar programs.
Washington University School of Medicine's 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals.
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Posted on January 14, 2009 12:26 AM
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