verbALL : Inclusive Physical Activity for Tweens

1. verbALL: Inclusive Physical Activity for Tweens Midwest Symposium on Therapeutic Recreation and Adapted Physical Activity April 22, 2007

2. Presenters:Illinois State University • Sandra Klitzing • Brooke Fanning • Michelle Mohler • Jamie Petteys

3. Overview • National Health Agenda • Health Statistics • Programs for Youth with Disabilities • Verb • Design verbALL activities • Closing • Play Every Day

4. National Health Agenda • U.S. Public Health Service focus was on national health • 1979: Healthy People: The Surgeon General’s Report on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention • Goal = make US nation of healthy people by 1990

5. National Health Agenda • 1990: Healthy People 2000 • Strategy to increase health by end of century • Did not have a chapter specifically establishing health objectives for people with disabilities • Some objectives in the document did target people with disabilities • A review showed none of these objectives were met

6. National Health Agenda • 2000: Healthy People 2010 • Although limited data, discrepancies between people with and without disabilities noted • Excess weight • Reduced physical activity • Increased stress • Changing models increased awareness that people with disabilities can be healthy

7. National Health Agenda • Healthy People 2010 • Goal: Promote the health of people with disabilities, prevent secondary conditions, and eliminate disparities between people with and without disabilities in the U.S. population.

8. National Health Agenda • Healthy People 2010 • Specific chapter that focuses on disability and secondary conditions • Reduce proportion of youth with disabilities who are reportedly sad, unhappy, or depressed • Reduce proportion of adults with disabilities who report feelings, such as sadness, unhappiness, or depression, that prevent them from being active

9. National Health Agenda • Healthy People 2010 • Also collect data from other chapters/focus areas • Increase healthy weight in adults • Decrease overweight or obesity in children & adolescents • Increase adolescents & adults who engage in regular physical activity

10. Why is a national agenda needed? Why include people with disabilities in the national agenda? • 54 million people in US with disabilities (1/5) • 7.8% of youth under 15 years have a disability • Surgeon General Report

11. Adult Health Statistics • Obesity • 34% adults with disabilities • 21% adults without disabilities • National Center on Birth Defects & Developmental Disabilities, 2006 • 75% of female adults with developmental disabilities are obese • NCPAD

12. Adult Health Statistics • No leisure time physical activity • 53% adults with disabilities • 34% adults without disabilities • CDC, 2005 • 25% of adults with disabilities did not engage in physical activity in past 30 days • Inclusive Fitness Coalition • Most leisure of adults with developmental disabilities consists of sedentary activities like watching TV or listening to radio • NCPAD

13. Adult Health Statistics • Adults with disabilities have higher incidences of obesity & lower physical activity rates, yet are at risk for same chronic conditions as adults who do not have disabilities • Fitness behaviors learned in childhood often impact adult fitness involvement

14. Youth Health Statistics • Today’s youth are considered the most inactive generation in history • This is caused in part by reduced school PE programs • Overweight (in general) • 30% (6-11 yrs.) = overweight • 30% (12-19 yrs.) = overweight • Strong predictor of being overweight as adult • American Obesity Association

15. Youth Health Statistics • Overweight in youth connected with • Asthma • Diabetes (type 2) • Hypertension • Sleep apnea • American Obesity Association

16. Youth Health Statistics • 75% of children with physical disabilities in US do not participate in PE or community physical activity programs • Paralympic Academy • Youth with disabilities may be in adapted PE classes, but classes are brief and rarely teach skills • If in inclusive PE, they often sit on the sidelines and are not actively engaged • NCPAD

17. Youth Health Statistics • Only activity children with physical disabilities outscore peers without disabilities is watching TV more than 4 hours/day • 39% vs. 13% • Fitness levels of children with developmental disabilities are poor • NCPAD

18. Youth Health Statistics • Physical activity recommendations for youth age 5-12: • 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily that is developmentally appropriate, enjoyable, and involves a variety of activities • Strong et al., 2005

19. Programs for Youth with Disabilities • Teens in NC identified keys to a healthy lifestyle • Physical activity • Exercise • Social activities • They also identified barriers to a healthy lifestyle • Sedentary lifestyle • Limited opportunities for physical activity • Inaccessible facilities/environments

20. Programs for Youth with Disabilities • Perceived needs for a healthy lifestyle • Inclusive social & recreational opportunities • Wanted community-based programs • Youth with Disabilities in NC, 2000 • Not just inclusive as an after thought, but universally accessible

21. Programs for Youth with Disabilities • Programs for youth, not specifically mention youth with disabilities • Kids Walk-to-School • National Trail Day • Camp Fusion

22. Programs for Youth with Disabilities • Programs specifically for youth with disabilities • BlazeSports • Special Olympics

23. Programs for Youth with Disabilities • I Can Do It, You Can Do It • Nationwide program to support physical activity for children & youth with disabilities • U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services • Launched 5/2004 • Ends 5/2007 • Partner organizations will bring together physical fitness mentors with youth who have disabilities

24. What do these programs have in common? • Traditional sport or exercise programs

25. YES!!!! Are there any programs that are not just sports or exercise?

26. VERB • Social marketing campaign • Coordinated by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) • Encouraged tweens (age 9-13) to be physically active • Designed to be multicultural • Make physical activity cool & fun

27. VERB • Used paid advertising, school and community promotions and Internet • 5 year strategic program • $335 million • After 1 yr. 74% of tweens knew about VERB & increased physical activity • Only physical activity program ever found effective • Tweens with disabilities almost absent • Ended in 9/2006 • Can still get some materials from NRPA Step Up to Health training

28. Key Components of VERB • VERB is about…. • Being a kid • Having fun & being with friends • Exploring & discovering • Find new VERBs • Find your own VERBs • Encouraging trial & praise • Is not about abstract constructs like fighting obesity, preventing long-term chronic disease prevention, or even exercise

29. Key Components of VERB • Messages that appeal to all youth • High & low activity levels • Multicultural • (With & without disabilities) • Keep active without keeping score • No loser activities • Competition against self • Use incentives for reaching goals • Fun contests • Activity recorders

30. VERB Programs • Special Events • Longest Day of Play (Play All Day) • Extra Hour for Extra Action Day • Family Skate Night • Activity Zone Festival • Cultural Festivals • Contests • Make Every Move Count (Pedometers) • Move It to Groove It • Treasure Hunt (look for VERBS in community) • Break Guinness World Record

31. VERB Programs • Field trips to places where tweens can be active • Map making activity • Map of free/inexpensive physical activity locations • Field trip to these locations • Celebrities/college athletes

32. VERB Yellowball Leader design You’re It Card Kids design game for day Blog how play with the Yellowball VERB Make It Up Leader design Hip-hop scotch Sponge tag Kids design game VERB Programs

33. VERB Crossover Combine basketball with any other sport or activity Basketball + Hoop = Hoop It Up Brackets and vote on favorite activities VERB Play Without Borders Learn games that are played around the world VERB Programs

34. VERB Appreciation Day Put spotlight on a new activity Bike-a-thon Day Volleyball Day Hip Hop Dance Day Karate Day Scorecard Campaign Scorecard with 24 squares Each square = 1 hr. Community partners offer free activities Grand finale party with prizes VERB Programs

35. VERB Programs • VERB Anytime Doubletime • Take 2 VERBs, make 1 game • HotVolley • BirdieBall • DanceTag • YOUR TURN • Remember should be verbALL

36. Closing • Very important to get tweens with disabilities active • Remember concepts of VERB when designing verbALL activities or programs • Especially fun & friends • Questions/answers

37. Brand New Initiative:Play Every Day • Partnership between YMCA of USA, National Assoc. of Sport & Physical Education, NRPA • Ensure youth has at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day • Play Every Day Act, 2/15/07 • Sen. Harkin & Sen. Clinton

38. Resources • Healthy People 2010 http://www.healthypeople.gov/ • National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) http://www.ncpad.org/

39. Resources • I Can Do It, You Can Do It http://www.hhs.gov/od/physicalfitness.html • The President’s Challenge http://www.presidentschallenge.org/

40. Resources • VERB http://www.cdc.gov/youthcampaign/ http://www.verbnow.com/ • Play Every Day http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5324

41. For copies of presentation: • http://www.ilstu.edu/~slklitz/