Blueprint Partners Progress Newsletter: February 2006

In This Issue

Sporting Goods Sales Increase in the U.S.
Senior Innovators Purpose Prize Offered
Long-Term Study Links Physical Activity with Psychological Health
Study Explores Exercise Perceptions
Pedestrian Death Rates Increase in the South
Martial Arts for Seniors
Upcoming Events: May & June

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Sporting Goods Sales Increase in the U.S.
Following several years of flat sales, wholesale sales of sporting goods equipment, sports apparel, and athletic footwear rose 6.8 percent to $55.7 billion in 2005, according to SGMA International. Sales are projected to increase another 7 percent this year. The leading activities for sports apparel usage are walking, running, basketball, golf, and baseball/softball. The market for fitness-related products is expanding as the baby boomers age. Fitness equipment sales primarily for the home market rose 6 percent last year. Cardio equipment, such as rowing machines and recumbent bikes, are making a comeback since they provide more choices for people who are bored with their cardio routines.

Senior Innovators Purpose Prize Offered
The nonprofit organization Civic Ventures is offering a $100,000 Purpose Prize to five Americans over age 60 that are working in a leadership position at an organization or institution and using their creativity and talent to address a major social problem at the local, regional, or national level. Sixty semi-finalists will also receive national recognition for their work. Applications are due on February 28, 2006. Awards will be made in June 2006.
www.leadwithexperience.org

Long-Term Study Links Physical Activity with Psychological Health
Researchers at the University of Illinois found that study participants age 65 and older who continued to exercise five years after the start of the initial study were more fit and showed more positive psychological effects than previous tests. Findings indicate that physical activity may improve quality of life over the long-term. Participants were surveyed on their quality of life, self-esteem, self-efficacy, confidence in their abilities, and their levels of happiness or contentment. This five-year study is considered the longest of its type.
www.news-gazette.com

Study Explores Exercise Perceptions
Research published in the January 2006 Journal of Aging and Physical Activity assessed the perceptions about exercise among a group of low-income, urban, primarily minority older adult patients of a primary-care clinic. Results were then compared with an AARP national sample. The study showed that inequities in health behavior are reduced when physicians encourage exercise, when patients have the confidence to overcome barriers, and when community exercise classes are available.
www.humankinetics.com

Pedestrian Death Rates Increase in the South
Poor urban planning, in which sidewalks are often an afterthought, is blamed for an increased pedestrian death rate. According to an Associated Press article, Hispanic immigrants have limited access to vehicles or public transportation, so they often walk under hazardous conditions. Hispanics are disproportionate victims in the South, where they die in pedestrian-vehicle accidents at a higher rate than any other racial group.
www.msnbc.msn.com

Martial Arts for Seniors
An AARP article discusses senior-friendly martial arts and how to get started.
www.aarp.org

Upcoming Events: May & June
Assisted Living Federation of America 2006 Conference
May 2-5; San Diego, CA

American Geriatrics Society Annual Conference
May 3-7; Chicago, IL

CDC Diabetes and Obesity Conference
May 16-19; Denver, CO

American College of Sport Medicine 53rd Annual Meeting
May 31-June 3; Denver, CO

American Diabetes Association 66th Scientific Sessions
June 9-13; Washington, D.C.

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Conference
June 20-24; Grapevine, TX

American Physical Therapy Association Annual Conference
June 21-24; Orlando, FL

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The Blueprint Partners Project is an initiative of the Active Aging Partnership. For more information, contact the Blueprint Partnership Office at the University of Illinois Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, 119 Freer Hall, 906 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801.
E-Mail: blueprint@kines.uiuc.edu
Phone: (217) 244-7122
Website: www.agingblueprint.org