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Minnesota
Student Survey Data Available
The Minnesota
Student Survey (MSS) is conducted every three years in Minnesota public
schools. The survey asks questions about activities, experiences, and
behaviors. Topics covered include tobacco, alcohol and drug use, physical activity, violence and
safety, connections with school and family, health, and other topics. The
survey is administered jointly by the Minnesota Departments of Education,
Health, Human Services, and Public Safety.
The 2010 MSS reports
asks, "On how many of the last 7 days were you physically active for a
combined total of at least 30 minutes?" This question addresses the
previous adult recommendation for moderate intensity physical activity,
and has been consistently asked for the MSS. Data collected from
Minnesota students is pretty consistent,
with boys reporting significantly more activity than girls. The follow
prevalence of students report being physically active for at least 30
minutes on at least 5 days/week: 54% = 6th grade males, 42% = 6th grade
females, 63% = 9th grade males, 50% = 9th grade females, 55% = 12th grade
males, and 33% = 12th grade females. Twelfth grade girls the least likely
to report meeting the adult recommendation for moderate intensity physical
activity.
The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
recommend that children and adolescents should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or
more of physical activity daily. | 2010 Minnesota Student
Survey | US DHHS
Physical Activity Guidelines
Take the Minnesota Bicycle
Map Survey!
The Minnesota
Department of Transportation's (Mn/DOT's) Bicycle and Pedestrian Section
has created an online survey to better understand what people in
Minnesota want to see and use in a
statewide bicycle map. Please take a few minutes to respond to Mn/DOT's
state bicycle map survey - your input will guide state bicycle map
development and state bicycle projects. Then, pass along the survey link
to related stakeholder groups. | State Bicycle
Map Survey | Mn/DOT Bike and
Pedestrian Section
By planning, designing, and constructing Complete
Streets, communities of all sizes - whether rural hamlets, small towns, or
big cities - are able to provide the quality access to jobs, health care,
shops, and schools their residents deserve, while also achieving greater
economic, environmental, and public health benefits. This fact sheet
explores the ways a Complete Streets approach can help rural and small
towns and counties to provide a more effective, balanced transportation
system. | Complete
Streets in Rural Communities
The Minnesota Department of Transportation
(Mn/DOT) recently released guidelines on Curb Ramps for engineers,
planners, and designers working at the city and county levels. These
guidelines provide engineers, planners, and designers with current "best
practices" and help them achieve successful curb ramp design and
installations, which make intersections safer and more accessible for all
pedestrian users. | Mn/DOT ADA
Accessibility Tools and Resources
Transit for Livable Communities is hiring a
Program Director to head our policy and organizing work. We are seeking an
individual with management experience and a background in transportation,
land use, public health, or engineering who can lead our advocacy team and
contribute to TLC’s reputation for integrity, excellence, and vision. | TLC Program Director
Position
The Physical Activity Kit (PAK) box is based on
best and promising practices to increase physical activity. The PAK
toolkit can be used in schools, communities, worksites, Head Start
programs, elderly centers, and youth programs. The Goal of the PAK is to
increase the time American Indians and Alaskan Natives spend in medium to
high physical activity for all ages across the lifespan. While, the
activities have been field tested to be culturally appropriate for Native
communities, others might find PAK useful in their community. | IHS
Physical Activity Kit
On October 7, 2010 the Blue Cross Foundation and
Wilder Research co-sponsored "Revealing socioeconomic factors that influence
your health," an event that brought together almost 300
stakeholders to learn about key findings from a new report, The Unequal
Distribution of Health in the Twin Cities. The report, commissioned by the
foundation and conducted by Wilder Research looks at links between health
outcomes and race, income, education and neighborhood conditions in the
Twin Cities.
The report notes that people of color in Hennepin County are more likely to be obese
or have diabetes. Some of the recommendations to address these health
inequities are related to Statewide Health Improvement Program
interventions, like the Active Communities and Schools interventions.
Community recommendations to address health inequities include:
- Instill
health and safety considerations into land use and planning decisions.
- Improve
safety and accessibility of public transportation, walking, and biking.
- Enhance
opportunities for physical activity.
Unequal
Distribution of Health in the Twin Cities
Walk Friendly
Communities (WFC) is a national recognition program developed to encourage
towns and cities across the U.S. to establish or recommit
to a high priority for supporting safer walking environments. The WFC
program will recognize communities that are working to improve a wide
range of conditions related to walking, including safety, mobility,
access, and comfort.The WFC is sponsored by the U.S. Department of
Transportation Federal Highway Administration, with support from a variety
of other partners. | Walk Friendly
Communities
Looking for a way to get know your city or county
planner better? MDH is hosting a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) training
opportunity for thirty pairs (i.e., public health profession and planner)
on December 10 to learn more about how the HIA tool can be used to promote
and support health in the local planning process. The training is looking
to accept twenty pairs from greater Minnesota, so, connect with your local
planner and invite them to a free lunch and training opportunity! RSVP
your pair of attendees by Monday, November 29 to Kristin Raab at
kristin.raab@state.mn.us. | HIA
Training Information
Calendar of Events
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