Feet First program areas
Community-Based
Advocacy and Research to
Address Childhood Health
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Community
Advocacy
Research
Education
David Levinger, PhD, PE
Executive Director, Feet First
Academy Health Conference
June 25, 2006
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
Specific Projects
WHAT ABOUT THE CHICKENS?
Healthy Eating
Walk to School
Mapping
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
The 20th Century Chicken
• Sedentary behavior
• High calorie feeds
• Central HVAC
Refrigeration
• Inability to Cross
the Road
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
Advocacy Research
Two definitions of Advocacy Research:
1. Research in service of an advocacy
agenda.
2. Advocacy work that results in
rivetting research questions and
opportunities that would otherwise
by unavailable.
BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
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Safe Routes to School Research
• Pediatric Obesity: Community, Organizational & Policy
Interventions
Room 602-603 (level 6)
• Chair: Matthew Davis, University of Michigan
• Panelists: Ann Cotten, University of Baltimore; David
Levinger, Feet First
• Invited Papers: The obesity epidemic has affected populations
old and young, and policymakers are actively seeking
opportunities to intervene during childhood when obesity may be
more easily addressed and prevented. This is an extremely
vigorous arena of policy research, in need of opportunities to
share information across disciplines and settings. To that end, this
session will include perspectives from a community organization
dedicated to promoting more physical activity among children, the
latest findings from a group of policy researchers who have
developed a "report card" for states regarding their childhood
obesity policy initiatives, and additional groundbreaking research
regarding the long-term costs and implications of childhood
obesity.
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
Pre-observation & Controls
Crossed at Corner/Crosswalk
Crossed with Adult
Stopped at Curb
Looked LRL Before Crossing
Gatzert Elementary
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
Before & After Mode Split
• Increase in Walking
• Decrease in Driving
• Control Schools Saw a Reduction in
Walking
Kept Looking
School Bus
31%
Walked Across
Waited for Signal (if present)
0
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40
60
80
School Bus
37%
Metro Bus 2%
Carpool 6%
Metro Bus 2%
Carpool 4%
Walk with Adult
9%
100
Walk with Adult
13%
Percent of Observed Crossings
Walk Alone
11%
40
30
Bicycle 0%
Percent 20
Walked Alone
Walked with Adult
10
0
Bailey
Gatzert
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TT Minor
Thurgood
Marshall
TOTAL
BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
Private Car 41%
Private Car 32%
November 2004
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Bailey Gatzert
Walk Alone
12%
Bicycle 0%
April 2005
BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
Food Environment
• Walking field trips
• 3rd Graders able to
audit grocery stores
• School policy
• Next steps – ability
to determine impact
to family systems
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
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Mapping Projects
• Community Maps
• School Walk Route Maps
• Childcare Environment
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
Child Care Environment
• Choice and Walking
• 13% walking to school
• Effect of Mapping
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
Thank you to our Partners
• Public Health-Seattle & King County
• Seattle Public Schools
• University of Washington
• 2 x daily 30 min
requirement
• Sidewalk network
• Measurement &
Data
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Walk to School & Choice
– Urban Design & Planning
– Health Promotion Research Center
• Physical Activity Policy Research Network
• Departments of Transportation
• more…
BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
Thank you to our Funders
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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– Active Living by Design
– Healthy Eating by Design
– Active Living Research
CDC’s Steps to a Healthier US program
Group Health Community Foundation
UW Health Promotion Research Center
CDC
Washington State Department of Health
Washington Traffic Safety Commission
WSDOT
Seattle Schools
FHWA Safe Routes to School Clearinghouse
Individual Donors & Feet First Membership
Feet First tel: (206) 652-2310 email: info@feetfirst.info
1402 Third Ave, Suite 1121 Seattle, WA 98101
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
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BUILDING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
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