Afflilated Websites
Active Living Research was a $28 million grant-giving program supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 2001-2016. The website contains a wealth of information for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in many fields and sectors. UNFORTUNATELY THE SITE IS CURRENTLY BROKEN AND WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT OPERABLE AGAIN.
The Active Living Conference continues, organized by ActivEnviro.
The ALR YouTube channel has recordings from past ALR Conferences.
This is the premier walking advocacy organization in the US. They provide many resources to support communities to improve conditions for safe and enjoyable walking (and bicycling).
This site provides support for those wanting to study built environments, risk exposures, and cognitive/brain health. Methods are those used in the iMAP study, but ICHEN provides a forum for sharing study experiences and results.
The purpose of the BEAT Institute was to train researchers and practitioners to use high-quality measures of food and physical activity environments. Dr. Karen Glanz led this program that was funded 2007-2014 by the US Department of Agriculture. The website has extensive resources including online training modules.
This transdisciplinary organization provide evidence-based spatial and policy indicators for use in advocating for healthy and sustainable cities. The goal of the 1000 Cities Challenge is for at least 1000 cities to use the indicators. GOHSC received a 2025 Award from the Nobel Sustainability Trust.
This journal was inspired by Active Living and Healthy Eating Research. The focus of this peer-reviewed, low-fee journal is the roles of policies and environments in active living and healthy eating.
A suite of NEMS measures were developed to assess community and consumer nutrition environments. These tools are available to researchers and community advocates and leaders for research and action in their own communities. Dr. Karen Glanz leads this program.
The purpose of IPEN is to accurately assess associations of built environments with physical activity and weight status by studying highly diverse environments. With support from NIH and within-country funders, a study of adults was conducted in 12 countries and a study of adolescents was conducted in 15 countries. The IPEN website has many resources I welcome you to use.
SGA is a leading advocate for walkable neighborhoods, zoning reform, and active transportation. Programs include Transportation 4 America and the National Complete Street Coalition.
The Alliance is the largest US coalition dedicated to improving regular participation in physical activity. Initiatives include the National Physical Activity Plan and national advocacy efforts.
I have been an active member of SBM since about 1981, and I was President 2016-2017.
The SPARK study funded by NIH 1989-1995 was my first large grant. We evaluated a health-oriented physical education program in elementary school and documented multiple favorable outcomes. The M-SPAN study evaluated physical activity and nutrition interventions in middle schools. SPARK has been disseminated nationally and in several other countries since about 1995 and has benefitted millions of students in thousands of schools. Dr. Thomas McKenzie, Paul Rosengard, and I are advisors to Gopher Sports Inc as SPARK continues its impact.
These narrated videos were made during my travels over the years. They illustrate both positive and negative environmental features relevant to physical activity. There is an emphasis on the positive, with many examples of pedestrian-only zones that are rare in the US.
The purpose of Agita Mundo, the Global Physical Activity Promotion Network, is to promote physical activity as a healthy behavior for people of all ages, nations, and characteristics. The network was founded in 2002 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and is led by Dr. Victor Matsudo.
This project is led by Prof Ester Cerin at Australian Catholic University. This multi-site international prospective study examine the relation of built environment attributes to multiple risk exposure and to brain structure and cognitive function,
Google Scholar compiles citations of scientific articles, and this link takes you to my profile that summarizes the citations and lists citations for virtually all my papers.
For the first 6 years I was a member of this multi-sector Roundtable affiliated with US National Academy of Medicine. I continue to participate in the Physical Activity Innovation Collaborative.
IPAQ is one of the most-used physical activity questionnaires. I was part of the group that met in 1998 at the World Health Organization to draft the measure that was later evaluated.
1951-2016. Shemi was my wife and life partner for 39 years. This website includes a short biography and many photos with friends and colleagues. Her creativity in visual art and writing are highlighted. Please enjoy.
When RTC began in 1986, there were only 250 miles of trails from abandoned rail lines. Working with local partners, RTC has created over 40,000 miles of multi-use trails. Current priorities are creating connected networks of trails and completing the Great American Rail-Trail across the US.
To reduce barriers to use of evidence-based SPARK programs, schools, organizations like parks departments, and individual providers can apply. The Awards provide curriculum, training, and equipment to instructors and organizations providing physical education or activity classes to youth from low-income backgrounds.
The Institute is located at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, Australian. I have been Professorial Fellow at the Institute since 2017, working with Ester Cerin, who is Professor there.
In 2022, Dr. Thom McKenzie and I assigned our royalties to create SPARK Equity Awards to be administered by San Diego State University. Funding is available to bring SPARK (curriculum, training, equipment) to organizations (schools, districts, after school, early childhood centers) and individual PE teachers or physical activity providers who serve low-income communities.