We Can Dance!

Below I have provided a list of sources that I find interesting and helpful for furthering knowledge about diabetes, obesity, and their social, economical, and physiological effects. Also, I have included information about dance and its benefits.

 

 

“Children’s Need for Physical Activity: Fact Sheet.” American Heart Association. Learn and Live. 2008. 16 Nov. 2008 <http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=771>.

The American Heart Association released this fact sheet as way to explicate the importance of physical activity for children. This information is useful because it talks about various ailments that develop in correlation with inactivity (high blood pressure, for example). Also, it uses certain scientific research like the 2005 Youth Risk Factor Surveillance Study and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study to indicate the percentage of youth who don’t engage in regular physical activity. This is a quick read concluding that, “healthy lifestyle training should start in childhood.” This fact sheet proves the special necessity for exciting programs (like the We Can Dance! Proposal) to encourage physical education classes that ensure regular exercise regimes for kids.

 

Crossman, Ashley, Deborah A. Sullivan, and Mary Benin. The family environment and American adolescents’ risk of obesity as young adults. Rep.No. Arizona State University. 7 July 2006. LexisNexis. Hillman Library, Pittsburgh. 1 Oct. 2008. Keyword: Adolescent obesity, physical activity.

This article examines family environment and children’s behavior concerning their weight status using data from the United States National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Using regression models, the report shows that family environment can affect the weight of adolescents that may last into adulthood. It also shows the gender differences in the intergenerational transmission of body weight within families. This report is important because it reveals the different factors that influence male and female weight gain. It is beneficial for parents to know what role they play in the process of their child’s growth. One particularly important finding highlights the necessity for parents to overtly express concern about their children’s weight. This report is helpful because it looks at the issue of obesity and diabetes from a different perspective. Not every child gains weight solely due to lack of exercise.

 

 ”Dance.” Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. 2008. 22 Oct. 2008 <http://www.clpgh.org/research/music/dance/>.

 The “Dance” page, a part of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s website, offers a comprehensive compilation of dance information that is imperative for a Pittsburgher. It begins by presenting links to the library catalog for more focused and thus easier searches. The website description explains that, “from ballet to belly dancing, the books and videos/DVDs in the dance collection form a rich resource for the history of dance, for self-instruction and practice of many dance styles, and for enjoying the performance of prominent dancers and dance companies.” Links are also provided by this site to all of the professional dance companies as well places of dance instruction and recreational dance in Pittsburgh. An additional link offers a list of materials to educate those with the desire to implement creative movement and dance into their classrooms.

 

“Dancing.” Calorie Count. 2008. The New York Times Company. 10 Nov. 2008 <http://caloriecount.about.com/activities-dancing-ac3>.
The Calorie Count website offers “complete calorie expenditure data and metabolic information for dancing as well as hundred of other activities.” This site is an enjoyable and accessible way for browsing the various amounts of calories burned while performing anything from aerobic dance, to ballet dance, to American Indian Folk Dance. Each page reveals the amount of calories burned per hour and then offers what the equivalent calorie count would be in terms of specific food items. It is interesting as well as important to know that 320 calories (for example) would equal about two cans of Coke and would take an hour of “Jitterbugging” to burn away. This information works in conjunction with my “portion distortion” blog as well as for figuring out how to keep one’s body mass down by maintaining an effective energy balance.

 

DDRFreak. 2005. 1 Oct. 2008 http://www.ddrfreak.com.

This website connects to the idea of dancing as a form of workout. DDRFreak is cited as the most popular DDR website because it provides any information one could want to know about the game. Specific information includes the costs of different features of the game, secret codes, videos, and even step charts and song lists. Under the “press section” the site posts links to all of the publicity the game has received. Most of the articles and newscasts listed under this section highlight the weight loss benefits of the game and how people use the game as a form of enjoyable exercise.

 

 “F as in Fat 2008: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America.” Trust for America’s Health: Preventing Epidemics. Protecting People. Aug. 2008. 16 Nov. 2008 <http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2008/>.

The Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) describe themselves as “a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority.” Their website provides comprehensive and up-to-date information in published reports about obesity in America and the top ten priorities for prevention. Their reports also provide useful information about the lack of physical education in schools as well as the lack of national laws to enforce physical education guidelines. The site features a large illustration of the United States where a reader can hover over an individual state to discover specific statistics about obesity. One of TFAH’s main recommendations for combating obesity is to “increase the amount and quality of physical education in schools,” and thus, this organization works in conjunction with my cause.

 

“Inactivity Among American Youth.” Outdoor Industry Foundation. 15 Nov. 2008 <http://www.outdoorfoundation.org/pdf/research.pdf>.

This fact sheet is an important aspect of my project because it focuses on “getting youth active” from its own perspective. The Outdoor Industry Foundation provides statistics to estimate the number of Americans that are classified as youth, and then to reveal the percentage of those youth who are inactive. It is important to show that people from a variety of exercise backgrounds consider inactivity to be an epidemic. This fact sheet functions to provide information for my newsletter about the percentage of children who did not participate regularly in physical education classes. It also touches upon the amount of time that children spend in front of a TV or computer screen. Recording the words of the Director of the Human Environment Research Laboratory, this fact sheet reveals the costs of inactivity from a monetary perspective. Lastly, its conclusion echoes the ideals of my We Can Dance! Blog about how “early intervention is key.” 

 

“More Than 50 Ways to Prevent Diabetes.” National Diabetes Education Program. National Institutes of Health. 9 Sept. 2008 <http://www.ndep.nih.gov/campaigns/smallsteps/50ways/index.htm>.

This article is part of the “Small Steps for Big Rewards” program to prevent type 2 diabetes. It is geared towards minorities because of their recent increase in susceptibility for developing the disease. The site lists numerous tips with catchy rhymes that en courage healthier life choices. The page includes a “food and activity tracker” so each individual can develop their own “game plan.” It even includes sample entries and toll free numbers as additional resources. This tip sheet works for my cause because it includes a section called “Move More Each Day” with tips on how to incorporate dance into everyday living.

 

“National Diabetes Education Program.” National Diabetes Education Program. National Institutes of Health. 22 Oct. 2008 <http://www.ndep.nih.gov/>.

The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) website, recommended by Dr. Elizabeth Venditti of the HEALTHY program, is a valuable tool for anybody who needs accessible information about diabetes. The website disseminates research and sets it to the public eye in forms of pamphlets, factsheets, brochures, kits, and newsletters. On the “About” page NDEP is described as “a federally funded program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and includes over 200 partners at the federal, state, and local levels, working together to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes.”  The site offers a wealth of helpful information ranging from resources for health, education, and business professionals to raise awareness about diabetes prevention campaigns.  The  search engine and navigation features are ‘intelligent’  making this site necessary for people who want an all-inclusive spot to address all of their health concerns.

 

“National Diabetes Statistics, 2007.” National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC). June 2008. National Institutes of Health. 9 Sept. 2008 <http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/>.

This article was published as part of the National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It offers the most up-to-date information about diabetes and obesity. You can use this source to find anything ranging from definitions and statistics, to medications and other preventative strategies. From this site you can find other links to any health issue of concern and even phone numbers to contact for further information. This site is conducive to simplistic reading and navigating. It offers informative graphs and translations in Spanish.

 

 Nichols, Chris. “Preventing Type II Diabetes: (STOPP-T2D).” Academy for

Educational Development. 2008. George Washington University. 22 Oct. 2008

<http://www.aed.org/projects/stoppt2d.cfm>.

 The Academy for Educational Development (AED) is “a nonprofit organization working globally to improve education, health, civil society, and economic development. The AED website, suggested by Dr. Elizabeth Venditti of the HEALTHY program, describes a social marketing strategy and communications program for middle schools that is similar to the one being implemented in Pittsburgh public schools. The goal of the program is to promote physical activity and healthy food choices in schools to lower diabetes risk factors in students. If your child attends one of the experimental schools in Pittsburgh, this site helps to explain the different approaches that the educators are taking to achieve this outcome. This site offers a blogroll in the left margin to connect with specific areas of interest like “behavior change” or “gender” to appeal to individual concern. After clicking a certain link, a new page appears offering a multitude of informative published stories about the issue.

 

 Preidt, Robert. “Obesity Rates Up in 37 States: Report.” Healthy Living: Diabetes. 19 Aug. 2008. Trust for America’s Health. 11 Sept. 2008 <http://living.health.com/2008/08/20/obesity-rates-37-states-report/>.

This report functions to prove how the obesity epidemic in America has gotten worse. It offers accessible statistics that analyze the rates of obesity by state. Preidt includes comparisons of current percentages to ones from the 1980’s to exemplify the depth of the issue. Among other findings, he mentions the relationship between poverty and obesity. Directly connecting to our relationship with schools, Preidt writes about the lack of certain laws in many states that require physical education classes. He also mentions how the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not yet adopted the updated meal program guidelines.

 

“The Importance of Controlling Blood Sugar.” Department of Health: For A Healthy New York. Apr. 2008. 16 Nov. 2008 <http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/conditions/diabetes/controlling_blood_sugar_importance.htm

This website offers a simple description about the importance of controlling blood sugar. It goes into detail about what happens if one’s glucose is too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia).  This information is imperative to my research because it proves the dangers of diabetes on a person’s body. In addition defining diabetic terms, this site reviews the types of symptoms one can expect from the different blood sugar readings as well as general guidance for treatment. Exercising is one of the preventative measures suggested to help control glucose levels and thus the website supports my thesis about the importance of exercising to prevent diabetes.

 

Vicario, Terra, and Catherine Chambliss. The Benefits Associated with Dance Education for Adolescent Girls. Rep.No. Ursinus College. 2001.

Terra Vicario and Catherine Chambliss, Ph.D. have compiled a report explaining the health benefits associated with dance. The findings tie into my issue because they prove that dance helps girls to improve their discipline, express their feelings, and increase their self-esteem. Positive feelings like the ones aforementioned lead to healthier lifestyles which in turn decrease one’s risk for developing bodily diseases. This specific report is especially relevant because it studied girls ages 13-20 that were enrolled in three different schools in Pennsylvania. These demographics match exactly with the ones my Dance Pedagogy class will be working with all semester. 

 

Weight-control Information Network. 10 July 2008. National Institutes of Health. 14 Oct. 2008 <http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/>.

This website is an information service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The mission statement on the homepage summarizes its purpose saying “The Weight-control Information Network provides the general public, health professionals, the media, and Congress with up-to-date, science-based information on weight control, obesity, physical activity, and related nutritional issues.” This site can be a resource for anybody as it includes sections for teens, pregnant women, adults, older adults, families, smokers, health care professionals, African Americans, and Spanish speakers. The HEALTHY program uses the section for teens while teaching their classes in Middle Schools. This website provides professional flyers, DVD’s and PDF documents that are organized and easy to understand. This site allows the public to have access to a straightforward means to take charge of their health.

  

“Why Obesity is a Health Problem.” We Can! Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 8 Sept. 2008 <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/>.

We Can! ^TM is a national program designed to educate the public about methods that help children maintain a healthy weight. It begins by explaining why obesity is a health problem and then offers numerous avenues of reform so that parents and communities can become involved. This site provides everything a caregiver would need to encourage smart decisions. There are eating plans, a “portion-distortion” page, and other charts that highlight the correct amount of calories each individual should consume. We Can! ^TM provides links to current news about progress and activity in the field. In addition, the site provides videos and animations to support their recommendations.