Engaging communities to create active living environments.

In 2010, the Active Living Research (ALR) conference theme was " Engaging Communities to Create Active Living Environments. " This theme was based on the idea that getting a sedentary nation moving is a job for all of us. Research can help empower communities, just as data from scientific studies gives empowered communities ammunition in policy debates. The conference program highlighted ways we can work with this many-faceted approach to achieving our goal of an active America. What is a community? In the simplest terms, a community is a group of people with something in common. Every person in America is a member of the community of people which needs to be active, as being active is fundamental to healthy living. Of course we are each members of many other communities, with many other commonalities, goals, and missions. In the case of physical activity, our differences matter less than our common interest. We are lucky in this regard; seldom have researchers and activists tackled an issue with such universality. This means that whether we are talking to dog walkers or Libertarians, we can make basically the same pitch about the need to be active. People are more likely to admit that they should be active than they are to actually be active. Here is where the many kinds of communities can help. Senior centers are one excellent example. The research is clear that even a modest amount of regular activity will improve seniors' functioning and independence. Senior centers have a strong rationale for acting and a strong message to sell their clients. The many senior centers that have worked on this know that activity can be increased, with very positive results. If we multiply those successes by our closest allies in schools, park groups, neighborhood associations, and environmental groups, among others, we will begin to have the momentum we need to reach out to thousands of organizations that have a role to play. While department stores and banks might not think that active living is their job, we know from their enthusiastic support of sporting events that they can be brought into the movement for a more active America. At the same time, we must bear in mind that subgroups in America have a strong tendency to organize around negative thoughts about the " other, " ranging from distrust to active hatred. The growth of Islamophobia in recent years has …