Leading Health Reporter for NY Times: Head Out for Daily Dose of Green Space

November, 30, 2010 (Washington, DC) - Jane E. Brody’s Personal Health column (11/30/10) in the New York Times promotes the innovative Park Prescriptions program, features Dr. Daphne Miller and even makes note of Great Outdoors Month! The article is a milestone for ARC and the many advocates for health and the great outdoors. The column reads, in part:

“First, the bad news: Americans are suffering from an acute case of “outdoor deprivation disorder,” and the effects on physical and mental health are rising fast. Children aged 8 to 18 today spend more time than ever using electronic media indoors — seven and a half hours a day, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation — and less time in outdoor unstructured activity. In response to the No Child Left Behind law, 30 percent of kindergarten classrooms have eliminated recess to make more room for academics. Now, the good news: There’s a simple remedy — get outside and start moving around in green spaces near and far, most of which are free. A consortium of physicians, health insurers, naturalists and government agencies have banded together to help more people of all ages and economic strata engage in health-enhancing physical activity in parks and other natural environments.”

To read the full article, click here.

(Providence, RI) - Outward Bound based therapy may work better than aerobics for maintaining weight-loss in older teens. A new study suggests that weight-loss programs that encourage peer-support, and focus on building confidence through challenges are effective in helping some adolescents lose weight. This is the finding of a research paper appearing in the January 2005 issue of the International Journal of Obesity by researchers at the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center (BHCRC) and The Miriam Hospital.

"Since weight gain in adolescence has been associated with a number of health problems in adulthood, we wanted to find a program that could offer teens an effective weight-loss strategy," says lead author Elissa Jelalian, PhD, a child psychologist with the BHCRC and Brown Medical School.

March 2006

Exercise Shown to Improve Brain Function
(Naperville, IL) - On May 2, Dr. John Ratey, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School will present the newer data from the world of neuroscience that clearly shows how physical exercise has effects on the brain that helps promote learning, regulate mood and improve self-esteem and motivation. The findings about physical activity and brain functioning reflect a growing understanding of the brain's amazing ability to adapt and develop. In addition to the findings about exercise and brain function, Dr. Ratey will also share the potential for brain research to reshape classroom practice to increase student achievement.

American Hiking Society Partners with the CDC