James F. Sallis - US grants

Since physically active and physically fit children appear to have lower levels of some cardiovascular risk factors and since physical activity in childhood may predict adult health-related exercise, it is important to study physical activity in children. Current research is hampered by difficulties in measuring physical activity and fitness in children. The overall purpose of the proposed research is to provide needed data on the reliability and validity of promising measures of physical activity and physical fitness in children and adolescents. Two separate studies will be conducted. The aims of Study 1 are to assess the reliability and validity of the 7-day Physical Activity Recall (PAR) in children. The PAR has been validated for adults, and there is preliminary evidence of its validity in children. The test-retest reliability of the PAR will be studied in detail by collecting two recalls with overlapping days. Validity will be determined by comparing reported time at various activity intensities to Holter monitor heart rate records for the same day. Factors which may influence the reliability of the PAR will also be studied, notably body mass (kg/m2) and memory. In addition, the week-to-week variability of physical activity will be determined through repeated measures. The aims of Study 2 are to assess the reliability and validity of three commonly used submaximal fitness tests in children, and to determine whether the predictiveness of these tests can be improved by using ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). The three submaximal tests will be cycle ergometer, 3-minute step test, and 1600 meter run. Each test will be administered twice, with a two-week interval, to study reliability. Results from the submaximal tests will be correlated with VO2 max, as determined by maximal treadmill testing, as a measure of validity. RPE will be used in regression equations in an attempt to improve the predictiveness of submaximal tests in children, since this has been found in adults. Thirty subjects (15 boys, 15 girls) will be recruited from each of the 5th, 8th, and 11th grades of San Diego City Schools. Subjects will be randomly selected from the pool of volunteers so that a variety of ethnic groups will be represented. Thus, the relationship of age to the reliability and validity of the physical activity and physical fitness measures can be determined.

Project GRAD is a Demonstration and Education project designed to evaluate an intervention that promotes regular physical activity in college students as they make the transition to post-graduation lifestyles. The proposed intervention targets long-term change in documented determinants of physical activity, is based on contemporary models of behavior change, and is deliverable at moderate cost. College seniors were chosen as the target population because intervention and follow-up are readily generalized through academic courses and alumni associations to the 13 million college students in 3,500 institutions of higher education in the U.S. While it is recognized that high school students who do not attend college are at higher risk, the infrastructure is lacking in high schools for long-term, generalizable interventions. Physical inactivity is now recognized as a major behavioral risk factor for premature mortality and cardiovascular disease. Though the benefits of physical activity are well known, at least 30-40% of U.S. adults have sedentary lifestyles. It is clear that physical activity declines with age throughout the lifespan, and young adulthood may be a critical period. If the Year 2000 Objectives for physical activity are to be attained, interventions are needed to prevent the decline with age. Project GRAD will recruit 424 subjects from a randomly selected pool of seniors from a large multi-ethnic state university. Students will be randomly assigned to intervention and control conditions. The intervention is based on theory as well as pilot research. A pre- graduation course for free credit includes a weekly lecture on exercise science and behavior change principles. Two lab sections each week, led by peer health educators, teach physical activity skills and foster implementation of behavioral skills. There are separate labs to promote adoption or maintenance of physical activity. The course will prepare students to be active after graduation. The 18-month post-graduation intervention will be delivery by low-cost phone counseling by peer health educators and behaviorally-oriented, print information. Instructional videotapes will be available for loan, and free or discount memberships at health clubs will be obtained for subjects. Control subjects will also receive a free course on general health issue, but it will not focus on physical activity or behavioral change methods. Physical activity and selected mediating variables will be assessed annually for two years after baseline. The primary outcome measure will be the 7-day physical activity recall, which has been previously validated in several populations. The validity of the measure will be monitored in substudies throughout the grant period. A secondary aim is to predict physical activity in this young adult population using social support, self-efficacy, perceived barriers, baseline fitness, baseline skinfold measures, and demographics variables. The team of investigators is experienced in all aspect of the proposed study: project management, study design, measurement, application of behavioral theories, intervention development, subject recruitment, cohort maintenance, student health service, data management and analysis, and scientific report writing. The investigators have worked together on various projects previously. We hypothesize that students who receive the intervention will be more active during follow-up than students who do not receive the intervention. Revised intervention materials will be developed ready for dissemination.

The aim of this renewal of Project SPARK (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids) is to support analyses of the full set of outcome data so the original goals of the study can be accomplished. The aims of the current SPARK Demonstration and Evaluation grant are to develop and evaluate a health-related elementary school physical education (PE) program that is designed to increase physical activity both in and out of school. The study compared two levels of implementation of the SPARK PE and self- management program to a control condition with usual PE. In one condition, classroom teachers were systematically trained to implement the program, and in the second condition, PE specialists implemented the program. The SPARK PE curriculum is a comprehensive program designed to maximize physical activity in class, improve health-related fitness, improve sports skills, be enjoyable to children, and be practical for use by classroom teachers. The innovative self-management classroom curriculum is designed to promote physical activity out of school by teaching children behavior change skills, reinforcing physical activity participation, and increasing parent support of child activity. The intervention was implemented for two full academic years, and a third year of assessment evaluates the maintenance of program effects. The effects of the SPARK program on quality and quantity of PE classes, physical activity outside of school, physical fitness (mile run, sit-ups, skinfolds), and cognitive (attitudes, behavioral intentions, self- perceptions) outcomes were assessed. Survey and fitness tests were administered to all participants in the Fall and Spring of 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. An objective measure of physical activity out of school (accelerometer) was implemented, and parents were surveyed. Process measures included direct observations of PE and self-management classes, classroom teacher surveys, and in-depth standardized interviews with teachers and students. Quality control of data collection was a high priority, and the reliability of surveys and anthropometric assessments have been documented. Ninety-eight percent of eligible 4th grade students enrolled in the study, and cohort retention has been successful (90% retention after 2 years). Preliminary analyses based on two years of intervention in two cohorts of students (n=1194) revealed significant and substantial effects on cardiorespiratory fitness (mile run), body fat (skinfolds), and muscular endurance (sit-ups). The accelerometer data revealed no significant effects on physical activity out of school, and further analyses are being conducted to confirm and/or explain this finding. The PE curriculum and teacher training programs significantly improved both the quantity and quality of PE. All tasks proposed in the original application have been completed on time. The investigators have been productive in publishing the results of pilot studies and analyses of baseline data. The proposed renewal is essential to support analyses of the follow-up data, which assesses maintenance of intervention effects. The original timeline for the current grant calls for the follow-up assessments to be completed in early June 1994, and the grant terminates at the end of June 1994. This renewal will allow us to determine the extent to which cognitive, behavioral, and physical outcomes of the SPARK program are maintained up to one year after the intervention. The extension will also support continued analyses of the SPARK data set, with 3 years of data on almost 100 children, to address important questions related to the behavioral epidemiology of physical activity in children.

DESCRIPTION This program, referred to as Middle School Physical Activity and Nutrition (M-SPAN), is designed to change the school environment in such a way as to promote increased physical activity and reduced dietary fat consumption by students. The specific interventions to be carried out in the school are derived from theoretical frameworks representing social ecology and applied behavior analysis. During the two-year intervention PE teachers will modify classes in an effort to induce more activity and increase other opportunities on campus for physical activity. In addition, food service workers will be trained to recommend lower fat foods, and food vendors will be encouraged to supply low-fat food choices in cafeterias, stores, and vending machines. Other activities will be devised to work with students who do not buy lunches at school. Student Health Committees will be formed to encourage appropriate exercise and dietary habits among their classmates. Outcome measures will involve direct measures of student behavior related to physical activity and diet. Observations will be obtained for baseline, intervention, and maintenance periods. A total of 24 schools will be divided into experimental and control conditions and will be the units of randomization and statistical analysis.

Sedentary lifestyles are a significant public health concern, accounting for over 200,000 deaths each year in the U.S. Over 60 percent of adults do not meet minimal health recommendations for physical activity, so it is imperative to better understand the factors that explain physical activity. Psychosocial variables account for no more than 30-40 percent of the variance in physical activity. Macro-environmental variables may have large influences on daily physical activity of most Americans, but environmental variables are rarely included in physical activity studies. Research in the transportation field shows that land use (urban design) variables are related to walking for transportation, but the impact on total physical activity is not known. Community environments appear to stimulate walking when there is high residential density, more mixed use of land (residential and commercial), greater connectedness of streets, and a better infrastructure for walking (sidewalks). U.S. cities are among the lowest in the world on these "walkability" variables as well as walking for transportation. We hypothesize that people living in the most "walkable" communities that are high on an index of these variables do more total and moderate intensity physical activity than those who live in communities low on the index. The proposed study is the first to examine objectively measured macro-environmental variables and their relation to objectively measured levels of physical activity. The study will be conducted in two regions of the U.S. (Portland, OR and Boston, MA). A sample of 2,400 adults (75 subjects X 32 census tracts), aged 20 to 65 years and balanced by gender, will be randomly selected from 16 "high-walkable" and 16 "low-walkable" census tracts, matched on socioeconomic status. The land use variables will be measured objectively using existing Geographic Information System (GIS) databases. Physical activity will be assessed via accelerometers in two different seasons. Commonly studied psychosocial correlates of physical activity as well as perceived environment variables will be concurrently evaluated. The investigators have extensive experience studying physical activity in populations, using objective physical activity measures, using GIS methodology, and analyzing complex data sets that involve clustering. This innovative study will use methodologies from health and transportation research traditions to broaden understanding of potential influences on total and moderate intensity physical activity to include pervasive macro- environmental variables. Results will inform public health, land use, and transportation policies that could have population-wide impacts on physical activity.

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There is high prevalence of unhealthful diet and physical activity patterns in adolescents. Ecological models posit that health behaviors are influenced by individual, social/cultural, policy, and environmental variables. Data on all levels of influences are needed to guide multi-level interventions, but most studies have been limited to individual and social/cultural variables. Studies of adults have demonstrated consistent associations of community design ("walkability") and recreational environments with physical activity, and a few studies suggest neighborhood food environment is related to eating patterns. Such data in young people are limited. The present study aims to evaluate the ability of a multi-level model to explain variation in physical activity, sedentary behavior, dietary patterns (energy, fat and fruit and vegetable intake) and weight status in adolescents, with an emphasis on neighborhood environments. Neighborhoods in two regions in the U.S. (Seattle-King County, WA and Baltimore-Washington, DC) will be selected for study. 48 neighborhoods (n=24 per region) will meet criteria for cells in a 2 X 2 matrix defined by high vs low walkability (combination of street connectivity, residential density, land use mix, and retail floor area ratio) and high vs low median income. Eighteen adolescents aged 12 to 16 and a parent will be randomly selected from each neighborhood (n=864 total). Walkability indices will be created through existing parcel-level and street network databases. Pedestrian infrastructure, public recreation space, and nutrition environment quality indices will be created through psychometrically sound direct observation instruments. Additional correlates will include crime and weather; psychosocial variables assessed by instruments specific to each target behavior; parent support; neighborhood preference: and perceived neighborhood, school, and home environments. Physical activity will be measured with 7 days of accelerometer monitoring; diet by 3 random 24-hour recall interviews; sedentary behaviors by self-report, and height and weight by adolescent and parent reports. Behaviors will be re-assessed 6 months later to investigate seasonal effects. Substantial measurement development has been completed, and the team has published several papers on innovative measures. The transdisciplinary project team has experience in all components of the study and a strong record of collaboration. Building on funded studies in the same regions creates substantial cost savings. The proposed study is based on a specific ecological model, emphasizes objective measurement, targets an at-risk, under-studied age group, and has the potential to inform intervention approaches that could produce population-wide improvements in multiple health behaviors and contribute to reducing the obesity epidemic. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): [unreadable] [unreadable] Active Living Research (ALR) and Healthy Eating Research (HER), two national programs supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, propose to hold a conference titled, "Study Designs and Analytic Strategies for Environmental and Policy Research on Obesity, Physical Activity, and Diet". The invitation-only meeting will be held on April 8, 2008 in Washington, DC and has been planned collaboratively with NIH staff. [unreadable] [unreadable] The need for evidence related to environment and policy influences and interventions regarding obesity, diet, and physical activity is increasing in importance as government, philanthropy, communities, schools, and health professionals implement programs and policies to address the obesity crisis. The need for a systematic approach to obesity research that includes environmental and policy research is consistent with the Strategic Plan for NIH Obesity Research theme of preventing and treating obesity through lifestyle and environmental modification. There are numerous methodologic challenges to conducting environmental and policy research that need to be overcome for this field to advance. The conference will contribute to improving methodology for etiologic and intervention studies. A highly-diverse Organizing Committee has developed a conference plan that will contribute to the NIH Strategic Plan and build on 3 recent NIH-sponsored workshops. [unreadable] [unreadable] The proposed conference is designed to identify strategies for making progress in overcoming critical methodological challenges by focusing on the following objectives: 1) Identify highest priority gaps in knowledge on environment and policy factors that may lead to solutions for obesity, poor diet, and physical inactivity; 2). Identify promising study designs to enhance environmental and policy research on obesity, diet, and physical activity; 3). Identify promising analytic strategies that can be applied to improve environmental and policy research on obesity, diet, and physical activity; and 4) Build the capacity of new investigators to make important contributions to environmental and policy research on obesity, diet, and physical activity. For each topic a presenter and discussant will summarize the key issues and make recommendations. Small discussion groups will refine and prioritize recommendations. The goal is to make recommendations for overcoming methodologic challenges and for needed methodologic research. The summary report and all slides will be posted on the internet and disseminated widely. New investigators and minority investigators will be invited to participate in the conference. (End of Abstract) [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Numerous US and international agencies have identified environmental and policy interventions as the most promising strategies for improving physical activity (PA), eating, and obesity. The evidence base on environmental and policy factors is deficient in 3 important ways this proposal will address. First, although the association between built environments and PA is widely accepted by authoritative groups like the CDC's Community Guide, accurate estimates of the strength of associations are not available because virtually all studies have limited environmental variability. If underestimated associations make it less likely decision makers pursue built environment changes, then public health suffers. Second, several studies document associations between the built environment and weight outcomes, but confirmatory studies are needed, especially those conducted in diverse environments. Third, measures are insufficiently detailed to give guidance about specific attributes of the built environment most likely to be effective interventions. To accurately assess the strength of association of the built environment with PA and weight status, greater environmental variability is required than any one country can provide. Thus, we propose a collaborative international study that uses a common design and measurement protocol to produce more accurate effect size estimates. Because US-only studies are expected to underestimate effect size, this international study will provide additional information to US decision makers. The International Physical activity and the Environment Network (IPEN) is led by investigators in the US, Australia and Belgium who have demonstrated common methods can be employed across countries. IPEN builds on completed studies in the US and Australia. Six countries were selected to collect new data based on the strength of investigators, preliminary studies, and in some cases, existing partial funding. For primary aims PA will be assessed by the validated long IPAQ survey, and built environment will be assessed by a validated built environment survey in all countries (approx N=9981). Analyses will examine how specific environmental attributes are related to PA domains, leisure and transport. Most countries also will have objective measures: accelerometry for PA;Geographic Information System data for environmental attributes. Thus, subsets of countries will be used to achieve secondary aims (range of N's from 5552 to 8781). All countries will select neighborhoods that vary on walkability and recruit a minimum of 500 adults aged 20-65. Data will be entered via the web to a central server, and adherence to all protocols and data quality will be monitored. Analyses will account for multi-level data. Team members are experienced in all aspects and have conducted 3 international PA studies that show the feasibility of IPEN. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Design of communities and access to recreation facilities are related to physical activity for transportation and leisure purposes as well as weight and risk of obesity. Because there is a limited range of activity-supportive environments in the US, studies conducted only in the US can underestimate impacts of the built environment. This study proposes to use comparable methods in at least 8 diverse countries to obtain accurate estimates of how strongly built environments are related to physical activity and weight, so policymakers have correct information to base decisions on.

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): 6-Year Study of Seniors'Neighborhood Environments, Physical Activity &Function Built environment changes has been recommended by the IOM, CDC, and others to improve physical activity (PA). Such changes may be most important for vulnerable groups like older adults who are least active and least studied. Scientists consistently call for prospective studies of built environment and PA. The proposed study is a 6-year follow-up of the Senior Neighborhood Quality of Life Study (SNQLS) cohort of 66+ year-old residents of neighborhoods selected to maximize variability in walk ability and income. Analyses of current data show neighborhood environments are related to PA and BMI. SNQLS is more methodologically advanced than other studies, with objective and perceived measures of both environments and PA, and a prospective follow-up can strengthen evidence of causality. A key innovation is re-assessment of the full range of PA-related environmental characteristics, including walk ability (GIS measured mixed use &street connectivity), microscale features (systematically observed and self-reported streetscape details such as sidewalk quality, safety of street crossings), and access to senior-relevant recreation facilities (GIS and reported). In addition to repeating accelerometer measures, we will add GPS assessment of mobility within neighborhoods. Aim 1, guided by ecological models, is to explain patterns of change in PA from 7-day accelerometry over 6 years by comprehensive measures of neighborhood environments and psychosocial variables. Secondary aims will assess moderators (e.g., physical function) of the relationship of 6-year change in PA with environmental measures and environmental correlates of 6-year changes in a validated measure of physical function, walking for transport and recreation, BMI, and sedentary time. Exploratory aims will assess the impact of changing residences and examine correlates of GPS-measured mobility and its health consequences. Based on pilot data, we expect to measure 70% (projected follow-up N=603) of the sample who participated at Time 1. The study will fill many gaps in knowledge about the relation of environments to multiple health outcomes in seniors. The interdisciplinary team will use results to advance the science of environments and health and develop evidence-based guidelines for designing neighborhoods that support healthy aging. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Relevance of this research to public health Physical inactivity is the 4th leading cause of death in the US, and older adults are the least active segment of the population. Cross-sectional studies, including our previous study, show that older adults living in neighborhoods where they can walk to nearby stores and have recreational opportunities are more active and less likely to be overweight. "Activity-supportive neighborhoods" may allow even older adults with limited function to retain their independence and be active. The proposed study will follow older adults over 6 years to examine whether neighborhood characteristics contribute to changes in physical activity, physical function, and risk of overweight, and overall health.

6-Year Study of Seniors. Neighborhood Environments, Physical Activity & Function Built environment changes have been recommended by the IOM, CDC, and others to improve physical activity (PA). Such changes may be most important for vulnerable groups like older adults who are least active and least studied. Scientists consistently call for prospective studies of built environment and PA. The proposed study is a 6-year follow-up of the Senior Neighborhood Quality of Life Study (SNQLS) cohort of 66+ year-old residents of neighborhoods selected to maximize variability in walk ability and income. Analyses of current data show neighborhood environments are related to PA and BMI. SNQLS is more methodologically advanced than other studies, with objective and perceived measures of both environments and PA, and a prospective follow-up can strengthen evidence of causality. A key innovation is re-assessment of the full range of PA-related environmental characteristics, including walk ability (GIS measured mixed use & street connectivity), microscale features (systematically observed and self-reported streetscape details such as sidewalk quality, safety of street crossings), and access to senior-relevant recreation facilities (GIS and reported). In addition to repeating accelerometer measures, we will add GPS assessment of mobility within neighborhoods. Aim 1, guided by ecological models, is to explain patterns of change in PA from 7-day accelerometry over 6 years by comprehensive measures of neighborhood environments and psychosocial variables. Secondary aims will assess moderators (eg, physical function) of the relationship of 6-year change in PA with environmental measures and environmental correlates of 6-year changes in a validated measure of physical function, walking for transport and recreation, BMI, and sedentary time. Exploratory aims will assess the impact of changing residences and examine correlates of GPS-measured mobility and its health consequences. Based on pilot data, we expect to measure 70% (projected follow-up N=603) of the sample who participated at Time 1. The study will fill many gaps in knowledge about the relation of environments to multiple health outcomes in seniors. The interdisciplinary team will use results to advance the science of environments and health and develop evidence-based guidelines for designing neighborhoods that support healthy aging.

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Adolescent: International Study of Built Environments and Physical Activity Numerous US and international health authorities recommend environmental and policy interventions for promoting physical activity (PA) and preventing obesity. Strategies should be evidence-based, but there are fewer studies of built environments in youth than adults. The evidence is weakened because studies underestimate effect sizes due to restricted range of environments. Adolescence is the time of steepest decline in PA, so this is a high-risk age group. To accurately assess the strength of association of the built environment attributes with PA, sedentary behavior, and weight status, greater environmental variability is required than any one country can provide. Thus, international studies are required, and the proposed IPEN Adolescent project is a coordinated study of built environments and PA, sedentary behavior, and obesity using common methods and based on: (a) our recently-completed NIH-funded TEAN study of adolescents in the US and (b) the IPEN Adult (International Physical Activity and Environment Network) Study, an ongoing 13-country study of adults coordinated by our team. Objective measures of PA and environments are especially important for studies of youth, and all countries in IPEN Adolescent will collect objective measures of PA, sedentary time, and built environments. Validated and systematically adapted surveys will assess built and social environment attributes, psychosocial and demographic variables, and additional outcomes (active transport to school, participation in organized sports and activity classes). The study is guided by a specific multi-level ecological model. At least 4680 adolescents aged 12-18 years, from 13 cities, in 9 countries will participate. Several countries already have data, and others will be funded for data collection. In each country, adolescent-parent pairs will be recruited from neighborhoods selected to vary in walkability and socioeconomic status. GIS- derived measures of walkability (community designs that support walking to destinations), playability (access to recreation facilities), and pedestrian accessibility (sidewalks, transit, barriers to walking) will be analyzed separately and combined into a physical activity-friendliness index. The primary aim is to estimate strengths of association between objective GIS-based measures of the community environment with accelerometer- measured PA and sedentary time in adolescents, from data collected according to a common protocol in at least 9 countries. The second aim is to estimate strengths of association between perceived measures of the community environment (NEWS-Youth survey) with self-reported walking/cycling to/from school and participation in youth sports and activity classes. The third aim is to estimate strengths of association between objective and perceived environment measures with overweight/obesity in adolescents (defined by international criteria). Analyses will adjust for multi-level clustering and individual demographics. All country investigators have experience with primary variables, and the Coordinating Center has experience ensuring data quality and comparable methods in international studies

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Crime and fear of crime are often cited as contributors to low physical activity across the lifespan, but the data are surprisingly inconsistent. Previous studies relied on simplistic models and poorly-developed measures to examine the relationship between fear of crime and physical activity, which may contribute to inconsistent results. This study proposes a new model based on criminological theory and research on personal experiences with crime, cognitive and emotional responses to crime, and behavioral responses to crime, to examine relationships with physical activity and other CVD-related behaviors. The proposed CRIME-PA project will evaluate a trans-disciplinary conceptual model of the relation of crime and crime-related perceptions to physical activity and other CVD-related outcomes across the lifespan. This project will proceed in two phases: The formative research phase will involve systematic development of a set of measures, using age-specific focus groups and interviews with expert informants to assess perceptions of and responses to crime for 4 age groups: Older adults (66 yrs and older), Middle-Age Adults (40-65 yrs), Younger Adults (18-39 yrs), and Adolescents (12-17 yrs). We will draw on results from the focus groups and interviews, as well as existing measures from criminology, to develop a set of scales of crime-related perceptions that can be applied across the lifespan. During the second phase, 500 participants in each of the 4 age groups (n=2000) will be re-recruited from our previous studies of residents of diverse neighborhoods in 3 US regions - San Diego, CA, Seattle/King County, WA and Baltimore, MD/Washington, DC. Construct validity will be assessed by testing associations of each scale with objectively measured physical activity (accelerometers) and self- reported activity in specific domains (leisure, transport) and settings (indoors/outdoors, in/out o neighborhood, parks). The primary aim is to evaluate the independent and joint contributions of crime risk and crime- related perceptions to the explanation of physical activity outcomes, adjusting for personal and neighborhood SES and other confounders. The secondary aims are (1) to develop measures of crime- related scales and evaluate their reliability and factor invariance, and (2) to evaluate the construct validity of the new crime-related measures compared to physical activity. Exploratory aims will examine moderators of crime perception--physical activity associations and explore relations with secondary outcomes of sedentary behavior, obesity, waist circumference, stress, smoking, and alcohol use. Pilot studies indicate re- recruitment rates of over 80%, 6-10 years later. We will assess invariance of new measures across age groups to determine whether common measures are possible or age-specific measures are required. The integration of criminology collaborators, concepts, and measures into the project promises to result in new measures of crime-related perceptions are more definitive analyses that can substantially advance the field.

PROJECT ABSTRACT The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) will hold its 38th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions from March 29 to April 1, 2017, in San Diego, CA. This application seeks funding in support of meeting programming that addresses the following specific aims: (1) to engage attendees in translating behavioral medicine research into evidence-based interventions that improve individual and population health; and (2) to broaden the impact of behavioral medicine research and practice?and to enhance the diversity of behavioral medicine professionals? by providing mentoring and professional development to trainees, junior faculty, clinicians, researchers, and others who attend the meeting. SBM is the nation?s leading scientific society dedicated to behavioral medicine, representing more than 2,000 behavioral and biomedical researchers and clinicians from more than 20 disciplines. Behavioral medicine is an interdisciplinary field comprised of researchers, practitioners, educators, and policymakers who focus on the development and integration of behavioral, psychosocial, and biomedical theory, knowledge, and interventions relevant to the understanding of health and illness. Behavioral medicine professionals include psychologists, physicians, nurses, epidemiologists, nutritionists, exercise scientists, biostatisticians, and public health experts. They work to understand, prevent, and treat chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. SBM?s annual meetings are the premier forum for behavioral medicine?s most important ideas and breakthrough findings. The meeting?s educational sessions, formal networking events, and informal networking forums promote the sharing of attendee knowledge in an open, colloquial way. This stimulates new thinking that can lead to scientific innovations. Attendees apply the knowledge gained to the prevention and management of heart, lung, blood, and other diseases; and the creation of innovative research designs, effective clinical interventions, and evidence-based health policies. SBM meetings feature high-impact keynote speakers and master lecturers who present topics such as ?Achieving Longer, Healthier Lives? (Robert Kaplan, PhD, 2014), ?Advancing Health Equity? (Edward Ehlinger, MD, MSPH, 2015), and ?The Role of School Nutrition in Children's Health and Well-Being? (Jessica Donze Black, RD, MPH, 2016). The 2017 SBM Annual Meeting will be attended by an estimated 1,500 individuals and will feature more than 1,300 presentations. The meeting theme is ?La Buena Vista: Expanding Horizons of Behavioral Medicine. The meeting will remind attendees to look back at past behavioral medicine accomplishments with pride; it will also encourage them to look toward new opportunities to advance research and accelerate its translation to real- world clinical practice, public health programs, and federal or state health policies. Given the poor health of our nation, translating research, sharing ideas, and achieving SBM?s vision of ?better health through behavior change? have never been more important.

PROJECT ABSTRACT The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) will hold its 38th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions from March 29 to April 1, 2017, in San Diego, CA. This application seeks funding in support of meeting programming that addresses the following specific aims: (1) to engage attendees in translating behavioral medicine research into evidence-based interventions that improve individual and population health; and (2) to broaden the impact of behavioral medicine research and practice?and to enhance the diversity of behavioral medicine professionals? by providing mentoring and professional development to trainees, junior faculty, clinicians, researchers, and others who attend the meeting. SBM is the nation?s leading scientific society dedicated to behavioral medicine, representing more than 2,000 behavioral and biomedical researchers and clinicians from more than 20 disciplines. Behavioral medicine is an interdisciplinary field comprised of researchers, practitioners, educators, and policymakers who focus on the development and integration of behavioral, psychosocial, and biomedical theory, knowledge, and interventions relevant to the understanding of health and illness. Behavioral medicine professionals include psychologists, physicians, nurses, epidemiologists, nutritionists, exercise scientists, biostatisticians, and public health experts. They work to understand, prevent, and treat chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. SBM?s annual meetings are the premier forum for behavioral medicine?s most important ideas and breakthrough findings. The meeting?s educational sessions, formal networking events, and informal networking forums promote the sharing of attendee knowledge in an open, colloquial way. This stimulates new thinking that can lead to scientific innovations. Attendees apply the knowledge gained to the prevention and management of heart, lung, blood, and other diseases; and the creation of innovative research designs, effective clinical interventions, and evidence-based health policies. SBM meetings feature high-impact keynote speakers and master lecturers who present topics such as ?Achieving Longer, Healthier Lives? (Robert Kaplan, PhD, 2014), ?Advancing Health Equity? (Edward Ehlinger, MD, MSPH, 2015), and ?The Role of School Nutrition in Children's Health and Well-Being? (Jessica Donze Black, RD, MPH, 2016). The 2017 SBM Annual Meeting will be attended by an estimated 1,500 individuals and will feature more than 1,300 presentations. The meeting theme is ?La Buena Vista: Expanding Horizons of Behavioral Medicine. The meeting will remind attendees to look back at past behavioral medicine accomplishments with pride; it will also encourage them to look toward new opportunities to advance research and accelerate its translation to real- world clinical practice, public health programs, and federal or state health policies. Given the poor health of our nation, translating research, sharing ideas, and achieving SBM?s vision of ?better health through behavior change? have never been more important.