ACSM’s American Fitness Index Releases New Community Action Guide
Posted: January 20, 2016 in Suppliers
American College of Sports Medicine
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) American Fitness Index (AFI) program released a new AFI Community Action Guide, offering communities a resource to help leaders realize local health and fitness goals. The guide, which will replace an earlier edition published in 2009, is a companion document to the annual AFI Data Report, which reports the fittest city in America each year based on a score derived from a comprehensive list of health indicators ranking the 50 largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the U.S.
“The goal of AFI is not only to name a fittest city each year, but to identify potential areas that cities might focus efforts to improve the health and lifestyles of residents,” said Walter R. Thompson, Ph.D., FACSM, associate dean in the College of Education & Human Development at Georgia State University in Atlanta and chair of the AFI Advisory Board. “The AFI Community Action Guide provides practical tools, examples and resources for creating effective change at the local level that can help cities offer healthier places to live.”
Funded by the Anthem Foundation, this AFI Community Action Guide has been developed to support efforts to address community challenges and to encourage communities and neighborhoods of all sizes to focus efforts to help improve the health of their residents. In the guide, local leaders will find information about coalition building and putting community goals into practice. The guide details strategies for effective planning, leadership, monitoring and evaluation of group efforts. The guide incorporates expertise from local leaders with experience in affecting community change, health and fitness experts and the AFI Advisory Board.
“As we begin a new year, the AFI Community Action Guide comes at a pivotal time for cities looking to shape a healthier future for their residents,” said Craig Samitt, MD, MBA, chief clinical officer for Anthem, Inc. “We’re happy to provide local communities with actionable resources that are vital to help incentivize, motivate and energize individuals and families to unlock the potential for a healthier lifestyle.”
Other resources available from AFI include the 2015 AFI report and infographic, five-year trend reports and a community application tool for communities not included in the 50 largest MSA ranking.
