MA/ME Physical Activity Policy Research
Network Participating Center

The Harvard Prevention Research Center on Nutrition and Physical
Activity (HPRC) is a participating center in the newly established
CDC-sponsored Physical Activity Policy Network (PAPN).

The overall goal of the project is to formally establish a multidisciplinary
physical activity policy workgroup at the HPRC comprised of both
researchers and practitioners, and using a community-based participatory
research model, work locally and nationally in concert with other PAPN
members to advance the current state of science and practice regarding
policy approaches to promoting physical activity.

Specific aims of the project are to:
1) develop multidisciplinary infrastructure at the HPRC to conduct physical
activity policy research and a pragmatic, participatory organizational
structure and process for conducting physical activity policy work locally
and in collaboration with the PAPN Lead Coordinating Center and CDC;
2) actively work with CDC and PAPN members to identify physical activity
policy research priorities and conduct pilot studies that will serve as a
foundation for developing physical activity policy interventions;
3) working from CDC’s prior models for physical activity policy research
and policy research in other public health arenas, further develop and
refine a conceptual and methodological framework for physical activity
policy research with specific applications to children and youth;
4) conduct a pilot study of physical activity policies specific to children
and youth in MA and ME that will a) comprehensively catalog existing
policies, regulations and legislation that have the potential to impact
youth physical activity in school settings, and b) examine perceived
impacts of state and local policies on different types of physical activity
among middle school students at 6 schools we are working with
in Massachusetts.

Principal Investigator: Philip Troped, PhD, MS
Funder: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Funding Dates: October 1, 2004 - September 30, 2007