Journal of Park and Recreation Administration
Special Issue Call for Papers
Physical Activity, Health, and Wellness
According to the World Health Organization, rates of obesity (for both children and adults) have reached pandemic levels. This increase has led to a corresponding rise in health risks related to obesity, such as Type II diabetes, heart disease, colon and breast cancer, osteoporosis, stroke, and numerous other life threatening illnesses.
Furthermore according to the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity, the economic costs associated with being overweight or obese were more than $117 billion in the year 2000.
One of the primary reasons for these higher rates of obesity is increased sedentary lifestyles. Park and recreation professionals can play an important role in alleviating community health problems linked to physical inactivity. Indeed, the park and recreation field is well positioned to help people become more physically active and healthier as a result.
Healthy People 2010 emphasized that the design of communities and the presence of parks, trails, and other public recreational facilities and programs affect people's abilities to reach the daily physical activity recommendations.
The examination and documentation of the value of parks and recreation amenities to promote physical activity is in its infancy as is the intentional implementation of recreation programs that can be evaluated through evidence-based research. Therefore, the purpose of this special issue of JPRA is to determine and promote ways in which parks, recreation, therapeutic recreation, sport and tourism professionals can address issues of physical activity, health and wellness in communities. Specifically, authors are encouraged to submit studies addressing topics such as:
- Evidence-based best practices or new approaches to encourage physical activity, health, and wellness.
- Unique issues facing specific populations (people with disabilities, children, minorities, low income, older adults) related to physical activity, health and wellness.
- Ways that parks and recreation amenities contribute to healthy communities and active living.
- Implications of urban growth on physical activity as it relates to access to parks and recreational facilities as well as participation in active forms of leisure.
- The role that parks and recreation amenities play in terms of policy initiatives targeted at increasing physical activity and health in communities.
- The impact that partnership between parks and recreation, schools, public health non-profits and other community service groups might have on community active living.
The deadline for submissions of papers is September 30th, 2008. Manuscripts accepted will be published in the third quarter issue of 2009. For more information about the journal as well as submission guidelines please visit the JPRA website at: http://hotel.unlv.edu/recreation/journal/.
Papers should be submitted to guest editors Jason Bocarro at North Carolina State University or Mary Sara Wells at Clemson University.
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Jason Bocarro, Ph.D. Department of Parks, Recreation, & Tourism Management North Carolina State University Box 8004 Biltmore Hall Raleigh, NC 27695 Phone: 919-513-8025 jnbocarro@ncsu.edu |
Mary Sara Wells, Ph.D. Department of Parks, Recreation, & Tourism Management Clemson University PO Box 23205 Columbia, SC 29224-3205 Phone: 803-429-1686 mswells@clemson.edu |