Its All Over The News: Communicating Active Living

Research Findings

Barbara McCannBarbara McCann

McCann ConsultingMcCann Consulting

September 2004September 2004

The Health Effects of Sprawl

Media

Media

Broadcast coverage

• Ran in 121 television marketsRan in 121 television markets• 233 stations ran the story 447 times233 stations ran the story 447 times• Reached 21.1 million viewersReached 21.1 million viewers

The Health Effects of Sprawl

“…“…it was the talk of the town, the it was the talk of the town, the media snack of the day, an media snack of the day, an irresistibly delicious news morsel for irresistibly delicious news morsel for print journalists and broadcast print journalists and broadcast commentators nationwide…”commentators nationwide…”

Washington Post Columnist Roger Washington Post Columnist Roger

LewisLewis

September 6, 2003September 6, 2003

How did we do it?

• Established a goalEstablished a goal• Analyzed and wrote for the general Analyzed and wrote for the general

publicpublic• Turned research into local examplesTurned research into local examples• Had an extensive release strategyHad an extensive release strategy

Know Why You Want Media Attention

• To Call Attention to Your FindingsTo Call Attention to Your Findings

• To Support ChangeTo Support Change

• To Inform OfficialsTo Inform Officials

• To Promote More ResearchTo Promote More Research

Our Goal:

To present research in a compelling & To present research in a compelling & accurate wayaccurate way

To get the general public talking about To get the general public talking about why community design may affect why community design may affect physical activity and health.physical activity and health.

To explain active living.To explain active living.

Just Because It Is Just Because It Is Important to You Doesn’t Important to You Doesn’t Mean It Is Important to Mean It Is Important to

the Mediathe Media

Start with What the Media and

the General Public Care About• New and differentNew and different

• Bad newsBad news• Death and taxesDeath and taxes• Dangerous Dangerous • Emphasis on ResultsEmphasis on Results• RankingsRankings• News Trends News Trends • Local RelevanceLocal Relevance• Policy ImplicationsPolicy Implications

Start with What the Media and

the General Public Care About

• New and differentNew and different• Bad newsBad news• Death and taxesDeath and taxes• Dangerous Dangerous • Emphasis on ResultsEmphasis on Results• RankingsRankings• News Trends News Trends • Local RelevanceLocal Relevance• Policy ImplicationsPolicy Implications

-First national study-First national study

-Sprawl makes you fat-Sprawl makes you fat

-Indirectly-Indirectly

-Over the long term-Over the long term

-Measured in lbs -Measured in lbs

-Within metro areas-Within metro areas

-Obesity is hot-Obesity is hot

-Data for 448 counties -Data for 448 counties

-For development-For development

An Academic Paper

Introduction

Methodology

Analysis

Results

Limitations

Discussion

A Newspaper Story

Results

Discussion

Examples

Methodology

Critics

This can mean turning This can mean turning your research upside your research upside

down.down.

One Study: Two Products

Academic paper Popular reportAcademic paper Popular report

Relationship Between Urban Sprawl and Physical Activity,

Obesity, and Morbidity• Published in the Published in the

American Journal of American Journal of Health PromotionHealth Promotion

• Peer-ReviewedPeer-Reviewed• Collaboration between Collaboration between

planning & public planning & public health researchershealth researchers

Measuring the Health Effects of Sprawl

• Based on peer-Based on peer-reviewed studyreviewed study

• Gives findings with Gives findings with modeled resultsmodeled results

• Cites additional Cites additional researchresearch

• Makes policy Makes policy RecommendationsRecommendations

Writing for the Writing for the

general publicgeneral public

‘Pre-Digest’ your results

• Remove jargon and most numbersRemove jargon and most numbers• Don’t be afraid to use common Don’t be afraid to use common

languagelanguage• Let go of complexityLet go of complexity• Focus on the bottom lineFocus on the bottom line

Academic Paper Abstract:

““After controlling for demographic and After controlling for demographic and behavioral covariates, the county sprawl behavioral covariates, the county sprawl index had small but significant associations index had small but significant associations with minutes walked (p = .004), obesity (p with minutes walked (p = .004), obesity (p < .001), BMI (p = .005) and hypertension < .001), BMI (p = .005) and hypertension (p = .018). Residents of sprawling (p = .018). Residents of sprawling counties were likely to walk less during counties were likely to walk less during leisure time, weigh more, and have greater leisure time, weigh more, and have greater prevalence of hypertension than residents prevalence of hypertension than residents of compact counties.”of compact counties.”

Popular Report Executive Summary:

““The study found that people living in The study found that people living in counties marked by sprawling counties marked by sprawling development are likely to walk less development are likely to walk less and weigh more than people who live and weigh more than people who live in less sprawling counties. In in less sprawling counties. In addition, people in more sprawling addition, people in more sprawling counties are more likely to suffer counties are more likely to suffer from hypertension (high blood from hypertension (high blood pressure).”pressure).”

Let Go of Complexity

• Avoid cluttering the story Avoid cluttering the story • One good finding is enoughOne good finding is enough• Reporters want the bottom lineReporters want the bottom line

– What does it mean?What does it mean?– How will it affect readers/viewers?How will it affect readers/viewers?

Put Results in Context

““This report presents the first national This report presents the first national study to show a clear association study to show a clear association between the type of place people live between the type of place people live and their activity levels, weight, and and their activity levels, weight, and health.”health.”

Put Results in Context

Take time to explain concepts:Take time to explain concepts:

-moderate physical activity-moderate physical activity

-Body Mass Index-Body Mass Index

-Walkable communities-Walkable communities

Use photographs & diagrams

Frank, LD “Health & Community Design”

Cite other studies to support findings

• Neighborhood level findings (Frank)Neighborhood level findings (Frank)• Transportation studies (Handy)Transportation studies (Handy)• International comparisons (Pucher)International comparisons (Pucher)

Discuss Policy Implications

• Bike-ped infrastructureBike-ped infrastructure• Create Safe Routes to SchoolCreate Safe Routes to School• Calm TrafficCalm Traffic

Discuss Policy Implications

• Build Transit-Oriented Build Transit-Oriented DevelopmentDevelopment

• Retrofit Sprawling Retrofit Sprawling CommunitiesCommunities

• Revitalize Walkable Revitalize Walkable NeighborhoodsNeighborhoods

Turn Findings into Examples

• Every 50-point increase in the degree Every 50-point increase in the degree of sprawl is linked to an increase in of sprawl is linked to an increase in Body Mass Index of Body Mass Index of .17..17.

That is a weight increase of about That is a weight increase of about

one poundone pound

for an average person. for an average person.

Academic Paper: Chart

Popular Report: Chart

The expected impact of sprawl on weight

County

County Sprawl Index

ScoreExpected

BMI

Expected Weight (5’7”)

Geauga (Cleveland) 63.12 26.23 167.5

Isanti (Minn.) 70.12 26.2 167.3

Hanover (Richmond) 74.97 26.19 167.2McHenry 100.08 26.1 166.6Delaware, PA 125.34 26.01 166.1Cook 150.15 25.93 165.5Suffolk 179.37 25.83 164.9

San Francisco 209.27 25.72 164.2New York 352.07 25.23 161.1

Local Local numbers numbers lead to lead to local local storiesstories

Conveying key points

““A 25-unit increase in the county index A 25-unit increase in the county index (one standard deviation) is (one standard deviation) is associated directly with a 0.085 associated directly with a 0.085 kg/m2 (25 x .00338) decrease in kg/m2 (25 x .00338) decrease in BMI. The same 25-unit increase is BMI. The same 25-unit increase is associated indirectly with only a associated indirectly with only a 0.001 kg/m2 (25 x .275 x .000128) 0.001 kg/m2 (25 x .275 x .000128) decrease in BMI through its effect on decrease in BMI through its effect on leisure-time walking.”leisure-time walking.”

Sprawl and Walking

People in sprawling People in sprawling areas walk less in areas walk less in their leisure timetheir leisure time

Sprawl and Walking

BRFSS doesn’t ask BRFSS doesn’t ask about walking about walking for for transportation. transportation.

But it appears to But it appears to be important.be important.

Sprawl and Walking

Additional analysis found that Additional analysis found that people in more sprawling people in more sprawling counties had higher BMIs and counties had higher BMIs and higher obesity levels, higher obesity levels, whether or whether or not not they walked for exercise.they walked for exercise.

Earlier study: sprawl means fewer walk to work

3.7%

1.9%

Ten Most Sprawling Ten Least Sprawling

Walking to Work

(excluding NYC and Jersey City)

Extensive release strategy

• National telephone conference callNational telephone conference call• Pitch to national reportersPitch to national reporters• Cooperation with local partnersCooperation with local partners• Television news feedTelevision news feed• Interactive websites:Interactive websites:

– www.smartgrowthamerica.orgwww.smartgrowthamerica.org– www.rwjf.org/news/videos.jspwww.rwjf.org/news/videos.jsp

A cooperative venture

• Robert Wood Johnson FoundationRobert Wood Johnson Foundation

• Rutgers Univ./University of MarylandRutgers Univ./University of Maryland

• Smart Growth AmericaSmart Growth America

• Centers for Disease Control & Centers for Disease Control & PreventionPrevention

Two special issues

Drawbacks

• Reporters will get it wrongReporters will get it wrong

• Discussion will be simplisticDiscussion will be simplistic

• Modeled results will show anomaliesModeled results will show anomalies

• You’ll become a lightning rodYou’ll become a lightning rod

Remember your goal

• Keep your goal modestKeep your goal modest

• See media as one part of a long See media as one part of a long education processeducation process

Summary

• Analyze research in media termsAnalyze research in media terms• Pre-digest and simplifyPre-digest and simplify• Put research in contextPut research in context• Translate findings into examples – Translate findings into examples –

localize if possiblelocalize if possible• Allocate resources to get the word Allocate resources to get the word

outout

Obesity and Driving

Obesity and Driving

Obesity and Driving

For more information, contact:

Barbara McCannMcCann Consulting

barbara@bmccann.net202-641-1163