The Cooper Institute

The Cooper Institute Youth Team held their annual NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram Project Champion Summit last week at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Physical Education leaders whose school districts are enrolled into the project came together for a day of learning, networking, and fun. Special thanks to the Dallas Cowboys for hosting such an amazing event and Cowboys in the Community for helping our Champions get in the spirit with NFL FLAG football drills and activities. We would also like to thank our project partners (NFL Foundation , GenYouth , Greenlight Fitness , American Heart Association , Everfi from Blackbaud , US Games) for their wonderful presentations and participation at the event!

HAPPENING NOW: The Cooper Institute Youth Team and The Dallas Cowboys are hosting Project Champions from around the nation at the 2024 NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram Project Annual Summit at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The event was kicked off with a welcome dinner and NFL Flag drills with former NFL players.

The Cooper Institute’s FitnessGram Advisory Board (FAB) recently met in Stevenson, WA for their annual board meeting. The FAB was established in 1985 to ensure the FitnessGram assessment remains scientifically sound and promotes lifelong wellness among youth. This year, the FAB discussed the three new FitnessGram assessments (launching this fall) and continued to evaluate current Youth related health and fitness research. CI’s Youth Team also honored Dr. Kathleen Janz for her dedicated service to the FAB over the last 7 years. In their down time, the team and FAB members remained active, enjoying hiking, biking and geocaching.

Support our research and preservation of the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study by donating today, visit: https://bit.ly/3EsUpMs

Did youth fitness decline during the COVID-19 pandemic? New research by Dr. Andjelka Pavlovic, Director of Youth at The Cooper Institute and colleagues was presented at ACSM’s Annual Meeting and used data from the NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram Project to answer this question. Among 264 schools across 21 states, cardiorespiratory fitness declined significantly during the pandemic. In fact, children were 23% less likely to achieve the Health Fitness Zone between spring 2020 and spring 2021 compared to either before or after the pandemic. However, the observed decline in fitness does not appear to be a result of prolonged remote/hybrid learning environments. Click the image below to see the abstract presented at the conference.

Our research team’s Clare Meernik celebrating World Bicycle Day to promote health, prevent disease, and build a greener environment.

Yuzi Zhang, PhD, MS, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston/School of Public Health and a student of the late Bill Kohl, PhD, recently presented an abstract based on data from The Cooper Institute’s Cooper Center Longitudinal Study(CCLS) at the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) conference in Omaha, Nebraska. As The Cooper Institute highlights the importance of physical activity on this National Senior Health & Fitness Day, this abstract highlights the association of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep patterns with cognitive function among middle-aged and older community-dwelling adults. To learn more about our research visit: www.cooperinstitute.org
&FitnessDay

Today is National Scavenger Hunt Day and you can celebrate by creating a scavenger hunt to do at home or in your classroom! Not only are scavenger hunts a low-cost and playful way to boost teamwork and collaboration skills, but they can also be a fun way to sneak in some outdoor exercise. Have your students’ collect treasures by color (i.e.: a green leaf, a brown stick, a yellow flower) or provide clues and have them check off a list. Some sample questions may look like this:
• I am red, have eight sides and drivers must stop behind me. I am a ____? (Stop Sign)
• I have roots in the ground and leaves in the sky. I am home to birds that you can see. I am a ___? (tree)
• I am filled with water from the ground and used by Firefighters when a fire is around. I am ____? (Fire Hydrant)
Happy Hunting!

In honor of American Stroke Month, check out this article by The Cooper Institute’s research team on the correlation between muscular strength and risk of stoke later in life. https://bit.ly/3QTLABI
And remember F.A.S.T to help save a life!

Today is World Hypertension Day, celebrated to raise your awareness not your BP! If you suffer from high blood pressure and avoid weight training for fear of increasing it, check out this article to see how resistance training may actual benefit those with hypertension!

Hypertension and weight training: secrets for success | The Cooper Institute Approximately 57% of the adult population is estimated to have hypertension (resting blood pressure > 140/90) or pre-hypertension (Ostchega et al). We’ve all been told that aerobic exercise is a great way to lower blood pressure.

A new study from The Cooper Institute reassures that high levels of physical activity do not accelerate the progression of atherosclerosis. Data from the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study (CCLS) demonstrates that progression of coronary artery calcium (CAC) over time is not associated with leisure-time aerobic physical activity measured at baseline and follow-up. Read the full study here: https://bit.ly/JAMACardioStudy

Join students around the world as they participate in the Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day 2024! Thousands of schools across America and the globe celebrate walking and rolling to school every year. By walking or rolling to your work/school, you can help reduce the environmental impact of automobile emissions, promote safety, and benefit your community. Additionally, starting your day off with an active trip to work/school enables you to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine, helping you build healthier habits that will last Well. Into the Future!
For more information on the annual Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day 2024 visit:

Walk & Bike to School Today is the day! Families, school officials and community leaders across the United States will strap on helmets and lace up shoes today to participate in the 13th annual National Bike & Roll to School Day, a celebration highlighting the importance of safe, active transportation to school and promo...

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Happy National Fitness Day! This May 4th, may the fitness be with you (see what we did there? 😊)! Increasing physical fitness in children and adolescents leads to numerous health benefits including:
1. Improves heart health
2. Builds strong bones
3. Reduces risk of chronic illnesses
4. Improves the immune system
5. Improves memory
6. Improves focus in school
7. Better sleep
8. Improves mood
So, this National Fitness Day, get out there and BE ACTIVE. Your body will thank you!

Looking for May Activities to Keep Kids Fit? The Cooper Institute's Youth May Newsletter has plenty of ideas for everyone! Read all about it by clicking: https://conta.cc/3JKrXZ1

May Activities to Keep Kids Fit Improving youth health and fitness through assessment, science and education. May 2024   May Activities To Keep Kids Fit STAY ACTIVE AND STAY HEALTHY! Improving youth health and fitness through asses

The Youth Team traveled to New York to train Buffalo Public School Physical Education teachers on the NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram Project. Close to 150 BPS teachers participated in the training where they reviewed the “why” behind FitnessGram, FitnessGram Protocols and learned how to navigate the new FitnessGram software. Special thank you to Preston Teague with the for his guest appearance to thank the PE teachers for their dedication in helping make the next generation of youth healthy!

National Superhero Day is celebrated annually on April 28th to honor superheroes, both real and fictional. This year, the Youth Team at The Cooper Institute recognizes our real-life superheroes: the physical education teachers at participating NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram Project schools who make the project the success that it is. Thank you for making the next generation of youth the most active and healthy!

Congratulations to Catherine Agarwal (Class of 2026), a second year medical student at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas who presented a poster on research from the world famous Cooper Center Longitudinal Study at the National Student Research Forum and received first price in the Psychiatry division.

Congratulations Catherine and thank you for your collaboration with The Cooper Institute!”

Feeling stressed out? One of the best ways to combat stress is through physical activity! Whether it's going for a run, taking a yoga class, or hitting the gym, exercise has been proven to reduce stress levels and improve overall mental health. So next time you're feeling overwhelmed, lace up those sneakers and get moving! You can learn more about physical activity and stress reduction here https://bit.ly/4aM1Cpl

Celebrated annually on April 22nd, Earth Day aims to raise awareness for the environmental issues facing the globe today and demonstrates the support for environmental protection. One way that you can commit to protecting the Earth is by planting a community garden! Gardening helps minimize your impact on the planet by helping to reduce food waste as well as removing air pollution and absorbing rainwater (reducing the amount of pollutants washing into our water sources). Additionally, gardening is a great way to get in shape! Gardening engages all the major muscle groups, helps improve mobility, builds endurance, and promotes a healthier lifestyle.
For more ideas on how to celebrate the Earth with an Earth Day Workout, check out this article from ActiveFit+ :

Your Guide to an Earth Day Workout to Help Celebrate the Earth Earth Day happens annually on April 22. Mark the event with a workout that benefits the earth and creates minimal environmental impact.What Is the History of Earth Day?Celebrated annually on April 22, Earth Day is a "holiday" created in 1970 to boost public consciousness about air and water pollutio...

It’s National Tax Day and if you’re feeling the added stress that comes with it, remember exercise is a proven stress reliever! So, step away from that spreadsheet and get your body moving! Even 30 minutes of exercise will do wonders to boost your endorphins and bring on mental clarity! For more information on Exercise and Stress Relief check out the Mayo Clinic’s article here! https://bit.ly/49BmE8L

It's National Pet Day! Meet the pets of The Cooper Institute!

There are plenty of tips on staying active this Spring by reading The Cooper Institute's April Youth Newsletter. Read all about it by clicking here: https://conta.cc/3vGuno6

April - Spring Activities to Keep You Fit Improving youth health and fitness through assessment, science and education. April 2024   Spring Activities To Keep You Fit STAY ACTIVE AND STAY HEALTHY! Improving youth health and fitness through a

Did you know that prolonged sitting is a great way to improve your health and meet your fitness goals? Spending large portions of your day on the couch or at a desk helps you boost your energy levels and improve your metabolism! APRIL FOOLS! Research has shown that prolonged sitting has adverse effects on our general health including pain and tightness in our muscles and joints. To help counteract these negative side effects, try these three stretches throughout your day:
1. Neck Roll – Bring your chin down to your chest then slowly roll your head to the side, bringing your ear towards your shoulder. Repeat 5-10 times and then switch sides.
2. Cobra Stretch – Lie with your stomach on the ground and your hands by your chest. Press into your palms to lift your rib cage off the ground, tuck your tailbone and lean your head back. Hold the pose for 15-20 seconds and then lay back down and repeat.
3. Seated Hamstring – Sit with one leg bent and the other leg extended in front of you with a micro bend at the knee. With a straight spine, hinge forward until you feel a stretch behind the thigh. Hold for 30-45 seconds, switch legs and repeat.

Happy Easter!!

At the American Heart Association EPI Lifestyle meeting in Chicago, IL, Eduardo Sanchez MD, MPH, member of The Cooper Institute’s Board of Trustees presented his work on improving high blood pressure control in community health centers.

Yes, we are still celebrating Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper's 93rd Birthday! Like Dr. Cooper's vision for everyone to stay active and physically fit since his days as an Oklahoma Sooner - we continue sharing his vision and research contributions around the world.
Join us and support The Cooper Institute's research by visiting https://bit.ly/CooperDonate and donate today in honor of Dr. Cooper's 93rd birthday! Happy Birthday Dr. Cooper!