In the U.S., diseases related to obesity and physical inactivity are among the leading causes of death. Efforts to address these public health problems must consider the fact that injuries, including activity-related injuries, are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to 44. A growing portion of research, policy, and practice related to active living includes concepts and measures related to injury prevention. There is a need for those working to promote physical activity and those working to reduce injuries to understand and assure that interventions to promote activity are consistent with evidence-based injury prevention strategies.
In this Workshop, faculty from the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, one of the nation’s leading CDC-funded Injury Control Research Centers, described the burden of injuries in the U.S.; leading tools, measures, theories, and data sources relevant for active living research, policy, and practice; information on evidence-based interventions for keeping people safe while being active; and strategies to enhance collaborations between injury prevention and active living professionals.