ResourcesNo.49
January 2007
 
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Watching the Web:
Resources on Healthy Living and Lifestyles
Gretchen Ghent

 

Introduction
The topic of healthy living has many different elements and aspects, including physical fitness/exercise, diet and nutrition, psychological factors (e.g. stress), lifestyle, and obesity. Many government websites, developed by departments of health, have a section on healthy living, lifestyles, diet, or nutrition. National and regional physical education associations, the World Health Organization, medical research institutions are also well represented. Using the metasearch engines, Google (http://www.google.com/) or Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com/), the dedicated researcher is able to identify the more reliable sources listed amongst the oft times, spurious advice offered by the usual self-appointed diet and pseudo-psychology proponents.
The international databases SPORTDiscus (http://www.sirc.ca/)
and Pub Med http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez contains many references to articles on all aspects of the topic.

Databases
SPORTDiscus
Descriptors to search include:
PHYSICAL FITNESS | PUBLIC HEALTH | EXERCISE | LIFESTYLE | OBESITY | STRESS
Or combine some of the above terms with ECONOMICS to find the costs of an unhealthy lifestyle

Research Papers Online
Christopher J Ruhm
Healthy living in hard times
National Bureau of Economic Research. Papers
http://papers.nber.org/papers/w9468.pdf
Morris, J.N. et al.
Minimum income for healthy living: older people
London: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 2005, 57p.
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/Documents/370_1005_MIHL_Report.pdf
Qualitative research with focus group testing on format for a new healthy living: Canada’s healthy eating and physical activity guide, final report
Ottawa: Health Canada and Millward Brown Goldfarb (Firm), 2004.
http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/200/301/pwgsc-tpsgc/pro-ef/index.html
World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe
Healthy Living: What is a healthy lifestyle?
Geneva, WHO, 1999
http://www.euro.who.int/Document/E66134.pdf
Edwards, Peggy and Tsouros, Agis
Promoting physical activity and active living in urban environments: the role of local governments. The solid facts.
Geneva: WHO, 2006
http://www.euro.who.int/document/e89498.pdf?language=?language=French
56 pages ISBN 92 890 2181 0
Also available in paper copy: CHF 20.00/US$ 18.00 In developing countries: CHF 14/US$ 12.60

Websites
Canada. Health Canada
Healthy Living page
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/index_e.html
Has many references including information on
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NHS Health Scotland
http://www.healthyliving.gov.uk/
Includes sections on physical activity, healthy eating, ask the experts, FAQs, top tips, case studies, publications, healthy links, news
Mayo Clinic Healthy Living
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/HealthyLivingIndex/HealthyLivingIndex
This well-respected Clinic has many resources on their website with sections on children’s health, complementary & alternative medicine, fitness, food & nutrition, healthy recipes, men’s health, senior health, sleep, stress, teen’s health, weight loss, women’s health, working life.
Australia’s Get Moving Campaign
Building a Healthy, Active Australia
http://www.healthyactive.gov.au/
Singapore Health Promotions Board
http://www.hpb.gov.sg/hpb/default.asp?pg_id=776
Sections on nutrition, exercise, stress, smoking
Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC)
Getting Active (7 program outlines)
http://www.sparc.org.nz/getting-active
Medline Plus Healthy Living (health topics)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthyliving.html
Has news, overview articles, prevention/screening articles, health check tools, nutrition and related issues

Print Publications
Alters, Sandra & Schiff, Wendy
Essential concepts for healthy living, 4th ed.
Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2006
503p. ISBN 0763729523

Contact
Gretchen Ghent, Librarian Emeritus
University of Calgary Library
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
gghent@ucalgary.ca




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