Physical activity and public health: training courses for researchers and practitioners.

The authors explore development of courses in continuing education intended to provide additional research and practice capacity for addressing the growing burden of chronic disease and disability from physical inactivity. Two annual training courses on physical activity and public health are described. The courses are developed with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity. The University of South Carolina, School of Public Health, Prevention Research Center has been an active collaborator and was responsible for developing and implementing the courses. An eight-day "Course on Research Directions and Strategies," is offered to postdoctoral researchers, and practitioners may take a six-day "Practitioners' Course on Community Interventions." Both courses are designed to increase the number of professionals qualified to implement physical activity community interventions and conduct physical activity and public health research.