Digital Commons Network^™

Implementation Of An E-Learning Course In Physical Activity And Sedentary Behavior For Pre- And In-Service Early Childhood Educators: Evaluation Of The Teach Pilot Study, Brianne A. Bruijns, Leigh M. Vanderloo, Andrew M. Johnson, Kristi B. Adamo, Shauna M. Burke, Valerie Carson, Rachel Heydon, Jennifer D. Irwin, Patti Jean Naylor, Brian W. Timmons, Patricia Tucker

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Childcare-based physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) interventions have traditionally used in-person training to supplement early childhood educators’ (ECEs) knowledge and confidence to facilitate physically active programming for the children in their care. However, this method of delivery is resource-intensive and unable to reach a high number of ECEs. The purpose of the Training pre-service EArly CHildhood educators in PA (TEACH) pilot study was to test the implementation (e.g., fidelity, feasibility, acceptability) of an e-Learning course targeting PA and SB among a sample of pre-service (i.e., post-secondary students) and in-service (i.e., practicing) ECEs in Canada. Methods: A pre-/post-study …

Change In Pre- And In-Service Early Childhood Educators’ Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, And Intentions Following An E-Learning Course In Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviour: A Pilot Study, Brianne A. Bruijns, Leigh M. Vanderloo, Andrew M. Johnson, Kristi B. Adamo, Shauna M. Burke, Valerie Carson, Rachel Heydon, Jennifer D. Irwin, Patti Jean Naylor, Brian W. Timmons, Patricia Tucker

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Early childhood educators (ECEs) are the primary daytime role models for many young children, and are responsible for facilitating physical activity (PA) opportunities and minimizing sedentary behaviour (SB) in childcare. However, they have reportedly received little related education in their pre-service training. The purpose of the Training pre-service EArly CHildhood educators in physical activity (TEACH) pilot study was to explore changes in pre- and in-service ECEs’ knowledge, self-efficacy, behavioural intention, and perceived behavioural control following the TEACH e-Learning course in PA and SB. Methods: Pre-service ECEs were purposefully recruited from three Canadian colleges, while in-service ECEs were recruited via …

Parents’ Perceptions Of Their Children’S Physical Activity During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Emma Ostermeier, Patricia Tucker, Danielle Tobin, Andrew Clark, Jason Gilliland

Geography & Environment Publications

Background

COVID-19 has drastically changed the everyday lives of children, including limiting interactions with peers, loss of regularly organized activities, and closure of schools and recreational facilities. While COVID-19 protocols are in place to reduce viral transmission, they have affected children’s access to physical activity opportunities. The purpose of this study was to understand how COVID-19 has affected children’s engagement in physical activity and to identify strategies that can support children’s return to physical activity programming in public places.

Methods

Parents of past participants in the Grade 5 ACT-i-Pass Program in London, Ontario, Canada were invited to participate in a …

The Process Of Commitment To Exercise Among Stroke Survivors In Canada, Nicole Evans, Denise M. Connelly, Melissa E. Hay

Physical Therapy Publications

The objective of this research was to understand the process of commitment to exercise participation for functional recovery among community-living survivors of stroke following discharge from formal rehabilitation. Participants were recruited from a mid-sized city in south-western Ontario, Canada. Between September 2017 and March 2018, 10 individuals living in the community with the effects of stroke, who continued to engage in regular exercise post-stroke, were recruited for participation. Constructivist grounded theory methodology was employed, utilising in-depth individual interviews and theoretical sampling, whereby data collection and analysis occurred simultaneously. Analysis involved constant comparison between data and codes to reduce knowledge gaps …

Training Pre-Service Early Childhood Educators In Physical Activity (Teach): Protocol For A Quasi-Experimental Study, Patricia Tucker, Brianne A. Bruijns, Kristi B. Adamo, Shauna M. Burke, Valerie Carson, Rachel Heydon, Jennifer D. Irwin, Andrew M. Johnson, Patti Jean Naylor, Brian W. Timmons, Leigh M. Vanderloo

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Early childhood educators (ECEs) influence young children’s early uptake of positive health behaviours in childcare settings and serve as important daytime role models. As such, it is imperative that post-secondary early childhood education programs provide students with the foundational knowledge and professional training required to confidently facilitate quality active play opportunities for young children. The primary objective of the Training pre-service EArly CHildhood educators in physical activity (TEACH) study is to develop and implement an e-Learning course in physical activity and sedentary behaviour to facilitate improvements in: pre-service ECEs’ self-efficacy and knowledge to lead physical activity and outdoor play …

Implementation Adherence And Perspectives Of The Childcare Physical Activity (Play) Policy: A Process Evaluation, Monika Szpunar, Andrew M. Johnson, Molly Driediger, Shauna M. Burke, Jennifer D. Irwin, Jacob Shelley, Brian W. Timmons, Leigh M. Vanderloo, Patricia Tucker

Paediatrics Publications

The Childcare PhysicaL ActivitY (PLAY) policy was an evidence-informed, eight-item institutional-level policy document targeting children’s physical activity, outdoor play, and sedentary time. Nine childcare centers in London, Ontario, participated in this cluster, randomized controlled trial. Early Childhood Educators allocated to the experimental group, from five childcare centers in London, Ontario, implemented the policy for young children (18 months to 4 years) for 8 weeks and documented adherence to each policy item (i.e., dose) in daily logs. Program evaluation surveys (n = 21) and interviews (n = 10) were completed postintervention to assess Early Childhood Educators’ perspectives of feasibility, context, enjoyment, …

Parents’ Attitudes Regarding Their Children’S Play And Sport During Covid-19, Monika B. Szpunar, Leigh M. Vanderloo, Brianne A. Bruijns, Stephanie Truelove, Shauna M. Burke, Jason Gilliland, Jennifer D. Irwin, Patricia Tucker

Geography & Environment Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures have interrupted the daily routines of parents and children. The purpose of this study was to explore parents’ attitudes regarding their children’s play/sport during COVID-19. A secondary objective was to explore the influence of parent demographics and parent-reported physical activity levels and risk tolerance on these attitudes. Ontario parents of children aged 12 and younger completed an online survey (August—December 2020) that assessed their attitudes (grouped by support, safety and socialization-related attitudes; n = 14 items) regarding their child(ren)’s play/sport, their physical activity levels (n = 2 items), and demographic details …

Evaluating Evidence-Based Content, Features Of Exercise Instruction, And Expert Involvement In Physical Activity Apps For Pregnant Women: Systematic Search And Content Analysis, Melanie J. Hayman, Kristie Lee Alfrey, Kim Waters, Summer Cannon, Gregore I. Mielke, Shelley E. Keating, Gabriela P. Mena, Michelle F. Mottola, Kelly R. Plint

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Guidelines for physical activity and exercise during pregnancy recommend that all women without contraindications engage in regular physical activity to improve both their own health and the health of their baby. Many women are uncertain how to safely engage in physical activity and exercise during this life stage and are increasingly using mobile apps to access health-relatedinformation. However, the extent to which apps that provide physical activity and exercise advice align with current evidence-based pregnancy recommendations is unclear. Objective: This study aims to conduct a systematic search and content analysis of apps that promote physical activity and exercise in …

Physical Activity In High School Classrooms: A Promising Avenue For Future Research, Barbara Fenesi, Jeffrey D. Graham, Madeline Crichton, Michelle Ogrodnik, Jasmyn Skinner

Neuroscience Institute Publications

Adolescence represents a sensitive period whereby lifestyle factors such as physical activity can have profound, long-lasting effects on development and later life habits. However, adolescence constitutes a period of frequent sedentary behaviour. Among children, integrating physical activity into elementary school classrooms has been shown to reduce sedentary behaviour and improve academic achievement and overall physical and mental health. However, this promising area of research has not extended to adolescents and high school classrooms. In this paper, we describe the benefits of conducting research on the impact of physically active high school classrooms, and highlight the challenges and potential misconceptions associated …

Parents’ Report Of Canadian Elementary School Children’S Physical Activity And Screen Time During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study, Emma Ostermeier, Patricia Tucker, Andrew Clark, Jamie A. Seabrook, Jason Gilliland

Paediatrics Publications

COVID-19 public health protocols have altered children’s daily routines, limiting their physical activity opportunities. The purpose of this study was to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected children’s (ages 10–12 years) physical activity and screen time, and to explore the impact of gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and public health constraints (i.e., facility use and social interaction) on the changes in children’s health behaviors. Online surveys were disseminated to parents at two time points: before COVID-19 (May 2019 to February 2020) and during COVID-19 (November to December 2020). Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to assess changes in physical activity and screen …

Children And Parents’ Perspectives Of The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Ontario Children’S Physical Activity, Play, And Sport Behaviours, Monika Szpunar, Leigh M. Vanderloo, Brianne A. Bruijns, Stephanie Truelove, Shauna M. Burke, Jason Gilliland, Jennifer D. Irwin, Patricia Tucker

Paediatrics Publications

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures have resulted in the closure of many physical activity-supporting facilities. This study examined Ontario parents’ and children’s perspectives of COVID-19’s impact on children’s physical activity behaviours, return to play/sport during COVID-19, as well as barriers/facilitators to getting active amid extended closures of physical activity venues. Methods: Parents/guardians of children aged 12 years and under living in Ontario, Canada were invited to participate in an interview. 12 parent/guardian and 9 child interviews were conducted via Zoom between December 2020 – January 2021, were audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Thematic content analysis was undertaken …

Training May Enhance Early Childhood Educators’ Self-Efficacy To Lead Physical Activity In Childcare, Brianne A. Bruijns, Andrew M. Johnson, Jennifer D. Irwin, Shauna M. Burke, Molly Driediger, Leigh M. Vanderloo, Patricia Tucker

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Early childhood educators (ECEs) play a critical role in promoting physical activity (PA) among preschoolers in childcare; thus, PA-related training for ECEs is essential. The Supporting PA in the Childcare Environment (SPACE) intervention incorporated: 1. shorter, more frequent outdoor play sessions; 2. provision of portable play equipment; and, PA training for ECEs. An extension of the SPACE intervention (the SPACE-Extension) incorporated only the shorter, more frequent outdoor play periods component of the original SPACE intervention. The purpose of this study was to explore the individual impact of these interventions on ECEs’ PA-related self-efficacy and knowledge. Methods: ECEs from the …

Ontario Adults’ Health Behaviors, Mental Health, And Overall Well-Being During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Katie J. Shillington, Leigh M. Vanderloo, Shauna M. Burke, Victor Ng, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer D. Irwin

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Public health measures such as physical distancing and work-from-home initiatives have been implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19. These measures may also be associated with unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, which could be particularly problematic for those already at highest risk for losing years of healthy life due to chronic disease (i.e., 30–59-year-olds). The purpose of this paper is two-fold: (1) to provide an overview of Ontario adults’ health behaviors (i.e., physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and dietary intake), mental health, and well-being during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic (April–July 2020); and (2) to explore the difference between …

Measuring Early Childhood Educators’ Physical Activity And Sedentary Behavior–Related Self-Efficacy: A Systematic Review Of Tools, Monika Szpunar, Brianne Bruijns, Patricia Tucker

Paediatrics Publications

Early childhood educators’ (ECEs) self-efficacy is often predictive of their ability and likelihood of promoting healthy activity behaviors in childcare settings. To date, ECEs’ physical activity and sedentary behavior–related self-efficacy has been measured in a variety of ways in childcare-based research, creating difficulty when comparing across studies. To identify the different approaches ECEs’ self-efficacy is assessed, the current study aimed to compare all existing tools that quantitatively measure physical activity and sedentary behavior–related self-efficacy of pre- and in-service ECEs. Seven online databases were searched for original, peer-reviewed, English-written journal articles. Articles were deemed eligible if they employed a tool which …

Impact Of The Childcare Physical Activity (Play) Policy On Young Children’S Physical Activity And Sedentary Time: A Pilot Clustered Randomized Controlled Trial, Monika Szpunar, Molly Driediger, Andrew M. Johnson, Leigh M. Vanderloo, Shauna M. Burke, Jennifer D. Irwin, Jacob Shelley, Brian W. Timmons, Patricia Tucker

Paediatrics Publications

Background: The importance of daily physical activity is crucial for healthy development during the early years. Currently, a formal written physical activity policy is lacking in Canadian childcare centers, but holds promise for offering consistent physical activity opportunities. With eight recom-mendations, the Childcare PLAY policy is an evidence-informed, institutional-level document, target-ing children’s physical activity, outdoor play, and sedentary time. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the Childcare Physical Activity (PLAY) policy on the physical activity and sedentary time of young children (18 months–4 years) in childcare. Methods: Nine childcare centers in London, Ontario participated in …

Quality, Features, And Presence Of Behavior Change Techniques In Mobile Apps Designed To Improve Physical Activity In Pregnant Women: Systematic Search And Content Analysis, Melanie Hayman, Kristie Lee Alfrey, Summer Cannon, Stephanie Alley, Amanda L. Rebar, Susan Williams, Camille E. Short, Abby Altazan

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Physical activity during pregnancy is associated with several health benefits for the mother and child. However, very few women participate in regular physical activity during pregnancy. eHealth platforms (internet and mobile apps) have become an important information source for pregnant women. Although the use of pregnancy-related apps has significantly increased among pregnant women, very little is known about their theoretical underpinnings, including their utilization of behavior change techniques (BCTs). This is despite research suggesting that inclusion of BCTs in eHealth interventions are important for promoting healthy behaviors, including physical activity. Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct …

Examining Weather-Related Factors On Physical Activity Levels Of Children From Rural Communities, Brenton L.G. Button, Tayyab I. Shah, Andrew F. Clark, Piotr Wilk, Jason A. Gilliland

Paediatrics Publications

Objective: The objective was to examine the influence of weather on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and light physical activity (LPA) levels of children aged 8–14 years from rural communities, an understudied Canadian population. Methods: Children (n = 90) from four communities in rural Northwestern Ontario participated in this study between September and December 2016. Children’s MVPA and LPA were measured using an Actical accelerometer and demographic data were gathered from surveys of children and their parents. Weather data were collected from the closest weather station. Cross-classified regression models were used to assess the relationship between weather and children’s MVPA and …

Examining Weather-Related Factors On Physical Activity Levels Of Children From Rural Communities, Brenton L.G. Button, Tayyab I. Shah, Andrew F. Clark, Piotr Wilk, Jason A. Gilliland

Paediatrics Publications

Objective: The objective was to examine the influence of weather on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and light physical activity (LPA) levels of children aged 8–14 years from rural communities, an understudied Canadian population. Methods: Children (n = 90) from four communities in rural Northwestern Ontario participated in this study between September and December 2016. Children’s MVPA and LPA were measured using an Actical accelerometer and demographic data were gathered from surveys of children and their parents. Weather data were collected from the closest weather station. Cross-classified regression models were used to assess the relationship between weather and children’s MVPA and …

Be Healthy In Pregnancy: Exploring Factors That Impact Pregnant Women's Nutrition And Exercise Behaviours, Lindsay N. Grenier, Stephanie A. Atkinson, Michelle F. Mottola, Olive Wahoush, Lehana Thabane, Feng Xie, Jennifer Vickers-Manzin, Caroline Moore

Paediatrics Publications

Excess gestational weight gain is associated with short- and long-term pregnancy complications. Although a healthy diet and physical activity during pregnancy are recommended and shown to reduce the risk of complications and improve outcomes, adherence to these recommendations is low. The aims of this study were to explore women's view of nutrition and physical activity during pregnancy and to describe barriers and facilitators experienced in implementing physical activity and nutrition recommendations. In a substudy of the Be Healthy in Pregnancy randomized trial, 20 semistructured focus groups were conducted with 66 women randomized to the control group when they were between …

Examining How Children's Gender Influences Parents’ Perceptions Of The Local Environment And Their Influence On Children's Independent Mobility, Alina Medeiros, Andrew F. Clark, Gina Martin, Jamie A. Seabrook, Jason Gilliland

Paediatrics Publications

Physical inactivity among children is a public health concern. Children's ability to travel independently is associated with increased physical activity and social connectedness. Consequently, it is concerning that children's independent mobility has decreased in recent years. Studies have highlighted that rates of independent mobility vary by gender; this study analyzed how correlates of independent mobility vary between boys (n = 476) and girls (n = 618) attending 32 elementary schools in Southwestern Ontario. Hierarchical logistic regression modeling methods were used. All analyzes were stratified by gender. For boys, age was negatively associated with travel with peers. Having one or more …

Adding Team-Based Financial Incentives To The Carrot Rewards Physical Activity App Increases Daily Step Count On A Population Scale: A 24-Week Matched Case Control Study, Emma Pearson, Harry Prapavessis, Christopher Higgins, Robert Petrella, Lauren White, Marc Mitchell

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Mobile health applications (mHealth apps) targeting physical inactivity have increased in popularity yet are usually limited by low engagement. This study examined the impact of adding team-based incentives (Step Together Challenges, STCs) to an existing mHealth app (Carrot Rewards) that rewarded individual physical activity achievements. Methods: A 24-week quasi-experimental study (retrospective matched pairs design) was conducted in three Canadian provinces (pre-intervention: weeks 1–12; intervention: weeks 13–24). Participants who used Carrot Rewards and STCs (experimental group) were matched with those who used Carrot Rewards only (controls) on age, gender, province and baseline mean daily step count (±500 steps/d). Carrot Rewards …

Content Development For A Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviour E-Learning Module For Early Childhood Education Students: A Delphi Study, Brianne A. Bruijns, Andrew M. Johnson, Patricia Tucker

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Early childhood educators play a prominent role in promoting healthy activity behaviours in childcare. However, they have expressed that they lack the appropriate pre-service training to confidently lead physical activity (PA), and minimize sedentary behaviour (SB), in childcare. As such, the purpose of this Delphi study was to generate and reach agreement on content areas for inclusion in a PA and SB e-Learning module for Early Childhood Education (ECE) students. Methods: Purposeful sampling of Canadian/international researchers was used to form two expert panels: a PA/SB expert panel (n = 26), and a Canadian ECE panel (n = 35). The …

Measuring Temporal Differences In Rural Canadian Children’S Moderate-To-Vigorous Physical Activity, Brenton L.G. Button, Andrew F. Clark, Gina Martin, Megan Graat, Jason A. Gilliland

Paediatrics Publications

The purpose of this study was to measure the factors that influence children’s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during school curriculum time, recess time, and outside school time in a rural area. During the Fall and Winter of 2016, 34 boys and 55 girls aged 8–14 years from rural communities in rural Northwestern Ontario participated in the Spatial Temporal Environment and Activity Monitoring project. The children’s MVPA was measured using an accelerometer, and child-level demographic, behavioral, and environmental data were gathered from surveys, passively logging global positioning units, and municipal datasets. Data on daily temperature and precipitation were gathered from the …

Can A Lifestyle Genomics Intervention Motivate Patients To Engage In Greater Physical Activity Than A Population-Based Intervention? Results From The Now Randomized Controlled Trial, Justine R. Horne, Jason Gilliland, Tara Leckie, Colleen O'Connor, Jamie A. Seabrook, Janet Madill

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Lifestyle genomics (LGx) is a science that explores interactions between genetic variation, lifestyle components such as physical activity (PA), and subsequent health- and performance-related outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine whether an LGx intervention could motivate enhanced engagement in PA to a greater extent than a population-based intervention. Methods: In this pragmatic randomized controlled trial, participants received either the standard, population-based Group Lifestyle BalanceTM (GLB) program intervention or the GLB program in addition to the provision of LGx information and advice (GLB + LGx). Participants (n = 140) completed a 7-day PA recall at baseline, 3, …

Can A Lifestyle Genomics Intervention Motivate Patients To Engage In Greater Physical Activity Than A Population-Based Intervention? Results From The Now Randomized Controlled Trial, Justine R. Horne, Jason Gilliland, Tara Leckie, Colleen O'Connor, Jamie A. Seabrook, Janet Madill

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Lifestyle genomics (LGx) is a science that explores interactions between genetic variation, lifestyle components such as physical activity (PA), and subsequent health- and performance-related outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine whether an LGx intervention could motivate enhanced engagement in PA to a greater extent than a population-based intervention. Methods: In this pragmatic randomized controlled trial, participants received either the standard, population-based Group Lifestyle BalanceTM (GLB) program intervention or the GLB program in addition to the provision of LGx information and advice (GLB + LGx). Participants (n = 140) completed a 7-day PA recall at baseline, 3, …

Perspectives And Impact Of A Parent-Child Intervention On Dietary Intake And Physical Activity Behaviours, Parental Motivation, And Parental Body Composition: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Shazya Karmali, Danielle S. Battram, Shauna M. Burke, Anita Cramp, Andrew M. Johnson, Tara Mantler, Don Morrow, Victor Ng, Erin S. Pearson, Robert J. Petrella, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer D. Irwin

Paediatrics Publications

Adults and children in Canada are not meeting physical activity guidelines nor consuming sufficient nutrient-rich foods. High engagement in these unhealthy behaviours can lead to obesity and its associated diseases. Parent-child interventions aimed at obesity prevention/treatment have assisted families with making positive changes to their nutrition and physical activity behaviours. Given that the home environment shapes early health behaviours, it is important to target both parents and children when addressing diet and physical activity. One method that has been shown to improve health outcomes is co-active coaching. The current study explored the impact of a threemonth co-active coaching and/or health …

Understanding Factors Associated With Children Achieving Recommended Amount Of Mvpa On Weekdays And Weekend Days, Brenton L.G. Button, Andrew F. Clark, Jason A. Gilliland

Paediatrics Publications

Low levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) are consistently reported for children from industrialized countries. Perennially inadequate levels of MVPA have been linked to increased chronic disease risks. Very few studies have compared physical activity levels among children from geographically diverse places, and how they differ on weekdays versus weekends. The purpose of this research is to examine the factors that influence whether children achieve 60 min of MVPA on weekdays compared to weekend days. Data were analyzed on children (n = 532) aged 8–14 years from communities in Southern and Northern Ontario, Canada that participated in the study between …

Infants’ And Toddlers’ Physical Activity And Sedentary Time As Measured By Accelerometry: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis,, Brianne Bruijns, Stephanie Truelove, Andrew M. Johnson, Jason A. Gilliland, Patricia Tucker

Human Environments Analysis Lab (HEAL)

Background: Early experiences in physical activity (PA) are important to shape healthy movement behaviours long-term; as such, it is critical that PA is promoted from infancy, and that detrimental behaviours (e.g., prolonged sedentary time [ST]) are minimized. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine infants’ and toddlers’ movement behaviours across daytime hours.

Methods: Seven online databases were searched for terms related to infants (< 12 months), toddlers (12–35.9 months), PA, ST, and accelerometry. Two independent reviewers examined 4873 articles for peer-reviewed original research, published in English, that assessed infants’ (counts/min) and/or toddlers’ PA or ST (min/day) using accelerometry across daytime hours. Infants’ mean PA level (counts/min) was averaged across studies, and ranges were produced. Estimates of toddlers’ movement behaviours were aggregated meta-analytically to produce average daily rates, and accelerometer placement, cut-point validity, device type, and epoch length were tested as a moderating variables.

Results: Twenty-four studies from 16 countries (published 2011–2019), representing 3699 participants, were included in the systematic review. Five studies reported on infants’ PA, which ranged from 78.2 to 2580.5 cpm. Across 20 …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of A Naturally Occurring Population-Level Physical Activity Intervention For Children, C. Smith, A. F. Clark, P. Wilk, P. Tucker, J. A. Gilliland

Human Environments Analysis Lab (HEAL)

Objectives

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of a recreation access pass on grade 5 children's physical activity (PA) levels.

Study design

This is a pre-post evaluation of a population-level community-based intervention.

Methods

All grade 5 students in (London, Ontario, Canada) were invited to participate in the [ACT-i-Pass] program (G5AP) in May 2014. A total of 643 children completed surveys, that included Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C), at baseline (October 2014) and 6-month follow-up (April 2015). Difference in the means t-test compared PAQ-C scores between baseline and follow-up for the sample and subgroups. Multiple …

Exploring Children's Perceptions Of Barriers And Facilitators To Physical Activity In Rural Northwestern Ontario, Canada, Brenton L.G. Button, Suzanne Tillmann, Jason Gilliland

Paediatrics Publications

Introduction: Low levels of physical activity among children are a significant public health concern in several industrialized nations. The current research body has failed to gather adequate information on various geographic regions. Understanding barriers and facilitators in different rural regions is imperative for creating successful physical activity interventions for children in rural areas. The purpose of this study is to explore rural children's perspectives on physical activity and to discuss barriers or facilitators to physical activity participation in rural Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Methods: Children (n=84) in Grades 4-8 (ages 8-14 years) in rural Northwestern Ontario participated in focus groups to …