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Assessing Physical Activity And Sedentary Time In The Early Years, Leigh M. Vanderloo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The overall purpose of this dissertation was to explore young children’s (18 months to 5 years) physical activity and sedentary time. Study 1 assessed the physical activity and sedentary time among a sample of toddlers from London, Canada using two data processing approaches. Study 2 explored the impact of three different early learning environments, and their respective characteristics (e.g., staff behaviours, equipment, sedentary opportunities, etc.), on preschoolers’ activity levels. Study 3 examined differences in two popular accelerometers used to measure young children’s physical activity and sedentary time to better understand measurement discrepancies.

Study 1 revealed that toddlers engaged in 37.27 …

Feasibility Of A Combined Physical Activity And Sleep Education Intervention For Girls Living In A Low Socioeconomic Status Urban Community, Cory J. Greever

Doctoral Dissertations

Declining sleep duration and poor sleep quality is a public health epidemic disproportionately effecting elementary age girls living in low socioeconomic status urban communities. The Girls Dancing and Sleeping for Health (Girls DASH) program was designed to test the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a combined physical activity and sleep education program in this population. In combination with baseline data from a previously conducted intervention in elementary age urban girls living in a low SES community in Springfield, MA, results from a cross-sectional analysis indicated that greater screen time was positively associated with parental reports of child’s sleep quality. Additionally, …

Impact Of Adiposity On Postural Control At The Onset Of Sitting, Danae M. Dinkel, Anastasia Kyvelidou, Ben Senderling, Kailey Snyder, Jung-Min Lee

Research Presentations

Little research has examined the impact of infant adiposity on the quality of gross motor behavior, especially in sitting through measuring postural control. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact of adiposity as measured by skinfold thickness (SFT) on postural control at the onset of sitting in typically developing infants. Nineteen infants (n=8 high SFT, n=11 lower SFT) participated in a pilot study examining the relationship between infant physical activity and postural control. High SFT was classified as having a subscapular and triceps measurement in the 85th percentile or above according to the WHO age and …

Impact Of Adiposity On Physical Activity Levels Of Young Infants, Kailey Snyder, Danae M. Dinkel, Jung-Min Lee, Anastasia Kyvelidou

Research Presentations

Studies suggest that infant adiposity may delay the development of motor skills such as sitting.1-3 However, the role of physical activity (PA) in the development of motor skills during the first year of life has been understudied and little is known about the amount of PA needed for normal growth and development in infants.4,5

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of adiposity as measured by subscapular skinfold thickness (SFT) on PA of typically developing infants at three months of age (visit 1), onset of sitting (visit 2) (M=5 months, 8 days), and one month post …

The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Diet And Young Children's Cognitive Development: A Systematic Review, Pooja S. Tandon, Alison Tovar, Avanthi T. Jayasuriya, Emily Welker, Daniel J. Schober, Kristen Copeland, Dipti A. Dev, Ashleigh L. Murriel, Dima Amso, Dianne S. Ward

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective. Given the high prevalence of suboptimal nutrition and low activity levels in children, we systematically reviewed the literature on the relationship between physical activity and dietary patterns and cognitive development in early childhood (six months to five years).

Methods. In February 2016, we conducted two different searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and ERIC. Each search included either physical activity (including gross motor skills) or diet terms, and neurocognitive development outcome terms. Included studies were in English, published since 2005, and of any study design in which the physical activity or diet measure occurred prior to age five.

Results. For physical …

Perceptions Of Infant Physical Activity And Weight: A Parents Perspective, Danae M. Dinkel, Anastasia Kyvelidou, Jung-Min Lee, Kailey Snyder

Research Presentations

Background: Approximately 10% of infants and toddlers in the U.S. are already overweight. One modifiable factor that may impact weight is physical activity (PA). Historically, society has thought that infants (0-1 year of age) are “active enough” and not in need of efforts to promote PA to expend energy. However, increases in technology have led to less PA in children of all ages. There is a vital need to improve knowledge about factors that may impact the promotion of PA to infants. Since parents are the primary caregivers for infants, their beliefs about weight and PA may influence the amount …

Influence And Support For Childhood Cancer Survivor’S Participation In Physical Activity, Ava Coughlin

Research Presentations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore childhood cancer survivor’s social support for physical activity (PA) during and after cancer treatment as well as the type of support they desired.

Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with childhood cancer survivors (n=7). Data were analyzed through the process of immersion/crystallization.

Results: All survivors noted a decrease in PA during treatment. All survivors expressed a desire to return back to “normal” PA levels after treatment. Survivors reported they received general support from parents, physicians, and peers at cancer oncology camps. Most survivors expressed a desire to develop support networks with …

Alumni Collegiate Student-Athletes’ Wellness After Sport, Shane Warehime, Danae M. Dinkel, Abby Bjornson, Ashley J. Blount

Research Presentations

College student-athletes (may be more likely to experience difficulty transitioning from college than non-athletes, which could lead to decreased levels of overall wellness.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the wellness of alumni SA who recently transitioned from college.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews with former SA (n=12) were administered at a university in the Midwest. Interview questions were based on the Indivisible Self Model’s five factors of wellness (coping, social, physical, creative, and essential). Data were analyzed using the process of immersion/crystallization.

Results: Results indicate that subjects generally experienced negative feelings at the end of their athletic career, …

Do Perceptions Of Classroom Physical Activity Breaks Vary By Size Of School District?, Tyler Patterson, Kailey Snyder, Danae M. Dinkel, Connie Schaffer, Jung-Min Lee

Research Presentations

Background: Classroom physical activity (PA) breaks offers a way for schools to increase children's PA, improve time on-task, and improve academic scores. Professional development delivery models, technology infrastructure, and opportunities for collaboration are influenced by school district size. These factors may impact teachers' perceptions of instructional issues, including PA. However, little is known on how the size of school districts may impact teachers' perceptions of classroom PA. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore if teachers' perceptions of classroom PA vary based on district size. Method: Sixty teachers from five school districts (1 large public, 3 medium …

Icook 4-H: 0 To 24-Month Accelerometer-Derived Physical Activity And Sedentary Time In Youth, Emily Hofer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To assess accelerometer-derived physical activity and sedentary time from 0 to 24- months in youth in the iCook 4-H program. The iCook 4-H Program was a 5-state, randomized, control-treatment, family-based childhood obesity prevention intervention promoting cooking, eating and playing together. Youth, 9-10 years old, and their main adult meal preparer, participated in the 12-week program followed by monthly newsletters and bi-yearly booster sessions until 24-months. Physical activity and sedentary time were determined for youth who wore an Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometer for 7 days at 0, 4, 12, and 24-months and met defined accelerometer compliance standards. Mean daily minutes of sedentary …