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Full-Text Articles in Public Health Education and Promotion

Prevalence And Influences Of Preschoolers' Sedentary Behaviours In Early Learning Centers: A Cross Sectional Study, Patricia Tucker, Leigh Vanderloo, Shauna Burke, Jennifer Irwin Aug 2015

Prevalence And Influences Of Preschoolers' Sedentary Behaviours In Early Learning Centers: A Cross Sectional Study, Patricia Tucker, Leigh Vanderloo, Shauna Burke, Jennifer Irwin

Trish Tucker

Background Recent research has highlighted the need for increased evidence regarding the sedentary activity levels of preschoolers. Given the large proportion of time this population spends in various early learning facilities, the exploration of sedentary behaviors within this particular environment should be a priority. The purpose of the study was two-fold: (1) to compare sedentary time of preschoolers in three different early learning environments (i.e., full-day kindergarten [FDK], center-, and home-based childcare); and (2) to assess which characteristics (i.e., staff behaviors, sedentary environment, fixed play environment, portable play environment, sedentary opportunities) of these early learning environments influence preschoolers’ sedentary time. …


Physical And Sedentary Activity Among Preschoolers In Home- Based Childcare: A Systematic Review, Patricia Tucker, Leigh Vanderloo, Olivia Martyniuk Aug 2015

Physical And Sedentary Activity Among Preschoolers In Home- Based Childcare: A Systematic Review, Patricia Tucker, Leigh Vanderloo, Olivia Martyniuk

Trish Tucker

Although preschoolers' physical activity in center-based childcare has received considerable attention, less is known regarding this group's activity levels within home-based childcare. This review aimed to explore and synthesize the literature on preschoolers' physical and sedentary activity levels in home-based childcare. Outdoor playtime was also examined to contribute to the understanding of preschoolers' activity levels within this particular setting.Nine online databases were searched for peer-reviewed, English-language, primary studies that quantitatively measured physical and sedentary activity levels of preschoolers attending home-based childcare. Studies were excluded if they were nonprimary research, if they lacked a preschool-aged sample, if they did not quantitatively …


An Objective Assessment Of Toddlers' Physical Activity And Sedentary Levels, Patricia Tucker, Leigh Vanderloo Aug 2015

An Objective Assessment Of Toddlers' Physical Activity And Sedentary Levels, Patricia Tucker, Leigh Vanderloo

Trish Tucker

Background Little evidence exists on the physical activity and sedentary time of Canadian toddlers; this study objectively measured such behaviors and compared participants’ activity levels to national guidelines. Levels of screen-viewing among toddlers were also explored. Methods Forty toddlers (mean age = 25.7 months) wore Actical accelerometers for seven consecutive days (15 s epoch). Parents/guardians completed a wear-time log and a demographic and screen-viewing questionnaire. Descriptive analyses were used to determine participants’ levels of physical activity and sedentary time, to identify whether toddlers were meeting physical activity/sedentary guidelines, and to explore demographic variables. T-tests were used to assess whether toddlers’ …


Parent's Perception Of Stroller Use In Young Children: A Qualitative Study, Patricia Tucker, Catherine Birken, Talia Lenton- Brym, Jonathon Maguire, Patricia Parkin, Sanjay Mahunt, Bradley Lichtblau Jul 2015

Parent's Perception Of Stroller Use In Young Children: A Qualitative Study, Patricia Tucker, Catherine Birken, Talia Lenton- Brym, Jonathon Maguire, Patricia Parkin, Sanjay Mahunt, Bradley Lichtblau

Trish Tucker

Despite their wide usage, it has recently been suggested that stroller use may reduce physical activity levels of young children. However, there have been no studies on stroller use as it relates to physical activity outcomes. The objectives of this study were to understand the context of stroller use for young children and parents’ perceptions of the relationship between stroller use and their children’s physical activity.Parents of children 1 to 5 years of age were recruited through two sites of TARGet Kids!, a primary-care, practice-based research network in Toronto, Canada. Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted. Interviews were audio recorded and …


Temperament And Objectively Measured Physical Activity And Sedentary Time Among Canadian Preschoolers, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin, Andrew Johnson, Leigh Vanderloo, Shauna Burke Jun 2015

Temperament And Objectively Measured Physical Activity And Sedentary Time Among Canadian Preschoolers, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin, Andrew Johnson, Leigh Vanderloo, Shauna Burke

Trish Tucker

This study sought to assess the influence of preschoolers' temperament on their objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time. Actical™ accelerometers were used to measure preschoolers' from London, Canada's (n = 216; 2.5–5 years) physical activity and sedentary levels during childcare hours (5 consecutive days; 15 s epoch). The Child Temperament Questionnaire (CTQ) was used to assess child temperament via parent/guardian report. The six subscales of the CTQ (i.e., reaction to food, soothability, attention span, activity, sociability, and emotionality) were correlated with Actical data (i.e., sedentary time, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and total physical activity). The five items of the activity …


Comparison Of Actical And Actigraph Accelerometers For Measuring Young Children's Physical Activity Levels And Sedentary Time, Patricia Tucker, Leigh Vanderloo, Natascja D'Alimonte, Nicole Proudfoot, Brian Timmons Mar 2015

Comparison Of Actical And Actigraph Accelerometers For Measuring Young Children's Physical Activity Levels And Sedentary Time, Patricia Tucker, Leigh Vanderloo, Natascja D'Alimonte, Nicole Proudfoot, Brian Timmons

Trish Tucker

Young children's activity and sedentary time were simultaneously measured via the Actical method (i.e., Actical accelerometer and Pfeiffer et al.'s cut-points) and the ActiGraph method (i.e., ActiGraph accelerometer and Pate et al.'s cut-points) at both 15s and 60s epochs to explore possible differences between these two measurement approaches. For seven consecutive days, participants (n = 23) wore both the Actical and ActiGraph side-by-side on an elastic neoprene belt. Device-specific cut-points were applied. Paired sample t-tests were conducted to determine the differences in participants' daily average activity levels and sedentary time (mins/hr) measured by the two devices at 15s and 60s …


Environmental Influences On Preschoolers' Physical Activity Levels In Various Learning Facilities, Patricia Tucker, Leigh Vanderloo, Andrew Johnson, Shauna Burke, Jennifer Irwin Mar 2015

Environmental Influences On Preschoolers' Physical Activity Levels In Various Learning Facilities, Patricia Tucker, Leigh Vanderloo, Andrew Johnson, Shauna Burke, Jennifer Irwin

Trish Tucker

PURPOSE: This study aimed to: (a) compare the physical activity (PA) levels (i.e., moderate-to-vigorous PA [MVPA] and total PA [TPA]) of preschoolers in 3 different early-learning environments (center-based childcare, home-based childcare, and full-day kindergarten [FDK]); and (b) assess which characteristics (e.g., play equipment, policies, etc.) of these settings influenced preschoolers' PA. METHOD: Twenty-seven facilities (9 centers, 10 homes, and 8 FDK) participated in this study. Participants (aged 2.5-5 years; n = 297) were fitted with Actical™ accelerometers for 5 consecutive days during childcare/school hours to assess their PA. The Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) tool was used to …


Weekly Trends In Preschoolers' Physical Activity And Sedentary Time In Childcare, Patricia Tucker, Leigh Vanderloo Jan 2015

Weekly Trends In Preschoolers' Physical Activity And Sedentary Time In Childcare, Patricia Tucker, Leigh Vanderloo

Trish Tucker

This study sought to examine how the physical activity levels and sedentary time of preschoolers attending center-based childcare varied across the week. Sex differences were also explored. Participants (n=101) wore Actical™ accelerometers (15 s epoch) for five consecutive days during childcare hours only. A multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate levels of sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) physical activity across the five weekdays. Total physical activity (TPA) was analyzed separately in a univariate repeated measures ANOVA. Sex was entered as an additional between-subjects factor. Levels of sedentary time, LPA, and TPA across the week were found …


Physical Activity Behaviors During The Preschool Years, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin May 2013

Physical Activity Behaviors During The Preschool Years, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin

Trish Tucker

This is the first Canadian study to measure physical activity participation and opportunities for outdoor playtime among preschoolers. Preschoolers in the London, Ontario study spent significantly more time engaging in high-intensity indoor activity versus outdoor activity. Daycare providers reported the children in their care had access to approximately 2 hours of daily outdoor playtime. Nearly half the study‟s parents reported their preschoolers did not engage in physical activity at the level needed for health gains. Insufficient activity among such a large segment of preschoolers has potentially serious physical and psychological health implications. Daycare settings afford ample opportunity for physical activity …


Physical Activity Opportunities In Canadian Childcare Facilities: A Provincial/Territorial Review Of Legislation, Leigh Vanderloo, Patricia Tucker, Ali Ismail, Melissa Van Zandvoort Apr 2012

Physical Activity Opportunities In Canadian Childcare Facilities: A Provincial/Territorial Review Of Legislation, Leigh Vanderloo, Patricia Tucker, Ali Ismail, Melissa Van Zandvoort

Trish Tucker

No abstract provided.


The Physical Activity Levels Of Preschool-Aged Children: A Systematic Review, Patricia Tucker Dec 2007

The Physical Activity Levels Of Preschool-Aged Children: A Systematic Review, Patricia Tucker

Trish Tucker

No abstract provided.


Preschoolers’ Dietary Intake Behaviours: Parents’ Perspectives, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin, Meizi He, L Sangster Bouck, Graham Pollett Dec 2005

Preschoolers’ Dietary Intake Behaviours: Parents’ Perspectives, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin, Meizi He, L Sangster Bouck, Graham Pollett

Trish Tucker

No abstract provided.