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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 …


The Physical Activity Levels And Sedentary Behaviours Of Latino Children In Canada, Patricia Tucker, Gillian Mandich, Shauna Burke, Anca Gaston Apr 2015

The Physical Activity Levels And Sedentary Behaviours Of Latino Children In Canada, Patricia Tucker, Gillian Mandich, Shauna Burke, Anca Gaston

Trish Tucker

Objective: To assess the physical activity and sedentary behaviors of a sample of Latino children in London, Ontario, Canada. Methods: Seventy-four Latino children (54.1% male; mean age = 11.4) completed self-report questionnaires related to physical activity and sedentary behaviors. A subset of children (n = 64) wore Actical (Mini Mitter, Respironics) accelerometers for a maximum of four days. Results: Latino children self-reported moderate levels of physical activity (i.e., mean score of 2.8 on 5-point scale). Accelerometer data revealed that children spent an average of 50.0 min in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; 59.2 min on weekdays and 50.6 min on weekend …


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 …


Practice Management Guidelines For The Diagnosis And Management Of Injury In The Pregnant Patient: The East Practice Management Guidelines Work Group, Robert Barraco, William Chiu, Thomas Clancy, John Como, James Ebert, L Hess, William Hoff, Michele Holevar, J Quirk, Bruce J Simon, Patrice Weiss Mar 2015

Practice Management Guidelines For The Diagnosis And Management Of Injury In The Pregnant Patient: The East Practice Management Guidelines Work Group, Robert Barraco, William Chiu, Thomas Clancy, John Como, James Ebert, L Hess, William Hoff, Michele Holevar, J Quirk, Bruce J Simon, Patrice Weiss

Robert D Barraco MD, MPH

Trauma during pregnancy has presented very unique challenges over the centuries. From the first report of Ambrose Pare of a gunshot wound to the uterus in the 1600s to the present, there have existed controversies and inconsistencies in diagnosis, management, prognostics, and outcome. Anxiety is heightened by the addition of another, smaller patient. Trauma affects 7% of all pregnancies and requires admission in 4 of 1000 pregnancies. The incidence increases with advancing gestational age. Just over half of trauma during pregnancy occurs in the third trimester. Motor vehicle crashes comprise 50% of these traumas, and falls and assaults account for …


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 …


An Examination Of Self- Reported Physical Activity And Physical Activity Self- Efficacy Among Children With Obesity; Findings From The Children's Health And Activity Modification Program (C.H.A.M.P.) Pilot Study, Patricia Tucker, Shauna Burke, Leigh Vanderloo, Anca Gaston, Erin Pearson Dec 2014

An Examination Of Self- Reported Physical Activity And Physical Activity Self- Efficacy Among Children With Obesity; Findings From The Children's Health And Activity Modification Program (C.H.A.M.P.) Pilot Study, Patricia Tucker, Shauna Burke, Leigh Vanderloo, Anca Gaston, Erin Pearson

Trish Tucker

The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity is a global public health concern. Numerous experts have noted that comprehensive treatment methods are required to address this complex condition. The Children’s Health and Activity Modification Program (C.H.A.M.P.), a 4-week intervention delivered in a unique camp-based format, was developed for children with obesity and their families using a multidisciplinary approach. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the short- (i.e., 1-week post-intervention) and longer-term (i.e., 3-, 6-, and 12-months post- intervention) effects of C.H.A.M.P. on children’s self-reported: (a) task and barrier self-efficacy; and (b) home-based physical activity. A secondary purpose was …


Role Of Multiple Births In Very Low Birth Weight And Infant Mortality, B. Magee Nov 2014

Role Of Multiple Births In Very Low Birth Weight And Infant Mortality, B. Magee

B. Dale Magee

OBJECTIVE: To determine the percentage of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants (g) and infant deaths attributable to multiple births in the general population and in women aged 35+. STUDY DESIGN: The year 2000 Massachusetts birth certificate database with linked births-deaths was examined. Etiologic fractions (EF) for VLBW and infant mortality attributable to multiples were calculated for the general population and the 35+ age group. The percentages of multiples occurring in the 35+ age group were calculated. Infant deaths due to congenital anomalies and "perinatal conditions" were calculated. RESULTS: There were 81,582 resident births in Massachusetts in 2000. Of them 4.3% were multiples. …


Doing The Best With What We Have: We Need Better: Informing Obstetric Policy With Administrative Data, Tiffany Moore Simas, B. Magee, Ellen Delpapa Nov 2014

Doing The Best With What We Have: We Need Better: Informing Obstetric Policy With Administrative Data, Tiffany Moore Simas, B. Magee, Ellen Delpapa

B. Dale Magee

In this issue of Medical Care, Backes Kozhimannil and colleagues present data from the National Inpatient Sample on differences between rural and urban obstetric care. We applaud their efforts in examining this issue and agree that all women should be afforded safe deliveries, and ideally each woman’s experience would not be different. That being said, there are some practical considerations that must be applied to their analyses and recommendations. We would like to take this opportunity to capitalize on their efforts and speak to 2 other highly related implications for policy and practice.


Role Of Smoking In Low Birth Weight, B. Magee, Dale Hattis, Nancy Kivel Nov 2014

Role Of Smoking In Low Birth Weight, B. Magee, Dale Hattis, Nancy Kivel

B. Dale Magee

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of smoking on low birth weight (LBW). STUDY DESIGN: From Massachusetts for 1998, 79,904 birth certificates were reviewed. Birth weight, gestational age, plurality and maternal race were analyzed in relation to the mother's smoking status during the pregnancy. The etiologic fraction (EF) was calculated for smoking and LBW for the group as a whole as well as for various subgroups. RESULTS: A total of 11.7% of women acknowledged smoking during pregnancy. The overall LBW rate was 6.83%. The relative risk (RR) of LBW among smokers was 1.58. For all births the EF for smoking was …


Birth Weight And Obesity Risk At First Grade In A Cohort Of Chilean Children, S. Loaiza, Alberto Coustasse, X. Urrutia-Rojas, E. Atalah Jan 2014

Birth Weight And Obesity Risk At First Grade In A Cohort Of Chilean Children, S. Loaiza, Alberto Coustasse, X. Urrutia-Rojas, E. Atalah

Alberto Coustasse

The purpose of the study was to determine the association of birth weight as a risk factor for obesity at first grade in a cohort of elementary school Chilean children. Height and weight at birth and follow up measurements at first grade were analyzed from a national cohort of 119,070 new borns. Subjects were classified by anthropometric characteristics: new born weight in kilograms, Ponderal Index, (birth weight/height3 x 100), and gestational age (physical maturity) categories at birth. The study tested the hypothesis that a macrocosomic newborn (4,000 g or > 8.8 pounds) or Large for Gestational Age , would be …


Verbal Autopsy Tool For Infant Mortality, Vijay Kumar Chattu May 2012

Verbal Autopsy Tool For Infant Mortality, Vijay Kumar Chattu

Vijay Kumar Chattu

Information on causes of death is extremely important for policy-making, planning, monitoring and evaluation of health programs as well as for field research, comparisons and epidemic awareness.The Millennium Development Goal for India is to reduce infant mortality rate to 35 per 1000 & under-five mortality to 45 per 1000 live births by 2015.The incorporation of Verbal Autopsy (VA) in the existing Registration Systems is necessary in order to fulfil its ultimate goal of improving the information on causes of infant deaths in areas where Civil Registration and Death Certification are weak. VA provides information for local action by health authorities …