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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 …


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 …


Environmental Equity Is Child's Play: Mapping Public Provision Of Recreation Opportunities In Urban Neighbourhoods, Jason Gilliland, Martin Holmes, Jennifer Irwin, Patricia Tucker May 2013

Environmental Equity Is Child's Play: Mapping Public Provision Of Recreation Opportunities In Urban Neighbourhoods, Jason Gilliland, Martin Holmes, Jennifer Irwin, Patricia Tucker

Trish Tucker

This paper examines the spatial distribution of recreational opportunities for children and youth in a mid-sized Canadian city (London, Ontario), in relation to the socioeconomic status of neighbourhoods and estimated local need for publicly provided recreation spaces. Public recreation facilities (N = 537) throughout the city were identified, mapped and analysed in a geographic information system. To explore potential socio-environmental inequities, neighbourhoods (N = 22) were characterized by socioeconomic and environmental variables, an index of neighbourhood social distress, a neighbourhood play space needs index, and measures of the prevalence and density of recreational opportunities. The results of the spatial analysis …


The Influence Of Local Food Environments On Adolescents’ Food Purchasing Behaviors, Meizi He, Patricia Tucker, Jason Gilliland, Jennifer Irwin, Kristian Larsen, Paul Hess May 2013

The Influence Of Local Food Environments On Adolescents’ Food Purchasing Behaviors, Meizi He, Patricia Tucker, Jason Gilliland, Jennifer Irwin, Kristian Larsen, Paul Hess

Trish Tucker

This study examined the relationship between the neighborhood food environment and the food purchasing behaviors among adolescents. Grade 7 and 8 students (n = 810) at 21 elementary schools in London, Ontario, Canada completed a questionnaire assessing their food purchasing behaviors. Parents of participants also completed a brief questionnaire providing residential address and demographic information. A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to assess students’ home and school neighborhood food environment and land use characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the influence of the home neighborhood food environment on students’ food purchasing behaviors, while two-level Hierarchical Non-Linear Regression …


University Students' Satisfaction With, Interest In Improving, And Receptivity To Attending Programs Aimed At Health And Well-Being, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin May 2013

University Students' Satisfaction With, Interest In Improving, And Receptivity To Attending Programs Aimed At Health And Well-Being, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin

Trish Tucker

The purpose of this pilot study is to investigate students' (a) satisfaction with nine health constructs, (b) interest in improving these health areas, and (c) receptivity to participating in programming targeting these areas. The study sample is composed of 1,778 undergraduate students from a Canadian university. Students complete a five-page paper-and-pencil questionnaire assessing the above objectives along a 5-point Likert-type scale. Students are most satisfied with their social health and report their lowest satisfaction with physical activity (M = 3.16, SD = 1.09). Overall, students are most interested in enhancing their physical activity (M = 4.10, SD = 0.79), followed …


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 …


Feasibility Of A Campus-Based "Buddy System" To Promote Physical Activity: Canadian Students' Perspectives, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin May 2013

Feasibility Of A Campus-Based "Buddy System" To Promote Physical Activity: Canadian Students' Perspectives, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin

Trish Tucker

Objective: To explore the characteristics of a university-wide buddy system that students would be receptive to using. Methods: This study targeted a heterogeneous sample of undergraduate university students age 18 to 25 y. An experienced moderator, using a semi-structured interview guide, conducted 13 focus groups (n = 65). Focus group discussions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Inductive content analysis was conducted independently by two researchers. Measures were incorporated throughout to ensure data trustworthiness. Results: The value of this campus-based physical activity intervention was emphasized by the vast majority of participants. Five main themes exemplified students' preferences: sign-up methods; matching …


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.


Obesogenic Neighborhoods: The Impact Of Neighborhood Restaurants And Convenience Stores On Adolescents’ Food Consumption Behaviors, Meizi He, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin, Jason Gilliland, Kristian Larsen, Paul Hess Feb 2012

Obesogenic Neighborhoods: The Impact Of Neighborhood Restaurants And Convenience Stores On Adolescents’ Food Consumption Behaviors, Meizi He, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin, Jason Gilliland, Kristian Larsen, Paul Hess

Trish Tucker

No abstract provided.


Linking Childhood Obesity To The Built Environment: A Multi-Level Analysis Of Home And School Neighbourhood Factors Associated With Body Mass Index, Jason Gilliland, C Rangel, Martin Healy, Patricia Tucker, Janet Loebach, Paul Hess, Meizi He, Jen Irwin, Piotr Will Dec 2011

Linking Childhood Obesity To The Built Environment: A Multi-Level Analysis Of Home And School Neighbourhood Factors Associated With Body Mass Index, Jason Gilliland, C Rangel, Martin Healy, Patricia Tucker, Janet Loebach, Paul Hess, Meizi He, Jen Irwin, Piotr Will

Trish Tucker

No abstract provided.


Environmental Influences On Physical Activity Among Children And Youth, Patricia Tucker Dec 2008

Environmental Influences On Physical Activity Among Children And Youth, Patricia Tucker

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.