M. Louise Humbert

Factors That Influence Physical Activity Participation Among High- and Low-SES Youth:

Researchers have rarely addressed the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and physical activity fromthe perspective of youth. To illuminate the factors that youth fromlowand high-SES areas consider important to increase physical activity participation among their peers, 160 youth (12-18 years) participated in small focus group interviews. Guiding questions centered on the general theme, “If you were the one in charge of increasing the physical activity levels of kids your age, what would you do?” Findings show that environmental factors (i.e., proximity, cost, facilities, and safety) are very important for youth living in low-SES areas to ensure participation in physical activity. Results also show that intrapersonal (i.e., perceived skill, competence, time) and social factors (i.e., friends, adult support) must be considered to help improve participation rates among both high- and low-SES youth.

A Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Childhood and Adolescent Physical Activity Experiences on Adult Physical Activity Perceptions and Behaviors

The authors describe the influence of childhood and adolescent physical activity on adult physical activity attitudes and behaviors. They conducted one-on-one, semistructured, in-depth interviews with 16 men and 15 women from a longitudinal growth and development study and a follow-up investigation 25 years later. They used thematic analyses to analyze the data. Three themes emerged from the mens interviews: significant others, size and maturation, and physical ability, with clear distinctions among the active, average, and inactive men. The themes transitions, body image concerns, and significant others influenced the active, average, and inactive women. Specific relationships, circumstances, and attitudes formed in childhood and adolescence influenced adult physical activity predilection and behaviors.

Using a Naturalistic Ecological Approach to Examine the Factors Influencing Youth Physical Activity Across Grades 7 to 12

High levels of inactivity in youth have led researchers and practitioners to focus on identifying the factors that influence physical activity behaviors in young people. The present study employed a qualitative ecological framework to examine the intrapersonal, social, and environmental factors influencing youth physical activity. In grade-specific focus group settings, 160 youth in grades 7 through 12 (aged 12 to 18) were asked how they would increase the physical activity levels of youth their age. Participants identified eight factors that they felt should be addressed in programs and interventions designed to increase the physical activity behaviors of youth. These factors included the importance of fun, having the time to be physically active, the benefits of activity, being active with friends, the role of adults, and the importance of being able to access facilities in their neighborhood.

Activity and Barriers in Girls(8-16 yr) Based on Grade and Maturity Status

UNLABELLED Minimal research has examined whether the decline in physical activity (PA) among adolescent girls is associated with chronological age (CA) or biological age (BA). PURPOSE To describe the PA levels and perceived barriers to PA of adolescent girls grouped by school grade and maturity status (i.e., early or late maturing) within grades. METHODS Two hundred and twenty-one girls (aged 8-16 yr, grades 4-10) wore an Actical accelerometer for 7 d and then completed a semistructured, open-ended questionnaire on perceived barriers to PA over the 7-d period. Predicted age at peak height velocity and recalled age at menarche were used to assess maturity among the elementary and high school girls, respectively. Maturity and grade group differences in PA were assessed using a MANCOVA and independent sample t-test and barriers to PA using chi-squared statistics. RESULTS Daily minutes spent in moderate to vigorous PA decreased by 40% between grades 4 and 10. Within grade groupings, no differences in PA were found between early and late maturing girls (P > 0.05). Grades 4 to 6 participants cited more interpersonal (i.e., social) barriers. Grades 9 to 10 participants cited more institutional barriers to PA, primarily revolving around the institution of school. No differences were found in types of barriers reported between early and late maturing girls. CONCLUSION Because PA and types of perceived barriers to PA were dependent on grade, future research should work to identify the most salient (i.e., frequent and limiting) barriers to PA by CA in youth. Once reliably was identified, multipronged intervention strategies must be tested for effectiveness to help youth cope with their salient barriers.

Body-Related Emotional Experiences of Young Aboriginal Women

Concerns related to the body are associated with health-compromising behaviors, and although research has indicated that young Aboriginal women are dissatisfied with their bodies, their voices have typically been absent from the literature. The purpose of this case study was to provide insight into the body-related emotional experiences of young, Canadian, urban Aboriginal women. Four young women participated; 3 identified themselves as Aboriginal (one 14-year-old, two 18-year-olds) and 1 as non-Aboriginal (18 years old). Multiple methods (focus group, one-on-one interviews, and artwork) provided the authors the opportunity to listen to the young womens stories. Five themes emerged: (a) conflicting cultures, (b) need to belong, (c) the beauty of difference, (d) journey to acceptance of the body, and (e) the body affects everything. This research highlights the complexity of young Aboriginal womens body-related emotional experiences and indicates that their experiences might not be as negative as previous research has led us to believe.

Beverage intake improvement by high school students in Saskatchewan, Canada

Certain beverages contribute energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals. North American adolescents have shifted their beverage intake from predominantly milk to predominantly sugary beverages. Intake of these sugary beverages, in sufficient quantity, may increase the risk of bone fractures, may contribute to obesity, and may lead to tooth decay. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a school-nutrition education program (Fluids Used Effectively for Living) on nutrition knowledge, attitude, and self-reported behavior of grade 9 students in Saskatchewan, Canada. Two classes of grade 9 students, 1 (n = 33) in a high school in Saskatoon (n = 33) and 1 (n = 24) in a large high school in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, received the peer educator intervention. Two other classes in the 2 cities (n = 24 and n = 24, respectively) were controls. Six sessions of Fluids Used Effectively for Living nutrition education were delivered by using 2 peer educator models (multiple and single), and the intervention was delivered in a 45-minute weekly class session over a 6-week period. After the intervention, students in these 2 peer educator classes decreased their sugary beverage intake significantly, which was sustained for 3 months. Students in the control self-taught class increased their juice intake at the end of the year. The significant decrease of juice and sugary beverage intakes in the single model peer educator class disappeared after Bonferroni correction. Carbonated sugary beverage intake of students in the control self-taught classes declined, but it was not sustainable at the 3-month follow-up. A peer educator school-based nutrition education approach can lead to a decrease in sugary beverage intake in high school children.

Determinants of Diet for Urban Aboriginal Youth Implications for Health Promotion

Overweight and obesity are associated with several life-threating comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Obesity is a growing health concern in North America, with some groups experiencing higher levels of obesity than others. One group of particular interest is urban Aboriginal youth because they are a quickly growing population who experience high rates of obesity. Obesity is a complex condition with many contributing factors, diet being one of the primary contributors. In this article, we discuss the findings from an ethnographic study that examined determinants of diet for urban Aboriginal youth. Results revealed two themes: (a) Traditions and Sharing, and (b) The Struggle. The findings with Traditions and Sharing showed that food-sharing networks are often used to acquire traditional food. Traditional foods were believed to be healthy and desired by the participants. The theme The Struggle provides insight into the daily challenges the participants faced with food insecurity. Health promotion professionals need to consider the multiplicity of determinants of diet for urban Aboriginal youth in order to plan and implement culturally appropriate health promotion programs.

Association between childcare educators’ practices and preschoolers’ physical activity and dietary intake: a cross-sectional analysis

Introduction Childcare educators may be role models for healthy eating and physical activity (PA) behaviours among young children. This study aimed to identify which childcare educators’ practices are associated with preschoolers’ dietary intake and PA levels. Methods This cross-sectional analysis included 723 preschoolers from 50 randomly selected childcare centres in two Canadian provinces. All data were collected in the fall of 2013 and 2014 and analysed in the fall of 2015. PA was assessed using Actical accelerometers during childcare hours for 5 consecutive days. Children’s dietary intake was measured at lunch on 2 consecutive days using weighed plate waste and digital photography. Childcare educators’ nutrition practices (modelling, nutrition education, satiety recognition, verbal encouragement and not using food as rewards) and PA practices (informal and formal PA promotion) were assessed by direct observation over the course of 2 days, using the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care tool. Associations between educators’ practices and preschoolers’ PA and dietary intake were examined using multilevel linear regressions. Results Overall, modelling of healthy eating was positively associated with children’s intake of sugar (β=0.141, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.27), while calorie (β=−0.456, 95% CI −1.46 to –0.02) and fibre intake (β=−0.066, 95% CI −0.12 to –0.01) were negatively associated with providing nutrition education. Not using food as rewards was also negatively associated with fat intake (β=−0.144, 95% CI −0.52 to –0.002). None of the educators’ PA practices were associated with children’s participation in PA. Conclusions Modelling healthy eating, providing nutrition education and not using food as rewards are associated with children’s dietary intake at lunch in childcare centres, highlighting the role that educators play in shaping preschoolers’ eating behaviours. Although PA practices were not associated with children’s PA levels, there is a need to reduce sedentary time in childcare centres.

Promoting physical activity, healthy eating and gross motor skills development among preschoolers attending childcare centers: Process evaluation of the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention using the RE-AIM framework

BACKGROUND The Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention was developed to promote physical activity, gross motor skills and healthy eating among preschoolers attending childcare centers. This process evaluation aimed to report the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance of the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention. METHODS The RE-AIM framework was used to guide this process evaluation. Data were collected across 140 childcare centers who received the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention in the provinces of Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, Canada. Quantitative data were collected through director questionnaires at 10 months and 2 years after the initial training and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were collected throughout the intervention. RESULTS The intervention was successful in reaching a large number of childcare centres and engaging both rural and urban communities across Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. Centres reported increasing opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating, which were generally low-cost, easy and quick to implement. However, these changes were rarely transformed into formal written policies. A total of 87% of centers reported using the physical activity resource and 68% using the nutrition resource on a weekly basis. Implementation fidelity of the initial training was high. Of those centers who received the initial training, 75% participated in the mid-point booster session training. Two year post-implementation questionnaires indicated that 47% of centers were still using the Active Play Equipment kit, while 42% were still using the physical activity resource and 37% were still using the nutrition resource. Key challenges to implementation and sustainability identified during the evaluation were consistent among all of the REAIM elements. These challenges included lack of time, lack of support from childcare staff and low parental engagement. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this study suggest the implementation of Healthy Start-Départ Santé may be improved further by addressing resistance to change and varied levels of engagement among childcare staff. In addition, further work is needed to provide parents with opportunities to engage in HSDS with their children.

Supporting Healthy Eating Among Rural Early Years Children: A Pulse Crop Pilot Intervention Study

ABSTRACT Dietary patterns are closely linked to healthy child development, which in turn is a powerful determinant of lifelong health and well-being. As many early years children spend a large part of their day in childcare centers, educators can have a large influence on their healthy eating behaviors. In Saskatchewan, a number of childcare centers are located in rural communities and research suggests that rural educators are influenced by unique factors when providing healthy eating opportunities for children. In order to diversify and improve the diets of rural early years children, a pulse crop intervention was piloted tested in one rural childcare center. A pre and post 28-week intervention design was used to evaluate the pulse crop intervention on increasing educators’ knowledge and awareness about pulse crops and supporting educators in incorporating pulse crops into centers’ menus. Overall, the intervention was effective in increasing rural educators’ knowledge and use of pulse crops. Additionally, educators were able to diversify and increase the number of healthy meals offered in the childcare center. The lessons learned can be used to improve and expand the intervention to other childcare centers in Saskatchewan and beyond, in turn supporting the healthy development of early years children.