The health of Canadian children and youth has deteriorated in the past few decades and physical inactivity is a powerful contributor. Active Healthy Kids Canada (AHKC; www.activehealthykids.ca) is a national not-for-profit organization with a mission to inspire the nation to engage all children and youth in physical activity by providing expertise and direction to policy makers and the public on how to increase and effectively allocate resources and attention toward physical activity for Canadian children and youth. Annually, for the past 7 years, the AHKC Report Card has consolidated and translated research knowledge to drive social action for policy change relating to physical activity among children and youth. Original published articles and key surveillance data from national and regional surveys are reviewed. A group of content experts from across Canada meet semiannually to review the evidence and assign letter grades. The AHKC Report Card has played a key role in informing discussions that have led to action on physical inactivity in Canada. Further evidence of the Report Card's influence is in the replication of the model in several other jurisdictions, including Saskatchewan and Ontario, Canada; Louisiana, United States; South Africa; Mexico; and Kenya.
Background: In recent years, it has been noted that children and youth are physically inactive, and physical activity levels have declined over the past decades. However, few empirical studies have been conducted to test this assumption. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine leisure-time physical activity levels among Canadian adolescents 12–19 years of age. Methods: Age, sex, geographic, and temporal trends in leisure-time physical activity energy expenditure (AEE) were examined using data from 5 national surveys conducted between 1981 and 1998. AEE was calculated from participants’ questionnaire responses on physical activity participation. General linear models were used to examine the differences in AEE across survey years, geographic regions, sexes, and age groups. Results: Males and 12–14-year-olds displayed greater AEE than females and 15–19-year-olds, respectively, and AEE was lowest in Quebec and highest in the West. AEE increased between the 1981 and 1988 surveys and has since remained relatively stable. The prevalence of subjects meeting the 12.6 kJ · kg −1 · d −1 (3 kcal · kg −1 · d −1 ) recommendation increased from 1981 to 1988. Since 1988, the prevalence of those meeting the 12.6 kJ · kg −1 · d −1 recommendation has decreased in 12–14 year old boys and remained relatively stable in the other groups. In 1998, about 45% of males and 35% of females met the 12.6 kJ · kg −1 · d −1 recommendation. In 1998, about 20% of 12–19-year-old males and 12–14-year-old females met the 25.1 kJ · kg −1 · d −1 (6 kcal · kg −1 · d −1 ) recommendation, while about 10% of 15–19-year-old females met this recommendation. In females, the prevalence of those meeting the 25.1 kJ · kg −1 · d −1 recommendation has remained relatively stable (about 10%) since 1981 except for an increase between 1996 and 1998 in 12–14-year-old girls. In males, a similar pattern, but not as dramatic, of that observed for the prevalence of those meeting the 12.6 kJ · kg −1 · d −1 emerged—that is, an increase between 1981 and 1988 and then a decrease in 12–14-year-old boys and a stable pattern in 15–19-year-old boys. Conclusion: Although self-reported leisure-time physical activity appears to have increased since 1981, a majority of Canadian adolescents do not meet current recommendations for physical activity.
The Active Healthy Kids Canada (AHKC) Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth has been effective in powering the movement to get kids moving by influencing priorities, policies, and practice in Canada. The AHKC Report Card process was replicated in 14 additional countries from 5 continents using 9 common indicators (Overall Physical Activity, Organized Sport Participation, Active Play, Active Transportation, Sedentary Behavior, Family and Peers, School, Community and Built Environment, and Government Strategies and Investments), a harmonized process and a standardized grading framework. The 15 Report Cards were presented at the Global Summit on the Physical Activity of Children in Toronto on May 20, 2014. The consolidated findings are summarized here in the form of a global matrix of grades. There is a large spread in grades across countries for most indicators. Countries that lead in certain indicators lag in others. Overall, the grades for indicators of physical activity (PA) around the world are low/poor. Many countries have insufficient information to assign a grade, particularly for the Active Play and Family and Peers indicators. Grades for Sedentary Behaviors are, in general, better in low income countries. The Community and Built Environment indicator received high grades in high income countries and notably lower grades in low income countries. There was a pattern of higher PA and lower sedentary behavior in countries reporting poorer infrastructure, and lower PA and higher sedentary behavior in countries reporting better infrastructure, which presents an interesting paradox. Many surveillance and research gaps and weaknesses were apparent. International cooperation and cross-fertilization is encouraged to tackle existing challenges, understand underlying mechanisms, derive innovative solutions, and overcome the expanding childhood inactivity crisis.
Purpose Some health behaviour promotion organizations are interested in promoting multiple behaviours to increase their health impact on a population. However, many of these organizations are better known for promoting only certain behaviours. The purpose of this study is to examine responses to an organization with a narrow brand (i.e. ParticipACTION) in its promotion of the different recommended movement-related behaviours (i.e. sleep, limited sedentary behaviour [SB], light physical activity [PA] and moderate to vigorous PA) to children. Potential brand-related determinants of attitude towards promotion of each behaviour (i.e. extension attitude) were specifically examined. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected in 2017 using an online cross-sectional survey. Canadian parents with at least one child 5–12 years of age ( N = 109) were recruited through online advertisements and word-of-mouth. One multiple regression per behaviour was conducted. Extension attitude was the dependent variable and brand attitude, fit and the interaction between brand attitude and fit were the predictors. Findings For light and moderate PA, brand attitude was a strong predictor. For limited SB and sleep, fit was the dominant predictor. However, for light and moderate PA and limited SB, an interaction indicated that a positive brand attitude and the perception of high fit between the brand and the behaviour leads to the most positive extension attitude. Practical implications The findings suggest that movement promotion organizations should ensure parents have a positive brand attitude and have high perceptions of fit between the brand and the promoted behaviour. Originality/value This study provides the first evidence that determinants of brand extension attitude observed in the commercial domain also apply in the movement promotion domain. This research provides important information to organizations regarding how to effectively promote various behaviours when interested in expanding their usual repertoire.
