Publications

Health-Related Criterion-Referenced Cut-Points for Cardiorespiratory Fitness Among Youth: A Systematic Review

No abstract is provided for this article.

Physical Literacy Domain Scores in Canadian Children Meeting and not Meeting Canada’s Physical Activity Guidelines

PURPOSE: To compare differences in physical literacy (PL) domain scores between Canadian children meeting Canada’s physical activity (PA) guidelines and those not meeting the guidelines. METHODS: Children (n = 2,215) aged 8-12 years, with parental consent, from seven Canadian provinces had their PL levels measured by trained research staff using the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy (CAPL). The CAPL is valid, reliable, and consists of 4 domains (physical competence; daily behaviour; knowledge and understanding; and motivation and confidence) that provide a composite PL score—scoring was adjusted for age in all domains and for sex in the physical competence domain. Weekly PA levels were measured by pedometers that were worn by participants for a minimum of 3 valid days (≥10 h wear time/day). Children were grouped for analysis based on those meeting Canadian PA guidelines (≥12,000 steps ≥6 days/week) and those not meeting the guidelines. All comparisons were performed using ANCOVAs to control for age, sex and seasonality differences in PA. RESULTS: After controlling for age, sex and seasonality, children meeting PA guidelines had significantly higher physical competence (F = 67.92, p<0.0001) and motivation and confidence (F = 21.01, p<0.0001) domain scores compared to children not meeting the guidelines. No differences were observed in children meeting PA guidelines compared to children not meeting the guidelines for the knowledge and understanding domain (F = 78.21, p = 0.53). CONCLUSION: These results reinforce the importance of Canadian children meeting PA guidelines, as there seem to be favourable associations with physical competence measures and motivation and confidence scores.

Middle Childhood Sport Participation Predicts Timely Long-Term Chances of Academic Success in Boys and Girls by Late Adolescence

Introduction School-aged children experience successive academic demands that increase over time. Extracurricular sport develops skills that involve physical movement, social rules, formal practice, and rational competition. This may facilitate success. Purpose Using a prospective-longitudinal birth cohort of 746 girls/721 boys, we examined prospective associations between middle childhood sport participation with subsequent indicators of academic success in adolescence. We hypothesized that persistent participation would promote long-term achievement indicators. Methods Mothers reported on whether the child participated in sporting activities with a coach/instructor from ages 6 to 10 yr. Developmental trajectories of participation were generated using longitudinal latent class analysis and then used to predict outcomes. From ages 12 to 17 yr, youth self-reported on academic indicators of success over the last 6 months. These were linearly regressed on trajectories of participation in sport, while controlling for preexisting and concurrent child/family confounds. Results Children’s sport participation from kindergarten to fourth grade predicted long-term chances of academic success in boys and girls, above and beyond individual/family confounders. Consistent participation predicted increments indicators of future success and reductions in academic failure and dropout risk through to the senior year of secondary school, ranging from 9.1% to 21.3% for girls and 11.7% to 22.9% for boys. Conclusions We provide compelling and timely evidence of long-term associations between children’s sport participation and subsequent indicators of academic success in typically developing boys and girls by late adolescence. Persistent sport involvement in sport increased educational prospects by late adolescence, potentially improving opportunities for success in emerging adulthood.

Measures of abdominal obesity within body mass index categories, 1981 and 2007-2009.

This article describes measures of abdominal obesity--waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and waist-to-height ratio--within body mass index (BMI) categories, using data from two population-based health surveys. Among normal-weight men, the percentages at increased/high health risk based on these three measures were not statistically different in 2007-2009 than in 1981. By contrast, among normal-weight women, increases were observed in the percentage at increased/high health risk based on each of the three measures. The percentage of overweight men at increased/high risk based on waist circumference rose from 49% in 1981 to 62% in 2007-2009, and among overweight women, the percentage at increased/high risk rose for each of the three measures (64% to 93% for waist circumference, 22% to 51% for waist-to-hip ratio, and 68% to 87% for waist-to-height ratio). Although substantial percentages of men and women in obese class I were at increased/high health risk based on abdominal obesity measures in 1981, by 2007-2009, almost everyone in this BMI category was at increased/high risk.

AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN HORMONE RESPONSES TO ENDURANCE VS RESISTANCE EXERCISE IN FEMALES

The purpose of this study was to examine the acute endocrine response to exercise in females of varying age. Thirty healthy, cross-trained, female subjects (age range 19–69) volunteered for this study. Subjects were divided into 5 age quintiles (mean ages: Q1:25.0, Q2:34.5, Q3:43.8, Q4:52.8: Q5:62.3). All subjects completed an endurance exercise session (ES), a resistance exercise session (RS), and a resting control session (CS). The ES consisted of 40 min. of cycling at 75% max heart rate and the RS consisted of 3 sets of 10 reps of 8 exercises at 10RM intensity. During the CS subjects rested quietly for 35 minutes. Sessions were performed in random order, at the same time of day, and same phase of menstrual cycle. Subjects consumed the same pre-testing meal before all three testing sessions. Pre-exercise, post-exercise, and 30 minute recovery blood samples were analyzed in duplicate for plasma lactate and serum levels of growth hormone (GH), IGF-I, cortisol (C), testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), and DHEA. Samples were taken during the control session at the same intervals as during the exercise sessions. Statistical significance was set at p < .05. Q5 had significantly lower baseline levels of T and E2 than all other groups, and Q1 had significantly higher baseline levels of DHEA and IGF-I than all other groups. Lactate and average RPE were significantly higher in the RS compared to the ES or CS, while average heart rate was higher in the ES. There were no age-related differences in any intensity measures during the exercise sessions. Percent change from baseline in T and E2 was significantly greater in the ES and RS compared to the CS. Percent change in DHEA was significantly greater in the RS only and percent change in GH was significantly greater in the ES only. There were no age-related differences in any of these exercise-induced hormone changes. There was, however, a significant correlation between several intensity measures and percent change in DHEA, T, E2, and GH, indicating that hormone changes with exercise are more dependent on the relative intensity of the exercise than chronological age. Supported by NSERC and Medical Research Fund of New Brunswick

The epidemiological transition and the global childhood obesity epidemic

No abstract is provided for this article.

Birth weight and childhood obesity: a 12-country study

No abstract is provided for this article.

Correlates of objectively measured sedentary time and self-reported screen time in Canadian children

Demographic, family, and home characteristics play an important role in determining childhood sedentary behaviour. The objective of this paper was to identify correlates of total sedentary time (SED) and correlates of self-reported screen time (ST) in Canadian children.Child- and parent-reported household, socio-demographic, behavioural, and diet related data were collected; directly measured anthropometric and accelerometer data were also collected for each child. Participants with complete demographic, anthropometric, and either SED (n=524, 41% boys) or ST (n=567, 42% boys) data from the Canadian site of the International Study of Childhood Obesity Lifestyle and the Environment (ISCOLE) were included in analysis. Sixteen potential correlates of SED and ST were examined using multilevel general linear models, adjusting for sex, ethnicity, number of siblings, and socio-economic status. All explanatory variables moderately associated (p<0.10) with SED and/or ST in univariate analyses were included in the final, fully-adjusted models. Variables that remained significant in the final models (p<0.05) were considered correlates of SED and/or ST.Children averaged 8.5 hours of daily SED; no differences in total SED, or total ST were seen between girls and boys, but boys reported significantly more video game/computer usage than girls. Boys also had higher waist circumference and BMI z-scores than girls. In the final models, waist circumference and number of TVs in the home were the only common correlates of both SED and ST. SED was also negatively associated with sleep duration. ST was also positively associated with mother's weight status, father's education, and unhealthy eating pattern score and negatively associated with healthy eating pattern score, and weekend breakfast consumption. Few common correlates existed between boys and girls.Several factors were identified as correlates of SED and/or of ST in Canadian children; however, few correlates were common for both SED and ST, and for both boys and girls. This suggests that a single strategy to reduce SED and ST is unlikely to be effective. Future work should examine a variety of other, non-screen based sedentary behaviours and their potential correlates in the hopes of creating tailored public health messages to reduce SED and ST in both boys, and girls.

Prolonged sitting and markers of cardiometabolic disease risk in children and youth: A randomized crossover study

Objective Recent evidence suggests that short bouts of uninterrupted sedentary behavior reduce insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance while increasing triglyceride levels in both healthy and overweight/obese adults. To date no study has examined the acute impact of uninterrupted sitting in children and youth. The objective of the present study was to determine whether 8h of uninterrupted sitting increases markers of cardiometabolic disease risk in healthy children and youth, in comparison to 8h of sitting interrupted by light intensity walk breaks or structured physical activity. Materials/Methods 11 healthy males and 8 healthy females between the ages of 10 and 14years experienced 3 conditions in random order: (1) 8h of uninterrupted sitting (Sedentary); (2) 8h of sitting interrupted with a 2-min light-intensity walk break every 20min (Breaks); and (3) 8h of sitting interrupted with a 2-min light-intensity walk break every 20min as well as 2×20min of moderate-intensity physical activity (Breaks+Physical Activity). Insulin, glucose, triglyceride, HDL and LDL cholesterol area under the curve were calculated for each condition. Results We observed no significant differences in the area under the curve for any marker of cardiometabolic disease risk across the 3 study conditions (all p >0.09). Conclusions These results suggest that in comparison to interrupted sitting or structured physical activity, a single bout of 8h of uninterrupted sitting does not result in measurable changes in circulating levels of insulin, glucose, or lipids in healthy children and youth.

Building the brand equity of a national physical activity promotion organization

Correlates of Children’s Independent Mobility in Canada: A Multi-Site Study

Globally, physical inactivity is a concern, and children’s independent mobility (CIM) may be an important target behavior for addressing the physical inactivity crisis. The aim of this study was to examine correlates of CIM (8–12 years old) in the Canadian context to inform future interventions. CIM was measured via parent surveys. Individual, social, and environmental correlates of CIM were examined using a social–ecological framework. 1699 participants’ data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and gender-stratified linear mixed-effects models while controlling for site, area-level socioeconomic status, and type of urbanization. Individual correlates including child grade (β = 0.612, p &lt; 0.001), language spoken at home (β = −0.503, p &lt; 0.001), car ownership (β = −0.374, p &lt; 0.05), and phone ownership (β = 0.593, p &lt; 0.001) were associated with CIM. For boys, parental gender (β = −0.387, p &lt; 0.01) was negatively associated with CIM. Parents’ perceptions of safety and environment were significantly associated with CIM. Location (i.e., site) was significantly associated with CIM (ref: Trois-Rivières; Ottawa (β = −1.188, p &lt; 0.001); Vancouver (β = −1.216, p &lt; 0.001)). Suburban environments were negatively associated with boys’ independent mobility (β = −0.536, p &lt; 0.05), while walkability (400 m β = 0.064, p &lt; 0.05; 1600 m β = −0.059, p &lt; 0.05) was significantly associated with girls’ independent mobility only. Future research and interventions should consider targeting “modifiable factors” like children’s and parents’ perceptions of neighborhood safety and environment.

Sports Day in Canada: examining the benefits for event organizers (2010–2013)

The impact of large-scale, 'mass' community-based sport, and physical activity (PA) events on population PA has yet to be established. The enhancement of organizational capacity to support health promotion initiatives is one mechanism through which such events may be helpful. Sports Day in Canada (SDIC) is an annual, nation-wide event celebrating the role of sport within communities and promoting sport participation. Beginning in 2010, thousands of Canadian sport and PA organizations have created SDIC events each year. The objective of this study was to examine the types of organizations who participate in SDIC and to determine if and how these organizations benefit from hosting an event. Online surveys of event organizers (2010 to 2013 SDIC) were conducted. Descriptive analyses identified organization and event characteristics, and one-way ANOVAs across time assessed event organizers' perceptions related to their overall satisfaction, benefits obtained, and challenges faced while participating in SDIC. Findings showed that organizations were mainly from the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec, worked with children and youth, and registered an event that was a tournament or school based. There was a significant increase in overall satisfaction [F(3, 996) = 27.26, p < .001] and benefits obtained [F(3, 1000) = 18.36, p < .001] across all four years of SDIC. One main benefit reported by organizations was an increased awareness and interest among community members in sport program(s) offered by their organization. Mass events like SDIC may help enhance organizational capacity to deliver health promotion initiatives including sport and PA programming.

Prevalence and correlates of high red blood cell folate concentrations in the Canadian population using 3 proposed cut-offs

A distinct shift towards higher folate concentrations has emerged in Canada. These higher concentrations have known benefits, including prevention of neural tube defects, but concerns have been raised regarding potential associations with adverse health outcomes. The aim of this research was to propose cut-offs for high red blood cell (RBC) folate concentrations and identify their correlates. RBC folate was measured in a nationally representative cross-sectional sample of Canadians (N = 5248) aged 6 to 79 years. RBC folate concentrations were adjusted from the IMMULITE 2000 immunoassay to a microbiologic assay. The population was characterized at 3 RBC folate cut-offs: 1450 nmol/L, 1800 nmol/L, and 2150 nmol/L. We used t tests to examine differences by age, sex, income, and body mass index (BMI) at each cut-off and logistic regression to explore associations with folic acid supplement intake. The prevalence of high RBC folate was 16%, 6%, and 2% at thresholds of 1450 nmol/L, 1800 nmol/L, and 2150 nmol/L, respectively. Females, those aged 60 to 79 years, and overweight or obese participants had the greatest prevalence of having high RBC folate at each cut-off. Folic acid supplement users were more likely than non-users to have high RBC folate concentrations. Older age, higher BMI, and folic acid supplement use were identified as correlates of high folate status. A high RBC folate concentration cut-off will advance the field towards consistent measurement and reporting of high folate status. This may facilitate future investigation of associations between RBC folate concentrations at the upper end of the distribution and health outcomes.

Correction to: Comparing and assessing physical activity guidelines for children and adolescents: a systematic literature review and analysis

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Associations of Passive and Active Screen Time With Psychosomatic Complaints of Adolescents

Introduction Increased screen time is a ubiquitous part of adolescent life and is adversely associated with their well-being. However, it remains unclear whether different types of screen time have equivalent associations, or if relationships are dose-dependent. Methods The data were from 2 nationally representative Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (2010, 2014) surveys across 44 European and North American countries. Psychosomatic health was assessed using 8 complaints and dichotomized as high or low. Discretionary time spent on passive (e.g., TV) and mentally active (e.g., electronic games, computer use) screen-based activities was categorized into 3 groups. Data were analyzed in 2021. Results The study included 414,489 adolescents (average age, 13.6 [SD=1.63] years; 51.1% girls). Multilevel modeling showed that psychosomatic complaints increased monotonically once all forms of screen time exceeded 2 hours/day. Adolescents reporting high (>4 hours/day) TV time, compared with those reporting low (≤2 hours/day), had higher odds of reporting psychosomatic complaints with 67% higher odds (OR=1.67, 95% CI=1.62, 1.72) in boys and 71% (OR=1.71, 95% CI=1.66, 1.75) in girls. High electronic game use was associated with psychosomatic complaints, with odds being 78% higher in boys (OR=1.78, 95% CI=1.73, 1.84) and 88% higher in girls (OR=1.88, 95% CI=1.82, 1.94). Similar associations were found between computer use and psychosomatic complaints. Conclusions Passive and mentally active screen time are adversely associated with psychosomatic complaints in a dose-dependent manner, with associations slightly stronger for active than passive screen time. This study supports limiting any type of screen time, either passive or active, to 2 hours/day to foster well-being.

Is the Canadian childhood obesity epidemic related to physical inactivity?

No abstract is provided for this article.

Physical activity and sedentary behavior during the early years in Canada: a cross-sectional study

Physical activity and sedentary behavior habits are established during early childhood, yet only recently has objectively measured data been available on children aged 5 years and younger. This study presents data on the physical activity and sedentary behaviors of Canadian children aged 3–5 years. Data were collected as part of the Canadian Health Measures Survey between 2009 and 2011. A nationally-representative sample (n = 459) of children aged 3–5 years wore Actical accelerometers during their waking hours for 7 consecutive days. Data were collected in 60-sec epochs and respondents with ≥4 valid days were retained for analysis. Parents reported their child’s physical activity and screen time habits in a questionnaire. Eighty-four percent of 3–4 year old children met the physical activity guideline of 180 minutes of total physical activity every day while 18% met the screen time target of <1 hour per day. Fourteen percent of 5 year old children met the physical activity guideline of 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) while 81% met the screen time target of <2 hours per day. Children aged 3–4 years accumulated an average of 352 min/d of total physical activity and 66 minutes of MVPA while 5 year old children accumulated an average of 342 min/d of total physical activity and 68 minutes of MVPA. Children were sedentary for approximately half of their waking hours and spent an average of 2 hours per day in front of screens. Only 15% of 3–4 year olds and 5% of 5 year olds are meeting both the physical activity and sedentary behavior guidelines. Promoting physical activity while reducing sedentary behavior is important at all stages of life. The findings of the present study indicate that there remains significant room for improvement in these behaviors among young Canadian children.

Outdoor physical activity, mental health, life satisfaction, happiness and life stress among Canadian adolescents

<sec> <title>Introduction</title> The objective of this article is to examine the association between outdoor physical activity (OPA) and mental health, life satisfaction, happiness and life stress among Canadian adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. </sec> <sec> <title>Methods</title> This cross-sectional and nationally representative study used self-reported data from the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (n = 10 413). The survey categorized OPA into six groups (from 0 to ≥ 14 hours/week). Logistic regression analyses examined the associations between OPA levels and outcomes, with adjustments for relevant covariates. </sec> <sec> <title>Results</title> In adjusted models, OPA was not significantly associated with anxiety or depressive symptoms. Compared to adolescents with no OPA, those who engaged in ≥ 14 hours/week had higher odds of positive mental health (odds ratio [OR] = 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13–2.38), high life satisfaction (OR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.24–2.46) and high happiness (OR = 2.36; 95% CI: 1.59–3.50), independent of covariates including indoor physical activity. A positive dose–response relationship was observed between higher levels of OPA and life satisfaction and happiness. </sec> <sec> <title>Conclusion</title> Independent of indoor physical activity and other covariates, OPA was associated with positive mental health, high life satisfaction and high happiness, with levels of OPA of ≥ 14 hours/week (highest category) showing the strongest associations. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms linking OPA with higher life satisfaction and happiness. </sec>