Publications

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> High prevalence of physical inactivity amongst children and adolescents continues to represent a significant health challenge globally with approximately two-thirds of children worldwide not achieving the recommended daily Physical Activity (PA) levels. Countries in the Middle East exhibit some of the highest levels of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour, paralleled with increasing obesity rates amongst children and adolescents in the region. </sec> <sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> This study aims to summarize and compare findings on PA indicators amongst children and adolescents in Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) based on the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA) PA Report Cards and compare these results with regional and global trends. </sec> <sec> <title>METHODS</title> Previous Report Cards from Lebanon, Qatar, the UAE were utilised to evaluate and compare PA indicators amongst children and adolescents, and to compare these findings with global data. Report Cards were published in 2016 (1998−2014 data), 2018 (2016−2017 data) and 2022 (2017−2022 data). Data addressing 10 key PA indicators were analysed to identify trends and gaps in PA levels and influencing factors amongst children and adolescents across these countries. </sec> <sec> <title>RESULTS</title> Based on data collected between 1998 and 2022, less than one-third (15%−33%) of children and adolescents in Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE achieved the recommended daily average of 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA. Additionally, more than half (45%−74%) of children and adolescents exceeded the recommended limit of two hours of recreational screen time per day. Other behavioural indicators revealed insufficient PA levels, though the results were slightly better for sources of influence indicators. In comparison with global averages from the Global Matrix, our results were generally lower across indicators. Comparable low levels of PA were commonly observed across other Asian countries. </sec> <sec> <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> Data from a 25-year period show consistent low levels of PA and high levels of sedentary behaviour amongst children and adolescents from these three Arab Middle Eastern countries. Despite governmental investment in implementation of PA initiatives, there seems to be a lag in eliciting increases in PA at a population-level. The evidence points to a critical need for systematic PA surveillance programmes utilising nationally representative samples, with the aim to measure self-report and objective estimates of PA across different domains. </sec>

Modern technology in mainstream culture has contributed to a decrease in children's physical activity. Physical activity is a behavior with a strong influence on physical fitness. PURPOSE To compare health-related physical fitness between two groups of children differing on lifestyle-related physical activity: Old Order Mennonite (OOM) children in southwestern Ontario and urban children in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. METHODS One hundred sixteen boys and 115 girls aged 8.8–13.8 years participated in a battery of fitness tests called the Canadian Physical Activity, Fitness & Lifestyle Appraisal (CPAFLA). The CPAFLA includes blood pressure and resting heart rate measures, anthropometric measures (height, weight, waist girth, skin-folds), a strength measure (handgrip strength), endurance measures (push-ups, partial curl-ups), and flexibility (sit-and-reach test) and aerobic (step test) measures. The data were analyzed using independent-sample t-tests. RESULTS No significant differences were detected between OOM and urban children for chronological age, resting heart rate, blood pressure, height, weight, maturational age (predicted decimal years from peak height velocity), triceps skin-folds, push-ups, partial curl-ups, and the step test. OOM children (n = 124) did have significantly greater handgrip strength (p ≤ .05) than urban children (n = 107). Also, OOM boys (n = 67) were significantly lighter (p ≤ .05) and performed significantly fewer push-ups (p ≤ .05) than urban boys (n = 49). CONCLUSION There are few differences between the health-related physical fitness of OOM and urban children in Canada. This research has been funded by the Canadian Population Health Initiative (CPHI); a program of the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI).

Additional file 4.

Journal Article The accuracy of self-reported smoking: A systematic review of the relationship between self-reported and cotinine-assessed smoking status Get access Sarah Connor Gorber, Sarah Connor Gorber Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Sean Schofield-Hurwitz, Sean Schofield-Hurwitz Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Jill Hardt, Jill Hardt Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Geneviève Levasseur, Geneviève Levasseur Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Mark Tremblay Mark Tremblay Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Nicotine & Tobacco Research, Volume 11, Issue 1, January 2009, Pages 12–24, https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntn010 Published: 01 January 2009 Article history Received: 03 November 2007 Accepted: 14 June 2008 Published: 01 January 2009

No abstract is provided for this article.

No abstract is provided for this article.

Computer simulation modeling makes it possible to project physical activity levels and the prevalence of related health outcomes. Such projections can help to inform programs that aim to increase physical activity levels and improve population health.The Population Health Model (POHEM) platform was used to develop a dynamic microsimulation model of physical activity among Canadian adults. Key parameters were derived from the National Population Health Survey (1994/1995 to 2006/2007) and the 2000/2001 Canadian Community Health Survey. To assess the validity of the physical activity module (POHEM-PA), estimates from the simulation projections were compared with results from nationally representative surveys.Trends over time in physical activity levels, chronic disease prevalence, and Health Utilities Index based on POHEM-PA projections were similar to those based on data from subsequent cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey.The addition of a physical activity module to POHEM provides a tool that can improve understanding of the complex dynamics underlying the relationship between physical activity and health outcomes as a population ages.

The measurement of physical fitness has a history that dates back nearly 200 years. Recently, there has been an increase in international research and surveillance on physical fitness creating a need for setting international priorities that could help guide future efforts.This study aimed to produce a list of the top 10 international priorities for research and surveillance on physical fitness among children and adolescents.Using a twin-panel Delphi method, two independent panels consisting of 46 international experts were identified (panel 1 = 28, panel 2 = 18). The panel participants were asked to list up to five priorities for research or surveillance (round 1), and then rated the items from their own panel on a 5-point Likert scale of importance (round 2). In round 3, experts were asked to rate the priorities identified by the other panel.There was strong between-panel agreement (panel 1: rs = 0.76, p < 0.01; panel 2: rs = 0.77, p < 0.01) in the priorities identified. The list of the final top 10 priorities included (i) "conduct longitudinal studies to assess changes in fitness and associations with health". This was followed by (ii) "use fitness surveillance to inform decision making", and (iii) "implement regular and consistent international/national fitness surveys using common measures".The priorities identified in this study provide guidance for future international collaborations and research efforts on the physical fitness of children and adolescents over the next decade and beyond.

BACKGROUND Physical fitness is an important indicator of current and future health status. This analysis examines the relationships among child-parent dyads in physical fitness measures. DATA AND METHODS The analysis is based on biological child-parent dyads from three cycles of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (Cycle 1: 2007 to 2009, Cycle 2: 2009 to 2011, and Cycle 5: 2016 to 2017). Physical fitness components-cardiorespiratory (CRF) (n = 615), muscular strength (n = 1,319) and flexibility (n = 1,295)-were measured at mobile examination centres using standardized fitness tests. Descriptive, correlation and regression analyses were used to examine relationships among child-parent dyads. RESULTS CRF (R = 0.12), muscular strength (R = 0.23) and flexibility (R = 0.22) measures were weakly correlated among child-parent dyads. Modest increases in the physical fitness levels of children were observed with increases in the fitness rating scores of their parents. According to unadjusted and adjusted regression models, CRF (p< 0.05), muscular strength (p< 0.001) and flexibility (p< 0.001) were positively associated among child-parent dyads. When examined by sex of parent and child, CRF was significantly associated in mother-son dyads only, grip strength was associated in all dyad types except father-son pairings, and flexibility was associated in mother-son and father-son pairings only. DISCUSSION A significant and positive association was evident in measured physical fitness among parents and children. Some variation in the presence and strength of associations existed according to child and parent sex.

Criterion-referenced cut-points for field-based cardiorespiratory fitness for children (CRF) are lacking. This study determined: (a) the association between CRF and obesity, (b) the optimal cut-points for low CRF associated with obesity in children, and (c) the association between obesity and peak oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) estimated from the 20-m shuttle run test using two different prediction equations.A total of 8,740 children aged 10.1±1.2 were recruited from 11 sites across Canada. CRF was assessed using 20mSRT reported as running speed at the last completed stage, number of completed laps and predicted [Formula: see text], which was estimated at the age by sex level using the Léger et al. and FitnessGram equations. Body mass index and waist circumference z-scores were used to identify obesity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and logistic regression determined the discriminatory ability of CRF for predicting obesity.20mSRT had satisfactory predictive ability to detect obesity estimated by BMI, WC, and BMI and WC combined (area under the curve [AUC]>0.65). The FitnessGram equation (AUC>0.71) presented somewhat higher discriminatory power for obesity than the equation of Léger et al. (AUC>0.67) at most ages. Sensitivity was strong (>70%) for all age- and sex-specific cut-points, with optimal cut-points in 8- to 12-year-olds for obesity identified as 39 mL•kg-1•min-1 (laps: 15; speed: 9.0 km/h) and 41 mL•kg-1•min-1 (laps: 15-17; speed: 9.0 km/h) for girls and boys, respectively.20mSRT performance is negatively associated with obesity and CRF cut-points from ROC analyses have good discriminatory power for obesity.