Healthy Active Living and Obesity (HALO)

The focus of the HALO group’s research is to:

Promote and assess healthy active living among children and youth.
Identify, examine and address environmental, behavioural, psychosocial, and biological factors related to healthy active living and obesity in children and youth.
Develop, implement, and evaluate strategies to prevent, manage, and treat obesity and lifestyle-related diseases in children and youth.

To learn more about HALO’s research, please visit the HALO Research web page http://www.haloresearch.ca/.

Related News

Research Projects

Parental psychological problems were associated with higher screen time and the use of mature-rated media in children
08/03/2022

This cross-sectional study was not able to examine causal associations.
Children’s screen use and school readiness at 4-6 years in kindergarten: Prospective cohort study
07/03/2022

Screen use in early childhood is associated with increased vulnerability in developmental readiness for school, with increased risk for poorer language and cognitive development in kindergarten, especially among high users.
Socio-demographic factors associated with meeting the Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines among adults: Findings from the Canadian Health Measures Survey
01/03/2022

Few Canadian adults meet the Canadian 24hrMG and disparities across socio-demographic factors exist.
Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines, life stress, and self-esteem among adolescents
28/02/2022

These findings suggest that meeting the recommendations of the 24-h movement guidelines is associated with lower life stress and better self-esteem among adolescents.
Prevalence and associated factors of excessive recreational screen time among Colombian children and adolescents
23/02/2022

These interventions should promote limiting the availability of electronic devices in children’s bedrooms and not eating in front of screens.
Association between physical activity, screen time and sleep, and school readiness in Canadian children 4-6 years
22/02/2022

Early lifestyle interventions targeting screen use and sleep may be beneficial for improving a child's readiness for school.
Problem technology use, academic performance, and school connectedness among adolescents
18/02/2022

Excessive use and problem technology use are highly prevalent among secondary school students, and they are associated with lower academic performance and lower levels of school connectedness.
Individual and family characteristics associated with health indicators at entry into multidisciplinary pediatric weight management: Findings from the CANadian Pediatric Weight management Registry (CANPWR)
07/02/2022

This highlights the importance of these modifiable health behaviors on multiple health indicators in children with obesity.
Effectiveness of obesity interventions among South Korean children and adolescents and importance of the type of intervention component: a meta-analysis
05/02/2022

Additional studies are needed to understand why and how Korean interventions differ from non-Korean interventions.
Normative reference values for actigraphy-measured total nocturnal sleep time in the US population
05/02/2022

Actigraphy-assessed sleep data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used for this study.
The two sides of sedentary behavior
03/02/2022

Some challenges and research recommendations are compiled, and other can be drawn from the ever - growing scientific evidence related to SB across different fields.
How do adolescents with short sleep duration spend their extra waking hours? A device-based analysis of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in a Brazilian sample
28/01/2022

Patterns of waking behaviours are similar between short and adequate sleepers.
Physical activity and active transportation behaviour among rural, peri-urban and urban children in Kenya, Mozambique and Nigeria: The PAAT Study
25/01/2022

Most correlates of AT and PA were country-specific, suggesting that strategies to encourage both behaviours should be informed by local evidence.
Health associations with meeting the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults: Results from the Canadian Health Measures Survey
19/01/2022

These findings provide support for the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and show that less than 1 in 10 Canadian adults are meeting all three of the healthy movement behaviour guidelines.
Health-related criterion-referenced cut-points for cardiorespiratory fitness among youth: A systematic review
17/01/2022

To further inform the development of universal cut-points, there is a need for additional research, using standardized testing protocols and health-risk definitions, that examines health-related criterion-referenced cut-points for CRF that are age, sex, and culturally diverse.
A collaborative approach to adopting/adapting guidelines. The Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children (5-12 years) and Young People (13-17 years): An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep
12/01/2022

Other countries may consider this approach when developing and/or revising national movement guidelines.
Prevalence and correlates of highly caffeinated beverage consumption among Korean adolescents
05/01/2022

Effective programs to curb HCB consumption among Korean adolescents need to be established.
Inactive Lifestyles Among Young Children With Innocent Murmurs or Congenital Heart Disease, Regardless of Disease Severity or Treatment
01/01/2022

These results emphasize the need for interventions targeting the youngest children seen in cardiac clinics, regardless of diagnoses of CHD or innocent murmur.
Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the movement behaviors of children and youth: A scoping review of evidence after the first year
26/12/2021

There is an urgent need for policy makers, practitioners, and researchers to develop solutions for attenuating adverse changes in physical activity and screen time among children and youth.
Associations between school environments, policies and practices and children’s physical activity and active transportation
22/12/2021

Schools should determine the areas in which they can improve and assess the feasibility of implementing measures to make their school environments, policies, and practices more conducive to PA and AST.
Translation and validation of the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy-2 in a Danish sample
13/12/2021

The translated and context-adapted Danish version of CAPL-2 is a valid and reliable measurement tool ready to use in Danish research studies.
The influence of sex and maturation on carotid and vertebral artery hemodynamics and associations with free-living (in)activity in 6-17-year-olds
05/12/2021

These findings provide novel insight into the potential influence sedentary behavior may have on cerebrovascular blood flow in healthy girls and boys.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on elementary schoolers’ physical activity, sleep, screen time and diet: A quasi-experimental interrupted time series study.
02/12/2021

This may ultimately exacerbate childhood obesity.
Meeting Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guideline recommendations and risk of all-cause mortality
01/12/2021

These findings provide some support of the ability of the 24-hour Movement Guidelines to predict mortality risk.
Relationships of physical activity and sedentary behavior with the previous and subsequent nights’ sleep in children and youth: a systematic review and meta-analysis
23/11/2021

From a clinical perspective, promotion of either sleep hygiene or daytime PA should be planned with considerations of the virtuous or vicious circle between these behaviours and monitor concurrent effects on the others.
Describing 24-hour movement behaviours among preconception and recently pregnant Canadian parents: who do we need to target?
23/11/2021

Most parents and parents-to-be are not meeting 24-hour movement guidelines. Interventions should focus on optimizing movement behaviors in the peri-partum period, while focusing on mental health, obesity, and general wellbeing.
Exploring determinants of brand extension attitude to promote optimal levels of movement among children and youth
23/11/2021

This research provides important information to organizations regarding how to effectively promote various behaviours when interested in expanding their usual repertoire.
Health-related criterion-referenced cut-points for musculoskeletal fitness among youth: A systematic review
22/11/2021

More research, using standardized testing protocols and health-risk definitions, is required to better triangulate universal health-related cut-points for MSF among youth.
Trends in physical fitness among Canadian adults, 2007 to 2017
17/11/2021

It is necessary to explore new ways to help improve the fitness levels of the Canadian population.
Attitudes toward physical activity as a treatment component for adolescents with anorexia nervosa: An exploratory qualitative study of patient perceptions
13/11/2021

This study allows for the inclusion of patient voices in the conversation surrounding the role of physical activity in AN treatment.
Cross-sectional examination of 24-hour movement behaviours among 3- and 4-year-old children in urban and rural settings in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries: the SUNRISE study protocol
26/10/2021

Study findings will be disseminated via publications, conference presentations and may contribute to the development of local guidelines and public health interventions.
Sex differences in weight perception and weight gain among Black college students in the USA
21/10/2021

It is important for HBCUs to monitor and address weight gain among Black students as early as possible.
Prevalence and correlates of active transportation to school among Colombian children and adolescents.
20/10/2021

The wealthiest children and adolescents, adolescents from rural areas, and female adolescents should be a focus for future interventions. Actions need to be implemented to improve the involvement in active transportation to/from school in Colombia.
Metabolically healthy obesity in children enrolled in the CANadian Pediatric Weight management Registry (CANPWR): An exploratory secondary analysis of baseline data
19/10/2021

These findings may help guide clinical decision-making regarding obesity management by focusing on children with MUO who are at relatively high cardiometabolic risk.
Associations between physical activity, sedentary time and social-emotional functioning in young children
15/10/2021

Future research is needed to verify these preliminary findings and determine the directionality of relationships observed, and experimental studies are needed to determine whether promoting either increased steps per day or intensity of physical activity can improve social emotional functioning in the early years.
Association between sociodemographic, dietary, and substance use factors and accelerometer-measured 24-hour movement behaviours in Brazilian adolescents
13/10/2021

What is New: • Sex, age, and dietary behaviours were associated with the 24-hour movement behaviours. • No associations were found between socioeconomic status and substance use with the 24-hour movement behaviours.
Few Canadian children and youth were meeting the 24-hour movement behaviour guidelines 6-months into the COVID-19 pandemic: Follow-up from a national study
09/10/2021

Our study demonstrates the ongoing challenges for children and youth to engage in healthy movement during the pandemic.
Does sleep restriction increase eating in the absence of hunger? Maybe!
05/10/2021

A recent meta-analysis reported that short sleepers eat 385 kcal more per day compared to those who sleep the “adequate amount” based on sleep duration recommendations (5).
Dose-dependent and joint associations between screen time, physical activity, and mental wellbeing in adolescents: an international observational study
23/09/2021

Joint associations of screen time–physical activity with mental wellbeing showed that, compared with the least active participants with more than 8 h per day of screen time and no physical activity, most of the other screen time–physical activity groups had considerably higher life satisfaction and lower psychosomatic complaints.
Associations between meeting the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and cardiometabolic risk in young children
09/09/2021

Meeting the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines in early childhood was not associated with overall CMR, but was associated with favorable cholesterol outcomes.
Longitudinal association between movement behaviours and depressive symptoms among adolescents using compositional data analysis.
02/09/2021

Isotemporal substitution estimates indicated that decreasing screen time by 60 minutes/day and replacing that time with 60 minutes of additional sleep is associated with the largest change in depressive symptoms across all subgroups.
Gender differences in physical activity and sedentary behavior: results from over 200,000 Latin-American children and adolescents
12/08/2021

In conclusion, gender differences in the compliance with physical activity guidelines and the <3 hours recreational sedentary behavior cut-point are evident among children and adolescents from Latin-American countries, with boys being more active than girls.
Association between physical activity, screen time activities, diet patterns and daytime sleepiness in a sample of Brazilian adolescents.
04/08/2021

Lower physical activity level, a higher consumption processed foods, and higher social media use were associated with daytime sleepiness in this sample of Brazilian adolescents.
Temporal trends in step test performance for Chinese adults between 2000 and 2014
15/07/2021

There have been negligible to large improvements in step test performance for low to average performing Chinese adults since 2000, which may be meaningful to public health because low endurance is an important risk factor for all-cause mortality.
Weight gain and mental health in the Canadian prison population
08/07/2021

Weight gain of participants observed during incarceration in Canadian federal penitentiaries was not related to the higher prevalence of mental illness or psychotropic medication use.
The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and Psychological Distress among Adolescents
30/06/2021

Meeting the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines was associated with lower anxiety and depressive symptoms among adolescents, and these associations appear mainly driven by meeting the sleep duration recommendation.
Global prevalence of physical activity for children and adolescents; inconsistencies, research gaps, and recommendations: a narrative review
29/06/2021

The development of a new PA measurement instrument that would be globally accepted and harmonized is a global health priority to help improve the accuracy and reliability of global surveillance.
Striking the right balance: evidence to inform combined physical activity and sedentary behavior recommendations
23/06/2021

This method could be applied to provide evidence for more flexible recommendations in the future with options to act on different behaviors depending on individuals' circumstances and capacity.
Influence of weather conditions on children’s school travel mode and physical activity in 3 diverse regions in Canada
15/06/2021

Interventions designed to help children and families adapt to weather-related barriers to AST and PA are needed.
Sex and racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among U.S. college students, 2011-2015
08/06/2021

Intervention strategies for the prevention and management of overweight and obesity in U.S. college students should consider sex and racial/ethnic inequalities.
Association between screen time and accelerometer-measured 24-h movement behaviors in a sample of Brazilian adolescents.
25/05/2021

Indicators of screen time were associated with different accelerometer-measured 24-h movement behaviors in this sample of Brazilian adolescents.
Meeting 24-h movement guidelines: Prevalence, correlates, and the relationships with overweight and obesity among Chinese children and adolescents
25/05/2021

future studies should use longitudinal or interventional designs to determine the relationships between meeting the 24-h movement guidelines and OW/OB and other health indicators, while taking sex and age differences into account.
No association between dopaminergic polymorphisms and response to treatment of binge-eating disorder
20/05/2021

Future studies should examine a greater variety of dopaminergic polymorphisms, other candidate genes that target other neurotransmitter systems, as well as examine their impact on both behavioral and pharmacological-based treatment for BED.
Interactions with Home and Health Environments Discourage Physical Activity: Reports from Children with Complex Congenital Heart Disease and Their Parents
04/05/2021

Positive clinical encouragement and health environment interventions that better support physical activity are required.
Nonmedical use of prescription opioids, psychological distress, and suicidality among adolescents.
26/04/2021

Future research using a longitudinal design is needed to confirm age differences and temporality.
24-hour movement behaviors and internalizing and externalizing behaviors among youth.
22/04/2021

These associations were mainly explained by meeting the screen time and sleep duration recommendations.
Meeting 24-h movement guidelines and associations with health related quality of life of Australian adolescents
19/04/2021

Overall, meeting more recommendations within the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines was associated with better HRQoL outcomes.
Effect of Acute Exercise and Cycling Desk on Energy Intake and Appetite Response to Mental Work: The CORTEX Study
09/04/2021

Overall composite appetite score was not different between conditions.
Screen time is independently associated with serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in youth with obesity
08/04/2021

Future intervention research is needed to determine whether limiting screen time is an effective way to increase BDNF and associated health benefits in a high-risk population of youth with obesity. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT00195858.
Prevalence and correlates of meeting physical activity guidelines among Colombian children and adolescents
07/04/2021

The correlates identified in our study can help inform the development of actions to overcome the disparities and provide opportunities for children to achieve their full potential for healthy growth and development.
24-h movement guidelines and substance use among adolescents: a school-based cross-sectional study
24/03/2021

Given that the associations between 24-h movement guidelines and substance use differ between boys and girls, future efforts should take this into consideration.
Systematic review of the correlates of outdoor play and time among children aged 3-12 years
19/03/2021

Future work should investigate the interactions and processes of multiple variables across different levels of socioecological modelling to better understand the mechanisms through which outdoor play/time opportunities can be optimized for children while paying special attention to varying conditions in which children are born, live, and play.
“You can’t go to the park, you can’t go here, you can’t go there”: Exploring parental experiences of COVID-19 and its impact on their children’s movement behaviours
12/03/2021

It will be important to continue to encourage outdoor time, support policies and practice that facilitate independent mobility, and develop centralized resources that help families in the maintenance of healthy movement behaviours.
Effects of classroom active desks on children and adolescents’ physical activity, sedentary behavior, academic achievements and overall health: a systematic review
10/03/2021

Due to weak methodology, future studies with stronger study designs and methodology are needed to better inform policy and practice about the role of classroom active desks on health-related outcomes in children and adolescents.
Associations between sociodemographic, dietary, and substance use factors with self-reported 24-hour movement behaviors in a sample of Brazilian adolescents.
04/03/2021

No associations were observed for sleep duration. In conclusion, sociodemographic, dietary, and substance use factors are associated with the 24 h movement behaviors among Brazilian adolescents, and some associations are type specific.
Protocol for a randomised trial evaluating a preconception-early childhood telephone-based intervention with tailored e-health resources for women and their partners to optimise growth and development among children in Canada: a Healthy Life Trajectory Initiative (HeLTI Canada)
01/03/2021

The findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated to policymakers at local, national and international agencies. Findings will also be shared with study participants and their communities.
First sleep health guidelines for Canadian adults: implications for clinicians.
02/02/2021

Canada, marks an important step towards a better recognition of “sleep health” as a critical component of health and wellness. Clinicians are well positioned to discuss sleep health with their patients and initiate treatment options. It is hoped it will now be part of routine medical examinations.
Perceptions of Healthy Lifestyles Among Children With Complex Heart Disease and Their Caregivers
01/02/2021

There is a profound need to enhance knowledge of childhood heart conditions and improve interactions among key stakeholders—children and families, educators, and recreation and healthcare professionals.
Changes in healthy behaviors and meeting 24-h Movement Guidelines in Spanish and Brazilian preschoolers, children and adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown
26/01/2021

Efforts to protect and support healthy behaviors of young people during a period of pandemic restrictions need to be a priority.
Do fit kids have fit parents?
20/01/2021

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.
Typologies of family functioning and 24-h movement behaviors
15/01/2021

These findings highlight the importance of the family environment for promoting healthy movement behaviors among children.
Sleep Duration and Weight Gain among Students at a Historically Black University
15/01/2021

Appropriate sleep and weight management should be considered to address sex disparities in sleep and weight gain among black students at historically black universities.
Poor adherence to sleep and physical activity guidelines among children with epilepsy
12/01/2021

To assess physical activity and sleep rates in a cohort of children with epilepsy (CWE) and determine if there is a relationship between physical activity and sleep time.
Developing patient resources to enable the exchange of healthy lifestyle information between clinicians and families of children with complex heart problems
11/01/2021

healthy active lifestyles among children with CHP and the impact of these resources for changing healthy lifestyle behaviours.
Association between 24‐hour movement guidelines and physical fitness in children
22/12/2020

In order to enhance children’s physical fitness, public health recommendations should primarily target MVPA.
Regional differences in access to the outdoors and outdoor play of Canadian children and youth during the COVID-19 outbreak
18/12/2020

It is unsurprising that in the provinces that have had the highest number of COVID-19 cases, there have been the most stringent restrictions on access to the outdoors. It is also unsurprising that these same provinces have had the greatest decline in time spent outdoors and in outdoor play among children and youth.
The whole day matters: Understanding 24-hour movement guideline adherence and relationships with health indicators across the lifespan
11/12/2020

The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the associations between the 24-h time-use composition of movement behaviors, or adherence to 24-h movement guidelines, and multiple health indicators across the lifespan.
Sedentary Behavior Research Network members support new Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guideline recommendations
11/12/2020

The new Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18 to 64 years and Adults aged 65 years and older are grounded in evidence from a variety of research sources, unanimously endorsed by the Guideline Development Panel4 and strongly supported by stakeholders, including many SBRN members.
Obesity-related behaviors of students at historically black colleges and universities and students at non-historically black colleges and universities
10/12/2020

Findings suggest the need for implementation of aggressive overweight and obesity prevention strategies for students at HBCUs.
Psychological Correlates of Sedentary Screen Time Behaviour Among Children and Adolescents: a Narrative Review
09/12/2020

Practitioners, parents, policy makers and researchers should collectively identify and evaluate strategies to reduce screen time, or to use screens more adaptively, as a means of promoting better mental health among children and adolescents.
How should we move for health? The case for the 24-hour movement paradigm
07/12/2020

Although the current evidence informing movement guidelines is and may always be imperfect, the creators of the Canadian guidelines consider that interpretation of that evidence must lead to advice that has the best chance of preserving and promoting people’s health by providing practitioners with more options to explore with patients in a patient-centred way, in an effort to improve health through modification of movement behaviour.
Cross-validation of the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy Second Edition (CAPL-2): the case of a Chinese population
04/12/2020

This study was the first to cross-validate the CAPL-2 into the Chinese population. CAPL-2 (Chinese) offers the possibility of assessing physical literacy for researchers and practitioners and Chinese children’s physical literacy development could be easily tracked in school settings.
Participation in a Community-Based Sport Program is Feasible for Children with Congenital Heart Disease and May Benefit Physical Literacy Development: A Pilot Study
29/11/2020

Future trials evaluating Sportball©’s impact with larger samples and multiple 10-week sessions are recommended.
World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour
26/11/2020

These guidelines should be used to inform national health policies aligned with the WHO Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018-2030 and to strengthen surveillance systems that track progress towards national and global targets.
Advancing the global physical activity agenda: recommendations for future research by the 2020 WHO physical activity and sedentary behavior guidelines development group
26/11/2020

Although the 2020 WHO Guidelines for Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior were informed by the most up-to-date research on the health effects of physical activity and sedentary time, there is still substantial work to be done in advancing the global physical activity agenda.
2020 WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour for children and adolescents aged 5-17 years: summary of the evidence
26/11/2020

Addressing the identified research gaps will better inform guideline recommendations in children and adolescents, and future work should aim to prioritize these areas of research. In the meantime, investment and leadership is needed to scale up known effective policies and programs aimed at increasing activity in children and adolescents.
Relationships among children’s independent mobility, active transportation and physical activity: a multi-site cross-sectional study
15/10/2020

Keywords: active travel; children’s autonomy; pedometers; urbanization; multilevel models
Introduction to the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18-64 years and Adults aged 65 years or older: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep
15/10/2020

Support for the development of the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18–64 years and Adults aged 65 years or older: an integration of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep was provided by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Queen’s University, and ParticipACTION.
Sedentary behaviour and health in adults: an overview of systematic reviews
15/10/2020

Our findings suggest that high levels of sedentary behaviour are unfavourably associated with cognitive function, depression, function and disability, physical activity levels, and physical health-related quality of life in adults. Our results also suggest that reducing or breaking up periods of prolonged sitting may have beneficial effects on markers of cardiometabolic risk and body composition. Although sedentary behaviour was generally associated with negative health outcomes, there may be favourable associations between computer and Internet use and cognitive function in older adults. Our findings have important public health implications and suggest that adults should avoid accumulating high levels of sedentary behaviour. Future work is needed to identify whether a dose–response relationship exists between sedentary behaviour and these health outcomes, and whether these relationships are consistent across sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18-64 years and Adults aged 65 years or older: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep
15/10/2020

The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18–64 years and Adults aged 65 years or older: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep completes the set of 24-Hour Movement Guidelines that together provide recommendations for healthy movement behaviours for the whole day for all Canadians. The Guidelines were generated based on the best available evidence with extensive consultation and stakeholder feedback. The CP recognized that to adopt and sustain any movement behaviour in today’s environment presents very real challenges for all adults. It is hoped that the shift in focus from movement behaviours in isolation to the integration of all movement behaviours over the whole day will provide movement options for adults, treatment options for practitioners, and greater opportunities for public health promotion.
Sedentary Behaviour Research Network members support new Canadian 24-hour Movement Guideline recommendations
15/10/2020

The authors are grateful to Dr. Jennifer Tomasone and her students, who were responsible for the administration of the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults Stakeholder Survey from which the Sedentary Behavior Research Network sub-analysis was drawn.
Sex and racial/ethnic differences in sleep quality and its relationship with body weight status among US college students
11/10/2020

Understanding sex and racial/ethnic sleep differences and the association between sleep and body weight status is important for colleges to promote college students' healthy sleep.
Physical inactivity as a risk factor for all-cause mortality in Brazil (1990-2017)
30/09/2020

It could be concluded that physical inactivity contributed to a substantial number of deaths in Brazil and in the different Brazilian states from 1990 to 2017. From 1990 to 2017, a decrease in standardized death rate from all causes attributable to physical inactivity was observed in Brazil. Brazilian states with the highest social inequalities showed lower reductions (from 1990 to 2017) in age-standardized mortality rate for all causes attributable to physical inactivity. The results of the present study show the importance of preventing risk factors for noncommunicable chronic diseases in all Brazilian states, and greater effort in combating social and economic inequities related to the living conditions of the population is needed, so that the adoption of active and healthy lifestyle has greater reach in all regions of Brazil.
Prevalence and sociodemographic factors associated with meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines in a sample of Brazilian adolescents
28/09/2020

Approximately 3% of the participants met the MVPA, screen-time, and sleep duration recommendations simultaneously, while this proportion was 0.2% when accelerometer data were used for MVPA and sleep duration. Adherence to the sleep duration recommendation was higher than to the screen-time or MVPA recommendations. Boys were more likely to meet the MVPA recommendations, but less likely to meet sleep duration and scree-time recommendations, and age was positively associated with adhering to the screen-time recommendation. Future policies and interventions should promote adherence to 24-hours movement behaviors in an integrated manner.
Association between lifestyle behaviors and health-related quality of life in a sample of Brazilian adolescents
22/09/2020

This study identified that adolescents who spent more time on sports but not on non-sports physical activities had higher scores of HRQoL. The time spent in work-related screen activities was inversely associated with HRQoL score. However, this association was not observed for recreational screen time indicators (i.e., watching videos, playing videogames, or using social media). In addition, girls, adolescents who experimented with drugs in their life course, those with higher consumption of ultra-processed foods, and those who sleep insufficiently reported lower scores of HRQoL. These findings suggest that promoting sports and adequate sleep, and preventing the use of drugs and excessive workloads among adolescents may be effective strategies to improve HRQoL.
Association of screen time and cardiometabolic risk in school-aged children
21/09/2020

Highlights • No evidence of an association between children’s parental-reported screen time and total cardiometabolic risk score. •Weak association between increased screen time and reduced HDL cholesterol in children. •No sex or age interactions detected between parental-reported screen time and cardiometabolic risk.
Healthy movement behaviours in children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic: Exploring the role of the neighbourhood environment
16/09/2020

To conclude, this study provides important insights into the movement patterns of children and youth, and our findings highlight the importance of the neighbourhood environment in enabling healthier behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings will inform public health policies as we recover from this current crisis and prepare for future pandemics. The results will also inform urban planning policy and design guidelines in the post-COVID-19 period. As we continue to gain novel insights from our experiences during the pandemic, these learnings will be important for creating stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities.
Promoting physical activity in children with impairments
04/09/2020

Quality physical activity opportunities provide each child with desired activities in the settings of interest.
Healthy movement behaviours in children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic: Exploring the role of the neighbourhood environment
01/09/2020

This paper explores patterns of increased/ decreased physical activity, sedentary and sleep behaviours among Canadian children and youth aged 5-17 years during the COVID-19 pandemic, and examines how these changes are associated with the built environment near residential locations.
Profiles of active transportation among children and adolescents in the Global Matrix 3.0 initiative: a 49-country comparison
18/08/2020

This work allowed for a deeper exploration of the active transportation information reported by all the countries participating in the Global Matrix 3.0. Based on our findings, we identified the need to standardize definitions of active transportation to be able to make more meaningful comparisons. The LPA conducted allows for the inference that countries belonging to a specific profile have a greater probability of sharing certain characteristics among them compared to the countries belonging to other profiles. Given the variation by geographic region and even HDI, this approach is useful for identification of more meaningful groupings that can facilitate the cross-fertilization of efforts to promote active transportation, and therefore, to “power the movement to get kids moving”, as is intended by the Global Matrix initiative [171]. The Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance can contribute to improving active travel surveillance providing guidance to countries involved in future versions of the Global Matrix. A more comprehensive approach to active transportation surveillance that considers duration, distance, frequency, direction, other destinations than school and the contribution of active transportation to school to overall active transportation, could improve the understanding of this behaviour and its potential to increase overall physical activity.
“I really like playing games together”: Understanding what influences children with congenital heart disease to participate in physical activity
10/07/2020

Community-based programmes may also be an appropriate context for children with cardiac conditions to engage and maintain participation in physical activity through adolescence.
Canadian children’s and youth’s adherence to the 24-h movement guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic: A decision tree analysis
08/07/2020

Our results show that specific characteristics interact to contribute to (non)adherence to the movement behavior recommendations. Results highlight the importance of targeting parents’ perceived capability for the promotion of children's and youth's movement behaviors during challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, paying particular attention to enhancing parental perceived capability to restrict screen time.
Yoga and Aerobic Dance for Pain Management in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
06/07/2020

The use of online programs to disseminate these 2 PA interventions may facilitate access to alternative methods of pain management. This study can lead to a full-scale RCT.
Impact of the COVID-19 virus outbreak on movement and play behaviours of Canadian children and youth: a national survey
06/07/2020

This study provides evidence of immediate collateral consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, demonstrating an adverse impact on the movement and play behaviours of Canadian children and youth. These findings can guide efforts to preserve and promote child health during the COVID-19 outbreak and crisis recovery period, and to inform strategies to mitigate potential harm during future pandemics.
Associations between duration and type of electronic screen use and cognition in US children
01/07/2020

We report the relationship between cognition and screen use in 11,875 US children. Higher TV and video watching were negatively associated with cognition.
Comparing and assessing physical activity guidelines for children and adolescents: a systematic literature review and analysis
01/07/2020

There is growing global interest in physical activity and sedentary behaviour guideline development. More recently some countries have included sleep in their guidelines focusing on movement behaviours during a 24 h period.. The findings from this review indicate extensive variability in the quality of country guidelines.
Sleep and screen time are more linked with academic achievement than physical activity
04/06/2020

High school students who met the screen time and sleep guidelines showed better academic performance than those who did not meet any guidelines.
Identifying Criteria for a Physical Literacy Screening Task: An Expert Delphi Process
03/06/2020

Research is required to identify potential tasks that meet these criteria and are suitable for each REACH sector.
New Data regarding decreased physical activity during the Global Pandemic
01/06/2020

The time spent in places associated with physical activity such as parks, beaches, and community gardens was down by 31%, and travel by public transport, which is also associated with physical activity, was down by 59%.
Sex differences in the relationship between social media use, short sleep duration, and body mass index among adolescents
21/04/2020

Our results showed that short sleep duration is a concurrent mediator of the relationship between social media use and BMI z-scores among males. Reducing time spent using social media may be a good behavioral target to promote adequate sleep duration, which is considered as a component in childhood obesity prevention efforts.
Combinations of physical activity and screen time recommendations and their association with overweight/obesity in adolescents.
13/04/2020

Children meeting both the physical activity and screen time recommendations are less likely to be classified as overweight/obese compared with any other combination. Future efforts are needed to target both MVPA and sedentary behaviour to address public health concerns such as excess weight.
Association between dietary behaviours and weight status of school children: Results from the International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment (ISCOLE) – Kenya
07/04/2020

Children have healthy diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in energy-dense foods. Also, less healthy diets were observed in children with lower BMI. There is need for interventions targeting the overweight/obese children, particularly those of higher SES.
Impacting child health outcomes in congenital heart disease: Cluster randomized controlled trial protocol of in-clinic physical activity counselling
01/04/2020

The impact on physical activity motivation and participation will evaluate the effectiveness of this standardized approach for increasing physical activity in children with congenital heart defects.
Physically active children with epilepsy have good objective sleep duration and efficiency despite subjective reports of fatigue and sleep problems
02/03/2020

The physical activity of initially less active and older children with epilepsy may benefit from an exercise counseling intervention.
Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy in grades 7-9 (12-16 years): Preliminary validity and descriptive results
06/01/2020

The CAPL 789 was feasible among children from grades 7-9. Additional research is required to establish the psychometric properties in children 12 to 16 years.
Population-level evaluation of ParticipACTION’s 150 Play List: A mass-reach campaign with mass participatory events
18/11/2019

The 150 Play List was valued by those aware of it and the campaign was related to interest in sport and physical activity in Canada. The community events had potential to augment campaign effects but adequate evaluation requires sufficient resources.
Parents of Very Young Children with Congenital Heart Defects Report Good Quality of Life for Their Children and Families Regardless of Defect Severity
07/11/2019

Parents report a lower quality of life among girls, and lower family quality of life is associated with lower family income.
Body mass index and movement behaviors among schoolchildren from 13 countries across a continuum of human development indices: A multinational cross‐sectional study
24/10/2019

Our findings show distinct differences in BMI and movement behavior profiles between urban and rural children in Mozambique. Mean BMI z‐scores, MVPA, and SED differed by country HDI. These findings support the need to include both rural and urban participants in study samples.
The effect of high-intensity interval training on inhibitory control in adolescents hospitalized for a mental illness.
01/10/2019

The impact of pre-therapy HIIT to enhance focus and reduce impulsive thoughts and behaviours may improve adolescent patients’ response to mental health treatment.
24-Hour Movement Behaviors and Impulsivity
01/09/2019

Data from this cross-sectional observational study were part of the first annual curated release of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Participants included 4524 children between the ages of 8 and 11 years.
Health trajectories of children with severe obesity attending a weight management program
12/07/2019

Findings highlight the need to examine both mental and physical health outcomes beyond 1 year.
Understanding parent perceptions of healthy physical activity for their child with a chronic medical condition: A cross-sectional study
01/06/2019

Over one-third of parents reported having questions about physical activity for their child with a chronic medical condition, suggesting substantial uncertainty even among children reported as active. Presence of parent uncertainty is associated with parent reports of the child being unwell or a history of cardiac arrhythmia
Obesity class versus the Edmonton Obesity Staging System for Pediatrics to define health risk in childhood obesity: results from the CANPWR cross-sectional study
02/04/2019

As BMI class increased, a concomitant increased disease burden in mechanical and social milieu issues was observed, whereas metabolic and mental health risks were high across BMI classes.
Balancing time use for children’s fitness and adiposity: Evidence to inform 24-hour guidelines for sleep, sedentary time and physical activity
19/01/2019

To best balance both outcomes, estimated activity durations for sleep and LPA align with, but for MVPA exceed, 24-h guidelines.
Higher screen time, lower muscular endurance, and decreased agility limit the physical literacy of children with epilepsy
01/01/2019

Children with epilepsy demonstrate poor physical literacy levels, with potential immediate and long-lasting negative impacts on general health and psychosocial well-being. Programs promoting physical literacy in children with epilepsy should be encouraged, specifically interventions decreasing screen time and enhancing muscular endurance and motor skills, thereby facilitating healthier lifestyles.
Sensitivity, specificity, and reliability of the Get Active Questionnaire for identifying children with medically necessary special considerations for physical activity
03/11/2018

The sensitivity, specificity, and reliability of the Get Active Questionnaire (GAQ) for identifying children needing special considerations during physical activity was evaluated among parents of 207 children aged 3 to 14 years
Relationship Between Physical Activity, Tic Severity and Quality of Life in Children with Tourette Syndrome
01/11/2018

Further research is needed to determine the utility of physical activity as therapy for tics.
Higher screen time, lower muscular endurance and decreased agility limit the physical literacy of children with epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior.
19/10/2018

Programs promoting physical literacy in children with epilepsy should be encouraged, specifically interventions decreasing screen time and enhancing muscular endurance and motor skills, thereby facilitating healthier lifestyles.
The relationship between sedentary behaviour and physical literacy in Canadian children: a cross-sectional analysis from the RBC-CAPL Learn to Play study
02/10/2018

These results highlight differences in the ways that screen and non-screen sedentary behaviours relate to physical literacy.
Physical literacy levels of Canadian children aged 8-12 years: descriptive and normative results from the RBC Learn to Play-CAPL project
02/10/2018

These results provide the largest and most comprehensive assessment of physical literacy of Canadian children to date, providing a “state of the nation” baseline, and can be used to monitor changes and inform intervention strategies going forward.
Physical Literacy Knowledge Questionnaire: feasibility, validity, and reliability for Canadian children aged 8 to 12 years
02/10/2018

Future studies of alternative item wording and responses are recommended to enhance test-retest reliability.
Canada’s Physical Literacy Consensus Statement: process and outcome
02/10/2018

Going forward, the impact of this initiative on the sector, and the more distal goal of increasing habitual physical activity levels, should be assessed.
Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy Second Edition: a streamlined assessment of the capacity for physical activity among children 8 to 12 years of age
02/10/2018

Regardless of the assessment selected, scores are available to interpret the performance of each child relative to Canadian children of the same age and sex.
Revising the motivation and confidence domain of the Canadian assessment of physical literacy
02/10/2018

The revised and much shorter questionnaire of 12 items that aggregate to four subscales within the domain of Motivation and Confidence is recommended for use in the CAPL-2.
Refining the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy based on theory and factor analyses
02/10/2018

The scores from the revised and much shorter 14-indicator model of CAPL can be used to assess the four correlated domains of physical literacy and/or a higher-order aggregate physical literacy factor.
Associations between domains of physical literacy by weight status in 8- to 12-year-old Canadian children
02/10/2018

All of the domains of the CAPL correlate positively with each other regardless of weight status, with a trend for these correlation coefficients to be slightly stronger in the healthy-weight children.
The relationship between physical literacy scores and adherence to Canadian physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines
02/10/2018

These cross-sectional findings demonstrate important associations between physical literacy and guideline adherence for physical activity and sedentary behaviour.
Cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with physical literacy in a large sample of Canadian children aged 8 to 12 years
02/10/2018

This study identified strong favourable associations between CRF and physical literacy and its constituent components in children aged 8–12 years.
Influence of the relative age effect on children’s scores obtained from the Canadian assessment of physical literacy
02/10/2018

Collectively, our results suggest that the RAE bias is mainly negligible with regard to the domain scores and overall CAPL scores in this large sample of children.
Associations between teacher training and measures of physical literacy among Canadian 8- to 12-year-old students
02/10/2018

Children taught by PE specialists were more likely than those taught by generalists to demonstrate recommended levels of motivation and confidence, and to have better movement skills, which are hypothesized to be critical prerequisites for the development of a healthy lifestyle.
A cross-sectional study exploring the relationship between age, gender, and physical measures with adequacy in and predilection for physical activity
02/10/2018

These findings suggest that practitioners should consider the physiological and psychological makeup of the child, and ways to enhance adequacy and predilection among children with limited cardiorespiratory fitness, in order to create the best possible environment for all children to participate in physical activity.
Video Evaluation of Self-Regulation Skills in Preschool Aged Children with Developmental Delays: Can the impact of Tumbling TogetherTM be Measured?
27/08/2018

Research comparing Tumbling participants to children not offered the program, and examining whether the self-regulation skills improved during Tumbling participation would generalize to other settings is required.
Y Kids Academy Program Increases Knowledge of Healthy Living in Young Adolescents
27/06/2018

These findings support the suitability of the Y Kids Academy for improving and evaluating knowledge of healthy living in young adolescents.
The mental health of adolescents and pre-adolescents living with inherited arrhythmia syndromes: A systematic review of the literature
01/05/2018
Insulin Resistance and Hypertension in Obese Youth With Sleep-Disordered Breathing Treated With Positive Airway Pressure: A Prospective Multicenter Study
01/09/2017

In youth with obesity and SDB, metabolic dysfunction and hypertension were highly prevalent. Larger, longer-term studies are needed to determine whether PAP improves cardiometabolic outcomes in obese youth.
Brain on Fire: Incentive Salience, Hedonic Hot Spots, Dopamine, Obesity, and Other Hunger Games
21/08/2017

The surgical and pharmacological treatments of obesity are discussed, and evidence is presented for the selective use of DA-class drugs in obesity treatment.
Exercise Capacity and Self-Efficacy are Associated with Moderate-to-Vigorous Intensity Physical Activity in Children with Congenital Heart Disease
12/06/2017

Of 172 patients who were recruited, 137 (80%) had complete MVPA data and were included in the analysis.
Conceptual Critique of Canada’s Physical Literacy Assessment Instruments Also Misses the Mark
09/06/2017
Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA): Validity, objectivity, and reliability evidence for children 8-12 years of age
01/06/2017

The Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment is a feasible measure of selected fundamental, complex and combined movement skills, which are an important building block for childhood physical literacy.
Resistance Training, Alone Or In Combination With Aerobic Training, May Provide Psychological Benefits In Adolescents With Overweight Or Obesity
04/12/2015

Resistance training, alone or in combination with aerobic training, may provide psychological benefits in adolescents with overweight or obesity, and therefore could be an alternative to aerobic training for some individuals in the biological and psychological management of adolescent obesity
Effects of aerobic training, resistance training, or both on psychological health in adolescents with obesity: The HEARTY randomized controlled trial
31/08/2015

Resistance training, alone or in combination with aerobic training, may provide psychological benefits in adolescents with overweight or obesity, and therefore could be an alternative to aerobic training for some individuals in the biological and psychological management of adolescent obesity.
The Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy: Methods for Children in Grades 4 to 6 (8 to 12 years)
11/08/2015

CAPL offers a comprehensive assessment of engagement in physical activity, physical competence, motivation and confidence, and knowledge and understanding as components of childhood (grades 4 to 6, 8 to 12 years) physical literacy. Monitoring of these measures enhances our understanding of children’s physical literacy, and assists with the identification of areas where additional supports are required.
New concepts in the assessment of exercise capacity among children with congenital heart disease: Looking beyond heart function and mortality
10/02/2015

Physically active lifestyles are important for the physical and mental health of children with congenital heart defects.
Does Neck-to-Waist Ratio Predict Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children?
01/12/2014

Neck-to-waist ratio, an index of body fat distribution, predicts OSA in older children and youth, especially in those who were overweight/obese.