The talk was well received with over 100 in attendance.

Please see below for some updates on the 2014 Summit.

Summit Registration is Now Open!

We are off and running – registration for the 2014 Global Summit on the Physical Activity of Children and Youth is now open. Secure your attendance at this must-attend event for anyone whose work touches childhood physical activity.

Go to registration page now

Call For Abstracts is Online

Share your expertise with an international audience and be part of the resolution of the global childhood inactivity crisis.

The call for abstract submissions is now open for oral presentations, promising practice workshops (sharing successes) and poster presentations with either a research or practice focus.

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TORONTO (ONTARIO) MAY 21, 2013 – With a steady rise in the use of the car, and a strong decline in kids getting to and from school and after school activities on their own steam, we have to ask ourselves: are we driving our kids to unhealthy habits?

The 2013 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, released today, reports that many Canadian children and youth are driven to and from destinations, and assigns a “D” grade for Active Transportation. Active transportation – walking, biking, wheeling, in-line skating or skateboarding to get to and from places such as school, parks and shops – has long been known to be an important source of physical activity for children and youth^1,2,3,4 but has seen a rapid decline in the last generation. While 58 per cent of parents walked to school when they were kids, only 28 per cent of their children walk to school today.⁵ In addition to this generational shift, 62 per cent of Canadian youth, aged five to 17, use only inactive modes of transportation to get to and from school.⁶

“By driving our kids to and from their destinations, we may be robbing them of an important source of physical activity, and contributing to lifelong unhealthy habits,” says Dr. Mark Tremblay, Chief Scientific Officer, Active Healthy Kids Canada. “Active transportation presents an easy, cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to increase physical activity levels among children and youth, and its benefits are significant. In fact, if we encouraged our kids to walk for trips less than a kilometre, they could bank an additional 10 to 15 minutes of physical activity per trip!”

Barriers, such as distance between home and school, as well as safety concerns, have forced our kids into the car and contributed to the decline in active transportation and overall physical activity levels. Today’s fast paced world finds parents are more likely to drive their children to their end destination if they perceive that driving them saves time or is more convenient.⁷ And while 66 per cent of Canadian adults agree or strongly agree that their neighbourhood is safe for children to walk to and from school, today’s children are less likely to be allowed to walk or bike to neighbourhood destinations without adult supervision.⁸

“Today’s youth spend less time walking, and walk shorter distances, than their parents did as children,” says Kelly Murumets, President and CEO, ParticipACTION. “With only five per cent of five to 17 year olds meeting the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, it is important to find simple solutions to help increase their physical activity levels. By making small changes to the way we travel to destinations, we can have a big impact on the physical activity levels of our children.

Not only will we help get them closer to achieving the recommended Guidelines, but we will also provide opportunities for social engagement with their peers.”

“Active transportation can easily be integrated into everyday life at little or no cost. Collective action needs to be taken – by parents and families, policymakers, and schools – to ensure that Canadian children and youth are reaping the benefits of active transportation,” says Jennifer Cowie Bonne, CEO, Active Healthy Kids Canada. “Schools should consider implementation of safe walk-to-school travel plans and provide bike racks, and government strategies should ensure urban planning that supports safe communities for biking and walking.”

Among the 17 grades assigned in the Report Card, key grades include:

• “D” for Active Transportation
• “F” for Sedentary Behaviour
• “C” for Family Physical Activity
• An overall grade of “D-” for Physical Activity Levels

Full copies of the short-form and long-form Report Card, plus free presentations, articles and media materials, can be found at www.activehealthykids.ca.

References

¹ Faulkner GEJ, Buliung RN, Flora PK, Fusco C. Active school transport, physical activity levels and body weight of children and youth: a systematic review. Prev Med. 2009;49:3-8.
² Larouche R, Saunders T, Faulkner GEJ, Colley RC, Tremblay MS. Associations between active school transport and physical activity, body composition and cardiovascular fitness: a systematic review of 68 studies. J Phys Act Health. 2012. [Epub ahead of print]
³ Lee MC, Orenstein MR, Richardson MC. Systematic review of active commuting to school and children’s physical activity and weight. J Phys Act Health.2008;5(6):930-949.
⁴ Morency C, Demers M. Active transportation as a way to increase physical activity among children. Child Care Hlth Dev. 2010;36(3):421-427.
⁵ Stone MR, Mammen G, Faulkner G. Canadian School Travel Planning Intervention Results (National Report). (2010-12). Submitted to the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, under the Coalitions Linking Action and Science for Prevention (CLASP) initiative, and Green Communities Canada. April 1, 2012.
⁶ Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute. 2010 Physical Activity Monitor. Bulletin 12: Transportation among children and youth. Ottawa: Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute; 2012. www.cflri.ca/node/961.
⁷ Faulkner GEJ, Richichi V, Buliung RN, Fusco C, Moola F. What’s “quickest and easiest?” Parental decision making about school trip mode. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2010;7:62.
⁸ Fyhri A, Hjorthol R, Mackett RL, Fotel TN, Kytta M. Children’s active travel and independent mobility in four countries: development, social contributing trends and measures. Transp Pol. 2011;18:703-710.

About the Report Card

The Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is the most comprehensive annual assessment of child and youth physical activity in Canada. Active Healthy Kids Canada works with its strategic partners to develop and disseminate the Report Card. The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute’s Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group (CHEO-HALO), works with an interdisciplinary Research Work Group that includes top researchers from across Canada, to ensure that the Report Card includes the most up-to-date evidence about physical activity for children and youth. ParticipACTION provides strategic communications expertise and support to produce and deliver the Report Card.

Production of the Report Card is possible through support from The Lawson Foundation, the George Weston Foundation through its Wonder+Cares funding program, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Loblaw Companies Limited, Cardel Place, the MLSE Foundation and provincial and territorial governments through the Sport Physical Activity and Recreation Committee.

About Active Healthy Kids Canada

Active Healthy Kids Canada is a national charitable organization established in 1994 with a mission to inspire the country to engage all children and youth in physical activity. We provide expertise and direction to policy-makers and the public on how to increase physical activity for Canadian children and youth, and effectively allocate resources and attention to the issue. Our vision is to create a nation of active healthy kids. Advancing knowledge is the cornerstone of our business. Our primary method is the annual Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. Through strategic partnerships with funders, governments, non-government organizations, research groups and others, we produce Canada’s most comprehensive yearly assessment of physical activity opportunities for Canadian children and youth.

About CHEO-HALO

The Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group (HALO) is located within the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute (Ottawa, Canada). HALO provides international leadership and research excellence in healthy active living for the promotion of health and wellness in children and youth, including the prevention, management and treatment of obesity. The HALO team is comprised of a multidisciplinary group of research scientists, clinicians, research staff, administrative support personnel, graduate and practicum students, post-doctoral fellows and medical interns and residents. Working with local, provincial, national and international partners and stakeholders, HALO is committed to advancing the understanding and importance of promoting healthy active living, with a mission to preserve, enhance and restore the health and wellness of our most precious resource, our children.

About ParticipACTION

ParticipACTION is the national voice of physical activity and sport participation in Canada. Originally established in 1971, ParticipACTION was re-launched in 2007 to help prevent the looming inactivity crisis that faces Canada. As a national not-for-profit organization solely dedicated to inspiring and supporting healthy and active living for Canadians, it works with its partners, which include sport, physical activity, recreation organizations, government and corporate sponsors, to inspire and support Canadians to move more. ParticipACTION is generously supported by Sport Canada. For more information, visit www.participACTION.com.

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For more information, copies of the Report Card or b-roll, to schedule an interview or speak to a spokesperson, please contact:

Kelsey Strickland
Hill + Knowlton Strategies
416-413-4788
kelsey.strickland@hkstrategies.ca

Stacie Smith
ParticipACTION
416-913-1471
ssmith@participACTION.com

Goldfield GS, Dowler LM, Walker M, Cameron JD, Ferraro ZM, Doucet E, Adamo KB. Are dopamine-related genotypes risk factors for excessive gestational weight gain?. May 2013. International Journal of Women’s Health, 5:253-59.

ABSTRACT: Background: Excessive gestational weight gain is associated with postpartum weight retention and downstream child obesity. Dopamine plays a critical role in the regulation of energy intake and body weight. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between excessive gestational weight gain and dopamine pathway-related polymorphisms, namely the variable nucleotide tandem repeat in the 3´untranslated region (UTR) region of the SLC6A3 (DAT-1) dopamine transporter gene and the 30-base pair variable nucleotide tandem repeat polymorphism of the 5´UTR of the monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) gene. Methods: Ninety-three women of mean age 31.7 ± 4.2 years were recruited from the Ottawa and Kingston birth cohort and assessed at 12–20 weeks’ gestation. Mean body mass index was 22.7 ± 2.5 kg/m². Excessive gestational weight gain was defined according to the 2009 Institute of Medicine guidelines based on body mass index. Genotype analyses were performed using polymerase chain reaction and agarose gel electrophoresis. Results: There was no relationship between the prevalence or magnitude of excessive gestational weight gain among women with the 3´ UTR single nucleotide polymorphism of the DAT-1 gene. However, 70% (19 of 27) of women carrying the MAO-A 4/4 (high activity) allele exceeded recommendations for gestational weight gain compared with 48% (32 of 60) of those with the pooled 3/3, 3/4, and 3/3.5 (low activity) alleles (P < 0.05). Similarly, those with the MAO-A 4/4 allele had significantly greater gestational weight gain than those with the 3/3, 3/4, or 3/3.5 pooled genotypes (19.3 ± 4.1 versus 17.0 ± 5.0 kg, P = 0.03). Conclusion: Carriers of the 4/4 variants of the MAO-A gene may be at increased risk for excessive gestational weight gain.

Click here to read the paper in full for free.

From the interview:

Question from Nutrition Remarks: What are the statistics of major health risks associated with childhood obesity?

Answer from Dr. Adamo: In 2002, the World Health Organization reported pediatric obesity to be the most prevalent, non-communicable disease in developed countries and for many children, obesity can be more than an aesthetic condition. If untreated, obesity-related risk factors such as sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes to name a few co-morbidities can develop in children. Population-based data from the Bogalusa Heart Study have shown that 70% of obese youth (5- 17 years old) had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, these children are also at greater risk of bone and joint problems and children struggling with obesity are likely to carry their excess adiposity into adulthood. According to the Center of Disease Control, an estimated four of every five obese children will remain obese as adults, increasing their risk of chronic obesity and obesity-related disease (e.g. heart disease, diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis and certain cancers). Many groups have also studied the psychosocial effects of childhood obesity. Evidence suggests that overweight children frequently develop negative self-image and low self-esteem accompanied by sadness, loneliness, nervousness and risk-taking behaviors in later part of the life. It is clear that obesity is associated with considerable health care burden. For example, obese children in the U.S. (research by Finkelstein and Trasande), Germany (research by Wenig and Breitfelder) and Canada (research by Kuhle) have proven to visit their pediatrician more often than children of healthy weight.

Click here to read the interview in full.

Richard Larouche, Guy Faulkner, Mark Tremblay. Associations Between Neighbourhood Walkability, Active School Transport and Physical Activity Levels in Primary and Secondary School Students: A Pilot-Study. 2013, UOJM; 3:42-46.

ABSTRACT: Objectives: This longitudinal pilot-study examined the associations of neighbourhood walkability with active school transport (AST) and pedometer-determined physical activity (PA) immediately before and after the transition from primary to secondary school. Methods: Fifty-five grade 6 students were recruited from 4 primary schools in Ottawa in May/June 2012. They were asked to complete a diary indicating their mode of transport to/from school for 1 week and wear a SC-StepMX pedometer for 8 consecutive days. 48 study packages were returned at baseline and 29 at follow-up (September/October 2012). The Walk Score® application was used as a proxy for walkability around the home and around the school. The associations of walkability with AST and average daily step counts at both time points were respectively examined with binary logistic regression and linear regression models adjusted for gender. Results: At baseline, only walkability around the school was positively associated with AST (OR = 1.04). At follow-up, higher Walk Score ratings around the home and the school were both associated with greater odds of AST (OR = 1.12 and 1.29 respectively). Furthermore, walkability around the home was associated with higher step counts with a large effect size (η2 = 0.19). Conclusions: In this longitudinal pilot-study, the association between neighbourhood walkability (as assessed by the Walk Score application) and measures of AST and PA was stronger in secondary school compared to primary school. This suggests that neighbourhood walkability may be more important for supporting adolescents’ AST and PA levels. However, given the small sample size, future prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Click here to read the paper in full for free.

Some sound bytes from Dr. Goldfield in the interview:

I think one of the novel contributions of this study is it challenges the perception that you need to lose weight to feel better about yourself and improve your emotional well-being.

…

I think the findings of the Game Bike study are important to show that even if they don’t lose weight, that increaing their physical activity and exercise can improve emotional well-being and psychological benefits, most notably self-esteem and body image and social functioning. The take-home message or conclusion can be: throw away the scale. Just get out there and move. It doesn’t matter if you lose weight or not. You’re going to not only improve your physiological health but will also derive some psychological benefits as well.

Click on the button below to listen to the full audio.

Posters

1. Kevin Belanger, Peter Breithaupt, Zachary Ferraro, Nick Barrowman, Jane Rutherford, Stasia Hadjiyannakis, Rachel Colley. Do Obese Children Perceive Submaximal and Maximal Exertion Differently?
2. Jean-Philippe Chaput, Michael Borghese, Travis Saunders, Marie-Eve Mathieu, Mélanie Henderson, Mark Tremblay, Jennifer O’Loughlin. Combined Associations Between Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Children.
3. Annick Buchholz, Jane Rutherford, Charmaine Mohipp, Laurie Clark, Kristi Adamo, Gary Goldfield, Stasia Hadjiyannakis. The Medical and Mental Health Status of Children and Youth With Severe Complex Obesity.
4. Zachary Ferraro, Kate Boehm, Laura Gaudet, Kristi Adamo. Counselling About Gestational Weight Gain and Healthy Lifestyle During Pregnancy: Canadian Maternity Care Providers’ Self-Evaluation.
5. Zachary Ferraro, Qing Qiu, Andree Gruslin, Kristi Adamo. Maternal Obesity and Excessive Gestational Weight Gain Alter the Maternal-Fetal Insulin-Like Growth Factor Axis.
6. Kristi Adamo, Kimberley Grattan, Alysha Harvey, Patti-Jean Naylor, Viviene Temple, Shanna Wilson, Gary Goldfield. Does a Physical Activity Daycare Intervention Impact Body Composition and Gross Motor Skills? A Pilot Randomized Control Trial.
7. Shanna Wilson, Zachary Ferraro, Gary Goldfield, Stasia Hadjiyannakis, Éric Doucet, Kristi Adamo. Appetite Signaling Proteins, Glucose and Appetite Sensations in Obese Adolescents with Subclinical Binge Eating Disorder.

 Oral Presentations

8. Kristi Adamo, Rhonda Bell, Zachary Ferraro, Laura Gaudet, Andrée Gruslin, Helena Piccinini‐Vallis, Christian Rueda-Clausen. Obesity & Fetal Programming: How Important Is 9 Months Anyway?.
9. Anna Aylett, Annick Buchholz, Laurie Clark, Stasia Hadjiyannakis, Jane Rutherford. 5A’s of Pediatric Obesity Management.
10. Jean-Philippe Chaput. Plenary Hot Topics & Controversies: Is it Time to Address Lack of Sleep in Health Promotion?
11. Sonia Jean-Philippe. Comparison of Pregnant Nulli- and Multiparous Women Attitude to Weight Gain.
12. Zachary Ferraro. Maternal Lipid Metabolism Correlates With Surrogate Markers of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Bioavailability in Maternal and Umbilical Cord Serum.
13. Kendra Brett. The Characterization of Fatty Acid Transport Protein 4 in Third Trimester Placentas from Lean and Obese Pregnancies.
14. Kristi Adamo. Plenary Hot Topics & Controversies: Is it Time to Limit Weight Gain in Pregnancy?
15. Mark Tremblay. Plenary Hot Topics & Controversies: Is Sitting Around Killing Us?
16. Stasia Hadjiyannakis. The Edmonton Obesity Staging System for Pediatrics (EOSS-P): A Proposed Clinical Staging System for Pediatric Obesity.
17. Kendra Brett, on behalf of Dr. Andree Gruslin. The Placenta: an instigator.

More than 100 Parliamentarians and other guests attended the event. The objective of the Health Research Caucus on Cardiac Research and Heart Health was to draw parliamentarians from all political parties to participate in a non-partisan forum to discuss critical issues to the health and wealth of Canadians.