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Purpose.Investigate whether TV viewing and recognition of snack food advertisements were associated with snack food consumption and the odds of being overweight or obese.Design.Cross-sectional internet-based survey.Setting.University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.Subjects.Undergraduate university students aged 18 to 25 years (N = 613).Measures.Self-reported TV viewing, energy-dense snack consumption, snacking while viewing TV, and body weight.Analysis.Hypothesis testing was completed using multiple analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, and logistic regression.Results.Students reporting medium or high TV viewership snacked more frequently while watching TV and recognized more advertising than students who were considered low viewers. High viewers also reported more consumption of energy-dense snacks than low viewers. Snacking frequency appeared to be related to TV viewing and place of residence, but the association between snacking frequency and TV viewing was not accounted for by advertising. Conversely, the association between TV viewing and consumption of energy-dense snacks was accounted for by advertising recognition. Finally, male students (odds ratio [OR], 2.78; 99% confidence interval [CI], 1.68–4.59) and medium (OR, 3.11;99% CI, 1.37–7.08) and high (OR, 5.47; 99% CI, 1.97–15.16) TV viewers had higher odds of being overweight or obese.Conclusions.Associations were found among TV viewing, energy-dense snack consumption, and snacking behavior, and between TV viewing and body weight status.

The purpose of this community-based participatory research was to better understand how participation in traditional games can enhance the sport experiences of Indigenous youth. Eight Indigenous youth (14-18 years) and 10 adults living in various communities in the Northwest Territories, Canada, participated in either a one-on-one interview or group interview. Data were analyzed using an inductive content analysis approach, and findings suggest that participating in traditional games can enhance the sport experiences of Indigenous youth by (a) promoting cultural pride, (b) interacting with Elders, (c) supporting connection to the land, (d) developing personal characteristics, and (e) developing a foundation for movement. This research advances the sport literature and provides necessary insights regarding traditional games for sport programmers and policy makers.

Abstract Background The Government of Canada implemented a Children's Fitness Tax Credit (CFTC) in 2007 which allows a non-refundable tax credit of up to $500 to register a child in an eligible physical activity (PA) program. The purposes of this study were to assess whether the awareness, uptake, and perceived effectiveness of this tax credit varied by household income among Canadian parents. Methods An internet-based panel survey was conducted in March 2009 with a representative sample of 2135 Canadians. Of those, parents with children aged 2 to 18 years of age ( n = 1004) were asked if their child was involved in organized PA programs (including dance and sports), the associated costs to register their child in these programs, awareness of the CFTC, if they had claimed the CFTC for the tax year 2007, and whether they planned to claim it in the upcoming year. Parents were also asked if they believed the CFTC has lead to their child being more involved in PA programs. Results Among parents, 54.4% stated their child was in organized PA and 55.5% were aware of the CFTC. Parents in the lowest income quartile were significantly less aware and less likely to claim the CFTC than other income groups. Among parents who had claimed the CFTC, few (15.6%) believed it had increased their child's participation in PA programs. Conclusions More than half of Canadian parents with children have claimed the CFTC. However, the tax credit appears to benefit the wealthier families in Canada.

Purpose. To explore the relationship between the placement of fast-food outlets and neighborhood-level socioeconomic variables by determining if indicators of lower socioeconomic status were predictive of exposure to fast food. Design. A descriptive analysis of the fast-food environment in a Canadian urban center, using secondary analysis of census data and Geographic Information Systems technology. Setting. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Measures. Neighborhoods were classified as High, Medium, or Low Access based on the number of fast-food opportunities available to them. Neighborhood-level socioeconomic data (income, education, employment, immigration status, and housing tenure) from the 2001 Statistics Canada federal census were obtained. Analysis. A discriminant function analysis was used to determine if any association existed between neighborhood demographic characteristics and accessibility of fast-food outlets. Results. Significant differences were found between the three levels of fast-food accessibility across the socioeconomic variables, with successively greater percentages of unemployment, low income, and renters in neighborhoods with increasingly greater access to fast-food restaurants. A high score on several of these variables was predictive of greater access to fast-food restaurants. Conclusion. Although a causal inference is not possible, these results suggest that the distribution of fast-food outlets relative to neighborhood-level socioeconomic status requires further attention in the process of explaining the increased rates of obesity observed in relatively deprived populations.

Lou, Abrami, Spence, Poulsen, Chambers, and d'Apollonia (1996) reported the findings from a quantitative review showing generally positive but variable effects of within-class grouping on pupil achievement and other outcomes. Replying in the National Institute Economic Review (July 1998), Prais argued for whole-class teaching claiming that we mis-summarised our findings. In this abbreviated rejoinder, we argue that our findings are: useful; not so variable as to be meaningless; provide evidence of beneficial effects for pupils of all relative abilities; are thorough and detailed; and provide a rather complete picture of the available evidence. In contrast, we believe that Prais (1998) has relied too heavily on conjecture and selective citation to offer a view of within-class grouping which is a serious mis-summarisation of the findings.

Physical inactivity is a pressing public health concern. In this commentary we argue that Canada's approach to increasing physical activity (PA) has been fragmented and has lacked coordination, funding and a strategic approach. We then describe a potential solution in Active Canada 20/20 (AC 20/20), which provides both a national plan and a commitment to action from non-government and public sectors with a view to engaging corporate Canada and the general public. It outlines a road map for initiating, coordinating and implementing proactive initiatives to address this prominent health risk factor. The identified actions are based on the best available evidence and have been endorsed by the majority of representatives in the relevant sectors. The next crucial steps are to engage all those involved in public health promotion, service provision and advocacy at the municipal, provincial and national levels in order to incorporate AC 20/20 principles into practice and planning and thus increase the PA level of every person in Canada. Further, governments, as well as the private, not-for-profit and philanthropic sectors, should demonstrate leadership and continue their efforts toward providing the substantial and sustained resources needed to recalibrate Canadians' habitual PA patterns; this will ultimately improve the overall health of our citizens.

A clear income gradient exists for the sport and physical activity (PA) participation of Canadian children. Governments in Canada recently introduced tax credits to alleviate the financial burden associated with registering a child in organized physical activity (including sport). The majority of these credits, including the Children's Fitness Tax Credit, are non-refundable (i.e., reduces the amount of income tax a person pays). Such credits are useful only for individuals who incur a certain level of tax liability. Thus, low-income families who may pay little or no income tax will not benefit from the presence of non-refundable tax credits. In this commentary, we argue that the non-refundable tax credit is inherently inequitable for promoting PA. We suggest that a combination of refundable tax credits and subsidized programming for low-income children would be more equitable than the current approach of the Canadian government and several provinces that are expending approximately $200 million to support these credits.

OBJECTIVES: School-based daily physical activity (DPA) policies represent a promising intervention for increasing physical activity levels among children. Between 2005 and 2010, five Canadian provinces adopted and implemented DPA policies. This national case study explored facilitators and challenges to developing, adopting and implementing DPA policies from the perspective of key stakeholders ('policy-influencers') in these five provinces. METHODS: Development, adoption and implementation of DPA policies at the provincial level was the phenomenon of interest, with each province constituting a distinct case. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 purposively selected policy-influencers across the five case provinces. Cases were first analyzed separately, and then concurrently in a cross-case comparison. Qualitative content analysis was used to code interviews and develop themes. RESULTS: Four themes related to the development, adoption, and implementation of DPA policies emerged: existing resources and capacity for policy change; top-down policy development/adoption and bottom-up implementation; political will and windows of opportunity; and, ideology and policy change. Each of these themes encompassed facilitators and challenges related to policy processes surrounding development, adoption and implementation of DPA policies. CONCLUSION: These findings can inform development of future health-related polices in schools. Stakeholders can, for instance, remain attuned to the opening of political windows and capitalize on them as an opportunity to advocate for policy change or create communities of practice to enhance coordination among policy stakeholders. Future studies that explore why other jurisdictions have failed to adopt DPA policies might yield novel insights regarding leverage points to support widespread diffusion of DPA policies.

In April 2011, a conference with invited experts from research, policy and practice was held to build consensus around policy levers to address environmental determinants of obesity. The gap between existing policy tools and what can promote health through community design is a major policy opportunity. This commentary represents a consensus of next actions towards creating built environments that support healthy active living. The policy environment and Canadian evidence are reviewed. Issues and challenges to policy change are discussed. Recommendations to create supportive built environments that encourage healthy active living in communities include the following: 1) empower planning authorities to change bylaws that impede healthy active living, protect and increase access to green space, introduce zoning to increase high density, mixed land use, and influence the location and distribution of food stores; 2) establish stable funding for infrastructure promoting active transportation and opportunities for recreation; 3) evaluate the effectiveness of programs to improve the built environment so that successful interventions can be identified and disseminated; 4) mandate health impact assessment of planning, development and transportation policies to ensure that legislative changes promote health and safety; 5) frame issues to dispel myths and to promote protection from obesity risk factors.

Purpose. Determine the proportion of adults aware of Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living (Guide) and its specific recommendations (objective 1); whether key demographic factors (objective 2a) and physical activity behavior (objective 2b) are associated with awareness and specific familiarity with the Guide; and if changes in awareness and specific recommendations with the Guide occurred over a 1-year period (objective 3a and 3b). Design. Random selection with computer-assisted telephone interviewing. Setting. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Subjects. A total of 2803 adults 18 years or older completed interviews from 4831 telephone contacts (response rate, 58.0%), and after 1 year, 1423 individuals (55%) completed interviews. Measures. Demographic, physical activity, Guide awareness. Analysis. Chi-square, analysis of variance. Results. At baseline, 27.3% were aware of the Guide, and 15.6% were familiar with the Guide's specific recommendations. Younger individuals (p = .01), women (p < .001), and those with a higher education (p < .001) were more likely to be generally aware of the Guide, and women were also more specifically aware (p = .01). Physical activity levels were positively associated with the general (p < .001) and specific (p < .001) awareness of the Guide. Changes in general familiarity and specific recommendations over 1 year were observed. Conclusions. The majority of those surveyed were not familiar with the Guide. Men, individuals with a lower education, and older individuals may need to be specifically targeted. (Am J Health Promot 2011;25[5]:294-297.)

Purpose. To compare the effects of stage-matched and standard print materials for physical activity (PA) change. Design. Participants were randomized into (1) a stage-matched intervention group (n = 165), (2) a standard intervention group (n = 176), or (3) a no-contact control group (n = 166). The stage-matched and standard intervention groups both received materials at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Assessments of all three groups were conducted at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Setting. Canadian worksites. Subjects. Employees (N = 507). Interventions. Five motivationally targeted booklets were developed for the stage-matched group. The standard group received Canada's Physical Activity Guide and handbook. Measures. The main dependent variable was PA, expressed as metabolic equivalent (MET) minutes and measured using the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire. Demographic characteristics and stages of change for PA were also assessed. Results. At 12 months mean weekly MET minutes for combined moderate and vigorous activity increased from baseline by 223, 67, and 78 for the stage-matched, standard, and control groups, respectively; however, differences were not significant (p > .05). Women in the stage-matched group over the 12-month period significantly increased their activity by 327 weekly MET minutes whereas the standard and control groups declined their activity (F = 3.01, p < .05). Conclusion. PA stage-matched materials delivered in the workplace are efficacious for women but not men. Future interventions should explore the use of these intervention materials in conjunction with multilevel strategies, and particular attention should be paid to possible gender differences.