Reimagining healthy movement in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. / Repenser un rythme favorable à la santé à l'ère de la pandémie de COVID-19.

Does the timing of when children, youth and adults participate in physical activity, sedentary behaviour (e.g. screen time) and sleep matter when it comes to their overall health? This special issue of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada includes four papers that present evidence and recommendations on the timing of movement behaviours: three separate systematic reviews exploring the associations between health indicators and the timing of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep; and a commentary that discusses the importance of this evidence in terms of practice, policy and research. This editorial sets the stage for this special issue, reflecting on the challenges posed by COVID-19-related public health restrictions on healthy movement. Perhaps now is the optimal time to reimagine how and when we engage in physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep to support our health.

RÉSUMÉ: Est-ce que l'horaire auquel les enfants, les adolescents et les adultes sont actifs, demeurent sédentaires (par exemple devant un écran) et dorment ont une influence sur leur état de santé général? Ce numéro spécial de Promotion de la santé et prévention des maladies chroniques au Canada rassemble quatre articles qui présentent des données probantes et des recommandations concernant l'horaire des comportements en matière de mouvement : trois revues systématiques portant sur les associations entre les indicateurs de l'état de santé et les horaires d'activité physique, de sédentarité et de sommeil et un commentaire sur l'importance de ces données probantes pour les pratiques, les politiques et la recherche. Cet éditorial prépare le terrain pour ce numéro spécial en décrivant les effets des restrictions de santé publique liées à la COVID-19 sur un rythme favorable à la santé. Maintenant semble un moment idéal pour réévaluer de quelle manière et selon quel horaire nous devrions être physiquement actifs, demeurer sédentaires et dormir pour favoriser notre santé.

Dietary intake of Nova Scotia youth in grades 7 and 11.

PURPOSE: We examined dietary intakes among Nova Scotia youth, and analyzed whether these intakes met existing dietary guidelines. METHODS: Data from 1469 students in grades 7 and 11 from randomly selected schools were collected via a web-based dietary assessment tool, including a 24-hour recall. Nutrient analysis products were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. RESULTS: Reported dietary intakes across sexes and grades showed the vast majority of youth did not meet minimum recommendations for fibre (96% to 98%) or vegetable and fruit servings (83.3% to 90.7%). Girls in grade 11 reported greater intakes of folate and lower intakes of saturated fat, and were less likely to report iron intakes at or above the Estimated Average Requirement than were grade 7 girls. Across ages, more than 75% of girls reported low calcium and folate intakes. Boys in both grades reported consuming more energy than did girls, and older boys reported consuming more than did younger boys. Foods outside the four main food groups contributed about 25% of total reported energy intake. Students in grade 7 consumed pop, salty snacks, and french fries more frequently than did students in grade 11. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents' self-reported dietary intakes may not meet current dietary recommendations. Continued efforts are needed to develop innovative strategies to ensure healthy eating patterns.

Physical activity of children and youth in Nova Scotia from 2001/02 and 2005/06.

OBJECTIVES: This paper reports on physical activity of students in grades 3, 7, and 11 from two surveillance studies (from 2001 and 2005). METHODS: Randomly selected students (Study1 n=1730; Study2 n=2341) from randomly selected schools in Nova Scotia participated. Physical activity was measured for seven consecutive days using Actigraph accelerometers. Descriptive statistics were calculated for moderate, hard, and very hard intensity, and total minutes of physical activity. Between study, grade, and sex differences were determined using univariate Analyses of Variance. RESULTS: Students in Study2 were significantly less active (mean [SD]=531.0 [392.3] min/week) than Study1 (662.2 [495.1] min/week). Girls were significantly less active (525.4 [419.1] min/week) than boys (657.1 [460.3] min/week). Students in grade 11 were significantly less active (225.2 [171.1] min/week) than students in grade 7 (457.5 [227.2] min/week) who were significantly less active than students in grade 3 (1038.4 [387.6] min/week). A significant study-grade interaction indicated that compared to students in grades 7 and 11, the level of physical activity in students in grade 3 was considerably lower in Study2 compared to Study1. CONCLUSIONS: Given the lower level of physical activity found in Study2, efforts at informing public policy and strategies that promote physical activity in children and youth should be made.

Are overweight students in Grades 3, 7, and 11 less physically active than their healthy weight counterparts?

OBJECTIVE: This study compared the accumulated minutes of objectively measured physical activity in 1,790 boys and girls in Grades 3, 7, and 11 classified as healthy weight, at risk of overweight, and overweight. METHODS: Height and weight were measured and body mass index calculated. Minutes of sedentary, light, moderate, hard, and very hard physical activity were obtained from a seven-day measurement of physical activity using an accelerometer (Actigraph, mode 7164; MTI). RESULTS: In Grade 3, boys (p=0.000) and girls (p=0.012) classified as overweight obtained significantly fewer minutes of very hard physical activity compared with their healthy weight counterparts. Boys in Grade 7 considered overweight obtained significantly fewer minutes of hard (p=0.002) and very hard physical activity (p=0.006) compared with boys who were a healthy weight. There were no significant differences in minutes of sedentary, light, moderate, hard, or very hard intensity physical activity in the boys and girls in Grade 11, who were considered a healthy weight, at risk of overweight, or overweight. CONCLUSIONS: Weak and inconsistent support was provided for the notion that boys and girls classified overweight are less physically active than their healthy weight counterparts.

Overweight Nova Scotia children and youth: the roles of household income and adherence to Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating.

OBJECTIVE: Poor diet quality has been observed in Nova Scotia children and youth, characterized by low intake from the traditional four food groups and a high intake from the Other Foods category. In this study, we addressed how household income and adherence to Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating influenced weight status category in Nova Scotia children and youth. METHODS: During the 2005-06 school year, data were collected from 2,296 students and their parents, across Nova Scotia. Questionnaires and anthropometric measurements were obtained from grades 3, 7 and 11 students. The grade 3 students were excluded from the dietary intake assessment. The information collected from the online 24-hour food recalls and food frequency questionnaires were analyzed for adherence to Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating recommendations. A general linear model was employed to examine the relationships between household income, food group and weight status category. RESULTS: Overall adherence to Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating was low among grades 7 and 11 students. Fewer servings from Grain Products, Milk Products and Vegetables and Fruit were observed in at risk of overweight and overweight students. At risk of overweight and overweight were significantly related to lower household income in grades 3 and 11. Our results show that the rates of overweight in Nova Scotia students are double those reported by the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey. CONCLUSION: Household income and dietary intake play significant roles in weight status among Nova Scotia children and youth.

Physical activity and body mass index in grade 3, 7, and 11 Nova Scotia students.

PURPOSE: This study examined the average time spent in moderate or more intense physical activities according to weight status in randomly selected Nova Scotia students. METHODS: A total of 1653 students participated in this study: 575 in grade 3, 558 in grade 7, and 520 in grade 11. Physical activity was measured for seven consecutive days using MTI accelerometers. Activity counts were classified according to moderate (3-5.9 METs), hard (6-8.9 METs), and very hard (>9 METs) intensities. Height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention BMI criteria for age and sex were used to classify the students as normal weight (< or =85th percentile), at risk of overweight (>85th and < or =95th percentiles), and overweight (>95th percentile). ANOVA was used to compare the average time spent in moderate, hard, and very hard physical activities according to BMI status in boys and girls in grades 3, 7, and 11. RESULTS: Although age and sex differences existed, there were no significant differences in the average time spent in moderate or more intense physical activities in the BMI groups. CONCLUSION: Further research is warranted to elucidate the factors surrounding the relationship between physical activity and BMI in children and youths.