June 25, 2007

By Rosanne Prinsen, MSc, Alberta Centre for Active Living

1. MEDIA
PARC/BSRC physical activity & postpartum e-workshops
Online/Teleconference, July 11 and 31 and September 6, 2007
http://www.ohpe.ca/ebulletin/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8674&Itemid=63

2. RESEARCH
Accuracy of pedometer steps and time for youth with disabilities
Beets, M.W., Combs, C., Pitetti, K.H., Morgan, M., Bryan, R.R., & Foley, J.T. Accuracy of pedometer steps and time for youth with disabilities APAQ, 24(3).

This study examined the accuracy of pedometer steps and activity time (Walk4Life, WL) for youth with developmental disabilities. Eighteen youth (11 girls, seven boys) four to14 years, completed six 80-metre self-paced walking trials while wearing a pedometer at five waist locations (front right, front left, back right, back left, middle back).

Trials were videotaped to determine actual steps and activity time. Time exhibited a smaller per cent error in comparison to steps across locations. Apart from the front left, location had minimal influence on accuracy. The WL demonstrates acceptable accuracy for steps and activity time.

Accuracy of voice-announcement pedometers for youth with visual impairment
Beets, M.W., Foley, J.T., Tindall,D., & Lieberman, L.J. (2007). Accuracy of voice-announcement pedometers for youth with visual impairment. APAQ, 24(3).

Thirty-five youth with visual impairments (13.5 ± 2.1yrs, 13 girls and 22 boys) walked four 100-meter distances while wearing two units (right and left placement) of three brands of voice-announcement (VA) pedometers (Centrios? Talking Pedometer, TALKiNG Pedometer, and Sportline Talking Calorie Pedometer 343) and a reference pedometer (NL2000).

Registered pedometer steps for each trial were recorded, compared to actual steps assessed via digital video. Inter-unit agreement between right and left VA pedometer placement was low (ICC range .37 to .76).

A systematic error was observed for the VA pedometers on the left placement (error range 5.6% to 12.2%), while right placement VA pedometers were at or below ± 3% from actual steps (range 2.1% to 3.3%).

The reference pedometer was unaffected by placement (ICC .98, error ~1.4%). Overall, VA pedometers demonstrated acceptable accuracy for the right placement, suggesting this position is necessary for youth with visual impairments.

Active for life: A work-based physical activity program
Green, B.B., Cheadle, A., Pellegrini, A.S., & Harris, J.R. (2007). Active for life: A work-based physical activity program. Prev Chronic Dis [serial online].
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2007/jul/06_0065.htm

An intervention to promote healthy weight: Nutrition and physical activity self-assessment for child care (NAP SACC) theory and design
Ammerman, A.S., Ward, D.S., Benjamin, S.E., Ball SC, Sommers, J.K., Molloy, M., et al. (2007). An intervention to promote healthy weight: Nutrition and physical activity self-assessment for child care (NAP SACC) theory and design. Prev Chronic Dis [serial online].
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2007/jul/06_0115.htm

How active are older Americans?
Kruger J., Carlson, S.A., & Buchner, D. (2007). How active are older Americans?
Prev Chronic Dis [serial online].
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2007/jul/06_0094.htm

Modifications to the active living every day (ALED) course for adults with arthritis
Callahan, L.F., Schoster, B., Hootman, J., Brady, T., Sally, L., Donahue, K., et al. (2007). Modifications to the active living every day (ALED) course for adults with arthritis. Prev Chronic Dis [serial online].
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2007/jul/06_0106.htm

Move More Scholars Institute: A state model of the physical activity and public health practitioners course
Schneider, L., Ward, D., Dunn, C., Vaughn, A., Newkirk, J., & Thomas, C. The Move More Scholars Institute: A state model of the physical activity and public health practitioners course. Prev Chronic Dis [serial online].
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2007/jul/06_0157.htm

Outcome data from the LEAP (Live, Eat and Play) trial: A randomized controlled trial of a primary care intervention for childhood overweight/mild obesity
McCallum, Z., Wake, M., Gerner, B., Baur, L.A., Gibbons, K., Gold, L., Gunn, J., Harris, C., Naughton, G., Riess, C., Sanci, L., Sheehan, J., Ukoumunne, O.C., & Waters, E. (2006). Outcome data from the LEAP (Live, Eat and Play) trial: A randomized controlled trial of a primary care intervention for childhood overweight/mild obesity. Int J Obes (Lond) (4), 630-636.

A study from the Centre for Community Child Health, The University of Melbourne, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Australia (zoe.mccallum@rch.org.au).

Objectives: To reduce gain in body mass index (BMI) in overweight/mildly obese children in the primary care setting.

Design: Randomized controlled trial (RCT) nested within a baseline cross-sectional BMI survey.

Setting: Twenty nine general practices, Melbourne, Australia.

Participants: (1) BMI survey: 2112 children visiting their general practitioner (GP) April-December 2002; (2) RCT: individually randomized overweight/mildly obese (BMI z-score <3.0)>

Intervention: Four standard GP consultations over 12 weeks, targeting change in nutrition, physical activity and sedentary behaviour, supported by purpose-designed family materials.

Main outcome measures: Primary: BMI at nine and 15 months post-randomization. Secondary: Parent-reported child nutrition, physical activity and health status; child-reported health status, body satisfaction and appearance/self-worth.

Results: Attrition was 10%. The adjusted mean difference (intervention-control) in BMI was -0.2 kg/m(2) (95% CI: -0.6 to 0.1; P=0.25) at 9 months and -0.0 kg/m(2) (95% CI: -0.5 to 0.5; P=1.00) at 15 months.

There was a relative improvement in nutrition scores in the intervention arm at both 9 and 15 months. There was weak evidence of an increase in daily physical activity in the intervention arm. Health status and body image were similar in the trial arms.

Conclusions: This intervention did not result in a sustained BMI reduction, despite the improvement in parent-reported nutrition. Brief individualized solution-focused approaches may not be an effective approach to childhood overweight. Alternatively, this intervention may not have been intensive enough or the GP training may have been insufficient. However, increasing either would have significant cost and resource implications at a population level.

Reliability of scores from physical activity monitors in adults with multiple sclerosis
Motl, R.W., Zhu, W., Park. Y., McAuley, E., Scott, J.A., & Snook, E. (2007). Reliability of scores from physical activity monitors in adults with multiple sclerosis. APAQ, 24(3).

We examined the reliability of scores from physical activity monitors in a sample of 193 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) who wore a pedometer and an accelerometer for a seven-day period.

There were no significant differences among days for the pedometer (p = .12) or the accelerometer (p = .15) indicating that week and weekend days can be analysed in a single intra-class correlation (ICC) analytic model.

The seven days of monitoring yielded ICC estimates of 0.93 for both the pedometer and accelerometer, and a minimum of three days yielded a reliability of 0.80 for both the pedometer and accelerometer. Results indicated that physical activity monitor scores are reliable measures of physical activity for individuals with MS.

3. RESOURCES

Aboriginal resource from Best Start
http://www.beststart.org/resources/hlthy_chld_dev/pdf/aboriginal_manual.pdf
If you are going to be working with Aboriginal people, this is a resource you will want to browse through. It’s about healthy childhood development but has some overall information about understanding Aboriginal people.

Mothers in motion
http://www.caaws.ca/mothersinmotion/home_e.html
A website for women who want to lead healthy lifestyles and help their children to do the same.

Physical activity guides for mothers in motion
http://www.caaws.ca/mothersinmotion/baby/physical_guidelines.pdf