NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area, Sahtu Settlement Area, Dehcho Region, North Slave Region, South Slave Region, Qikiqtaaluk Region

Tags: wellness, physical activity, obesity

Objective(s): To resolve an apparent contradiction between increasing levels of childhood obesity in the Canadian population and parental reports of high levels of physical activity by their children.

Project Description: This study attempts to resolve an apparent contradiction between increasing levels of childhood obesity in the Canadian population and parental reports of high levels of physical activity by their children. This survey and participant recruitment is one part of a project to determine the validity of parental reports on the physical activity levels of children and young adults between 5 and 19 years of age. Parents and legal guardians of children and young adults between 5 and 17 years of age will be asked to complete a short telephone survey of about 15 minutes duration on average that attempts to measure the physical activity levels of their child (or children) and factors related to physical activity (e.g., participation in organized sport and physical activity, preferences for activity, how time is spent after school) and allow their child or children to be sent a pedometer to record the number of steps the child or children takes each day for seven days. The parent or legal guardian will be asked questions about each child's level of physical activity should there be more than one child in the household. At the end of the telephone survey parents and legal guardians of children and young adults between 5 and 17 years will be asked to grant permission for a pedometer (or step counter) to be sent to their child or children. Adults 18 and 19 years of age will complete the survey on their own behalf and will be asked if they will allow a pedometer (or step counter) to be sent to them. The pedometer(s) will be sent to the family to the attention of the parent who granted permission for their child or children to participate in the study. Adult participants (those aged 18-19) living on their own will be mailed the survey directly. Each participant (the child/children or younger adult) participating in the project will be asked to wear the pedometer for seven days. The pedometer will record the number of steps taken each day and the participants or their parents or legal guardian will be asked to record the number of steps taken on a daily basis. After the seven days are over the parent or legal guardian will be asked to report the number of steps taken by the child or young adult by returning a paper log form in postage paid return envelope sent with the pedometer. Project materials sent along with the pedometer will include a letter explaining the study and containing assent information, a brochure, a step-by-step guide providing an explanation of the correct method of wearing the pedometer, a step log/assent form to record the number of steps taken and for younger children to assent to participate and for older children and adult participants to consent to participate in the project. Contact information for the study investigators including email and a toll free telephone number along with contact information for the York Human Participants Review Committee including email and contact telephone number will also be included. In addition, a small thank you token for all children and youth is included to keep regardless of participation. Mailing of project materials may be done by The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute (CFLRI) or by The Institute for Social Research (ISR) at York University. Both organizations will follow identical procedures and ensure that the contents of the mailed packages are consistent. Approximately one week after receiving confirmation from Canada Post that the package has been delivered to the participating family, ISR will re-contact the family to ensure the package has been received, that all materials are included and to answer any questions the participants may have about the process, the materials or the pedometer. Questions or enquiries that cannot be resolved will be noted and forwarded to the Principal Investigator at the CFLRI for resolution. Each stage of the protocol will be described to the respondent (stage 1 telephone interview, stage 2 a child or young adult in the household wearing a pedometer for seven days) prior to starting stage 1 of the process (the telephone interview). No on site work will be done. This project attempts to provide insight into the conflict of rising levels of childhood obesity yet parental reports of sufficient levels of activity on the part of their children to maintain levels of fitness. Some parents and their children may think (more) about the relationship between physical activity and health for themselves and their children. Some parents may have a better understanding of their child’s activity levels. Reports on the findings of this research are freely available from the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute's website www.cflri.ca. Reports on the finding of the survey are made to the funding agencies the Healthy Living Program Unit of Public Health Agency of Canada, and Interprovincial Sport and Recreation Council. Research papers are presented at conferences on physical fitness and health. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from February 24, 2015 to April 31, 2015.