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Background: Children's physical inactivity is a persisting international public health concern. While there is a large body of literature examining physical activity interventions for children, the unique physical activity context of low-density communities in rural areas and smaller urban centres remains largely underexplored. With an influx of families migrating to rural communities and small towns, evaluations of health promotion efforts that support physical activity are needed to ensure they are meeting the needs of the growing populations in these settings. The aim of this community-based research was to explore service providers' and parents' perspectives on physical activity opportunities available in their community and recommendations toward the development and implementation of efficacious physical activity programming for children in rural communities and smaller urban centres. Methods: Three in-person community forums with recreation service providers (n = 37 participants) and 1 online community forum with the parents of school-aged children (n = 9 participants) were hosted. An online survey and Mentimeter activity were conducted prior to the community forums to gather participants' views on the barriers and facilitators to physical activities and suggestions for activity-promoting programs. The service provider and parent discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed following a deductive approach guided by Hseih and Shannon's (2005) procedure for direct content analysis. A code list developed from the responses to the pre-forum survey and Mentimeter activity was used to guide the analysis and category development. Results: Seven distinct categories related to the existing physical activity opportunities and recommendations for programs in rural communities and smaller urban centres were identified during the analysis: (1) Recovery from Pandemic-Related Measures, (2) Knowledge and Access to Programs, (3) Availability, (4) Personnel Support, (5) Quality of Programs and Facilities, (6) Expenses and Subsidies, and (7) Inclusivity and Preferences. Conclusion: To improve the health and well-being of children who reside in low-density areas, the results of this study highlight service provider and parent recommendations when developing and implementing community-based physical activity programs and interventions in rural and smaller urban settings, including skill development programs, non-competitive activity options, maximizing existing spaces for activities, and financial support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation research has shown that socio‐demographic factors impact people's mobility patterns. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, some of these effects have changed in accordance with changing mobility needs adapting to the pandemic, including restrictions on in‐person gatherings, closure of in‐person businesses, and working from home. We investigate two gaps in current knowledge in this area of transportation research: to what extent the associations between socio‐demographic factors and mobility metrics have changed, and how these associations vary across geographic space. We used aggregate deidentified cell tower location data to measure two mobility metrics—movement time and radius of gyration—and socio‐demographic data from the 2016 Canadian Census to model these associations across Ontario, Canada in 2020 using a linear model and a geographically weighted regression model. We find that certain associations between socio‐demographics and mobility have changed from what we previously observed before the pandemic, and we can see the variation of these associations across space. These findings will improve our understanding of how socio‐demographic factors affect mobility patterns in different communities and demonstrate the importance of measuring these associations at a more fine‐grained level using models that consider spatial variation to best reflect the nature of these associations. Key messages: Geographically weighted regression was used to study associations between mobility and five socio‐demographic factors in Ontario, Canada during the COVID‐19 pandemic.All five variables exhibited positive and negative associations with mobility change for at least one period of analysis, highlighting the complexity of these relationships.Our results provide new information on the geographical relationships between mobility change during COVID‐19 and neighbourhood‐level socio‐demographic variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoning has been proposed as a way of reducing unhealthy food access for youth, but little research has evaluated outcomes of proposed or existing junk food bans, and even less research has considered equity implications of such zoning policies. In this simulation study, set in the Region of Waterloo, Ontario (Canada), we examined how secondary student access to fast food restaurants and convenience stores would change under such a policy over 10 years in a mid-sized Canadian municipality. Outcomes are presented by school-level advantage (derived from the proportion of students in equity-deserving subgroups: low income, students who speak English as an additional language, and students not born in Canada). Current fast food restaurant and convenience store access was higher around schools with a higher proportion of equity-deserving students, and access remained higher around these schools even after 10 years under each policy scenario. After 10 years, the mean number of fast food restaurants and convenience stores within a 1-km network distance still exceeded five unhealthy outlets for both disadvantaged and advantaged schools, which was above the threshold associated with lower junk food consumption among youth. These findings bring into question the potential effectiveness and equity implications of restrictive zoning policies aimed at protecting youth from poor-quality food environments. Planners may consider prioritizing interventions to improve the healthfulness of food environments around schools where there are large proportions of equity-deserving students, but consideration of different interventions seems warranted in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Rubber Foot Illusion (RFI) is an illusion in which one is made to feel that a model foot is their own through synchronous visuo-tactile stimulation. Previous research suggests that the conditions the RFI can be elicited under are similar to those of the Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI). However, it was unknown if the RFI could be elicited by synchronous movement of a participant's foot and a model foot. To examine this, we developed the Moving Rubber Foot Illusion (mRFI) and compared participants' experience of it to the RFI. The results of this study suggests that the RFI can be elicited through synchronous movement, and results in more proprioceptive drift than a static variant of the RFI. More work is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying the mRFI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food retail businesses experienced a pronounced increase in sales when food hospitality outlets closed in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. This study investigates how pandemic-related modifications to food retail businesses in Ontario, Canada affected the well-being of workers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 food retail employees between June 2020 and May 2021 as part of the Food Retail Environment Study for Health and Economic Resiliency (FRESHER). Transcripts were analyzed inductively, and themes were refined using the Effort Reward Imbalance Model. Themes were connected to the main components of this model: extrinsic effort, intrinsic effort, money, esteem, status control, and burnout. Results indicate that, for food retail employees, the presence of an imbalance between efforts and rewards threatens well-being via symptoms of burnout. Further study is needed to examine how this inequality and burnout among this population might be measured and addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reports of children's engagement in active transportation outline low participation rates in many countries despite many associated mental, physical, and social health benefits. One of the main contributors to this phenomenon is a cited lack of education and knowledge among children regarding active travel (AT), specifically road safety. To address this issue, the aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of an online road safety education intervention to promote AT among children and their parents. Methods: Applying the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) for intervention development, implementation, and evaluation, we designed and assessed a four-module online road safety education intervention with a sample of 57 parent-child dyads using a 23 factorial design featuring both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Results: Main intervention feasibility findings include positive and critical feedback on the program's content and design, and moderate participant engagement as reflected by program retention and completion rates. With respect to the preliminary intervention effectiveness on children, a significant improvement in road safety knowledge scores was observed for groups that feature the "wheeling safety and skills" module. Slight improvements in AT knowledge scores across all the intervention groups were observed, but were not of significance. Preliminary intervention effectiveness on select parental AT practices and perceptions saw significant improvements in some groups. Groups that featured the 'wheeling safety and skills' module exhibited significantly higher guided choice scores upon completion of the program than those who did not receive this component. Conclusion: The MOST framework allowed us to design and evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an online road safety education intervention. The developed intervention has demonstrated that it has the potential to improve children's road safety knowledge and some areas of parental AT practices and perceptions, to which improvements may be attributed to the inclusion of the "wheeling safety and skills" module, suggesting that the targeted focus on cycling skills is a prioritized area. AT programming and practice implications are discussed. Future research is encouraged to refine modules to better reflect the priorities of children and parents and to test these refined components among larger samples. Word count: 9,391 (excludes abstract, tables, figures, abbreviations, and references). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Literature focusing on nutritional variables and survival in interstitial lung disease (ILD) is limited by its focus on weight and BMI and has not considered body composition. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to examine whether body composition measures, specifically fat-free mass index z-score (z-FFMI) and body fat mass index z-score (z-BFMI), were predictors of survival in fibrotic ILD patients. The second objective was to examine if nutrition status was a predictor of survival. Method: Seventy-eight outpatients diagnosed with fibrotic ILD were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Body composition data using dual frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BodyStat 1500MD; UK) and nutrition status using the subjective global assessment (SGA) were determined. To control for age and sex, z-FFMI and z-BFMI were calculated using population means. Participant charts were reviewed for diagnosis, age, disease severity, and exercise capacity. Results: Age (HR 1.08, 95% CI [1.03–1.13], p < 0.01), BMI (HR 0.90, 95% CI [0.84–0.97], p < 0.01]), z-FFMI (HR 0.70, 95% CI [0.56–0.87], p = 0.02), z-BFMI (HR 0.74, 95% CI [0.57–0.96], p < 0.01), 6-min walk distance (6MWD) (HR 0.99, 95% CI [0.99–1.00], p < 0.01), percent predicted diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (%DLco) (HR 0.93, 95% CI [0.89–0.97], p < 0.01), and severe malnutrition (SGA-C) (HR 6.98, 95% CI [2.00–24.27], p < 0.01) were significant predictors of survival. When controlled for exercise capacity and disease severity, z-FFMI and severe malnutrition were significant predictors of survival independent of %DLco. Conclusion: z-FFMI and severe malnutrition were significant predictors of survival in fibrotic ILD patients independent of disease severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many Canadians experience unequal access to primary care services, despite living in a country with a universal health care system. Health inequalities affect all Canadians but have a much stronger impact on the health of vulnerable populations. Health inequalities are preventable differences in the health status or distribution of health resources as experienced by vulnerable populations. A geospatial approach was applied to examine how closely the distribution of primary care providers (PCPs) in London, Ontario meet the needs of vulnerable populations, including people with low income status, seniors, lone parents, and linguistic minorities. Using enhanced two step floating catchment area (E2SFCA) method, an index of geographic access scores for all PCPs and PCPs speaking French, Arabic, and Spanish were separately developed at the dissemination area (DA) level. To analyze how PCPs are distributed, comparative analyses were performed in association with specific vulnerable groups. Geographical accessibility to all PCPs, and PCPs who speak specific minority languages vary considerably across the city of London. Access scores for French- and Arabic-speaking PCPs are found comparatively high (mean = 2.85 and 1.01 respectively) as compared to Spanish-speaking PCPs (mean = 0.47). Additionally, many areas with high proportions of vulnerable populations experience low accessibility. Despite its exploratory nature, this study offers insight into intra-urban distributions of geographical accessibility to primary care resources for vulnerable groups. These findings can facilitate health researchers and policymakers in the development of recommendations to increase levels of accessibility of specific population groups in underserved areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cannabis is associated with the onset and persistence of psychotic disorders. Evidence suggests that accessibility of substances is associated with an increased risk of use-related harms. We sought to examine the effect of residing in proximity to non-medical cannabis retailers on the prevalence of health service use for psychosis. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using linked health administrative data, and used geospatial analyses to determine whether people in Ontario, Canada (aged 14–60 years) resided within walking (1.6 km) or driving (5.0 km) distance of non-medical cannabis retailers (open as of February-2020). We identified outpatient visits, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations for psychotic disorders between 01-April-2019 and 17-March-2020. We used zero-inflated Poisson regression models and gamma generalized linear models to estimate the association between cannabis retailer proximity and indicators of health service use. Results: Non-medical cannabis retailers were differentially located in areas with high levels of marginalization and pre-existing health service use for psychosis. People residing within walking or driving distance of a cannabis retailer had a higher rate of psychosis-related outpatient visits, ED visits, and hospitalizations, compared to people living outside these areas. This effect was stronger among those with no prior service use for psychosis. Conclusions: Proximity to a non-medical cannabis retailer was associated with higher health service use for psychosis, even after adjustment for prior health service use. These findings suggest that opening of non-medical cannabis retailers could worsen the burden of psychosis on mental health services in areas with high-risk populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the strength of the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB) in Southwestern Ontario. Utilizing perinatal and neonatal databases at the London Health Science Centre, maternal postal codes were entered into a Geographic Information System to determine home neighbourhoods. Neighbourhoods were defined by dissemination areas (DAs). Median household income for each DA was extracted from the latest Canadian Census and linked to each mother. All singleton infants born between February 2009 and February 2014 were included. Of 26,654 live singleton births, 6.4% were LBW and 9.7% were PTB. Top risk factors for LBW were: maternal amphetamine use, chronic hypertension and maternal marijuana use (OR respectively: 17.51, 3.18, 2.72); previously diagnosed diabetes, maternal narcotic use and insulin-controlled gestational diabetes predicted PTB (OR respectively: 17.95, 2.69, 2.42). Overall, SES had little impact on adverse birth outcomes, although low maternal education increased the likelihood of a LBW neonate (OR: 1.01). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's time and freedom for independent neighbourhood activity is severely declining, which may be adversely impacting their healthy development. This study integrates GPS activity monitoring and environmental analysis in a geographic information system with activity diaries, annotated maps, surveys, and map-enhanced interviews to conduct a deep pattern analysis of children's habitual neighbourhood behaviour (n = 23; aged 9-13 years) from each an urban and suburban school neighbourhood within London, Canada. Patterns in children's primary activities and settings, independent mobility (IM) levels, and perception and use of neighbourhood affordances are examined. Participants note a diverse range of local independent destinations, but habitually spend little time playing outdoors in neighbourhoods. Local activity related to free time available, perception of activity affordances, and license to travel independently. Social and environmental conditions of children's micro-neighbourhoods influenced independent destinations and domains. Neighbourhood planning should promote diversity of activity affordances and address conditions that support increased IM for youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the neighborhood activity spaces (NAS) of 9- to 13-year-old children (n = 143) from seven schools in London, Canada. Data from Global Positioning System (GPS) loggers worn for 7 days were used to isolate and test measures for children’s pedestrian-based neighborhood activity: the maximum distance traveled from home and relative time spent in neighborhood settings. Descriptive and linear regression analyses examined the influence of individual, perceptual, and environmental factors on neighborhood use and travel. Participants spent a large portion of their out-of-school time (75%) in their NAS. Although traveling far from home on occasion, 94.5% of children’s time on average was spent within a short distance of home; participants spent little of their free time in broader neighborhood settings. School travel mode and independent mobility were among the strongest predictors of both distance traveled and time spent close to home. Perceptions of neighborhood safety, neighborhood type, and nearby land uses also influenced local activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical activity during childhood is associated with a multitude of physical, behavioural, and psychological health benefits. Identification of effective population level strategies for increasing children's physical activity levels is critical for improving the overall health of Canadians. The overall objective of this study is to assess how a naturally-occurring, community-level intervention which offers Grade 5 children in London, Canada a free access pass to physical activity opportunities (facilities and programs) for an entire school year can lead to increased physical activity among recipients.Methods/design: This study adopts a longitudinal cohort study design to assess the effectiveness of improving children's access to physical activity opportunities for increasing their physical activity levels. To meet our overall objective we have three aims: (1) to assess whether the provision of free access increases children's physical activity levels during and after the intervention compared to a control group; (2) to assess how and why child-specific trajectories of physical activity (between-children differences in level of physical activity measured across time) in the intervention group differ according to children's individual and household characteristics; and (3) to explore additional factors that are unaccounted for in the theoretical model to gain a further understanding of why the free access intervention had varying effects on changing physical activity levels. We will be addressing these aims using a mixed methods approach, including: a series of youth surveys conducted before, during, immediately after, and 4-months after the intervention; parent surveys before, during, and post-intervention; real-time tracking of the access pass use during the intervention; and focus groups at the conclusion of the intervention. Data compiled from the youth surveys will provide a subjective measure of physical activity to be used as our outcome measure to address our primary aims.Discussion: The results of this study can inform policy- and decision-makers about the sub-groups of the population that benefitted the most (or least) from the intervention to provide more specific information on how to develop and target future interventions to have a greater impact on the physical activity levels and overall health of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The implementation of community-based programs is key to effective, sustainable initiatives that can support population-level changes in children's physical activity. The purpose of this scoping review was to explore the implementation models and frameworks used to develop (process models), explore (determinant frameworks), and/or evaluate (evaluation frameworks) community-based physical activity programs for children. Also, the foundational components of the implementation models and frameworks and practical application in real-world settings were described. Methods: The methodological framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley (2005) and the updated recommendations from Levac, Colquhoun and O'Brien (2010) were used to search, identify, and summarize applicable studies. This review also met the requirements in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Scoping Reviews Checklist (PRISMA-ScR). A detailed search of six databases and three academic journals was conducted. Information about the article, the program, and the implementation model/framework were extracted and summarized. Results: The search retrieved 42,202 articles, of which 27 met the inclusion criteria. Eleven process models, one determinant framework, and two evaluation frameworks were identified. Nineteen components were developed from the models and frameworks. Tailoring, situational analysis, and element identification were common components among the identified models and frameworks. Conclusions: Since the execution of interventions is vital for creating successful health-promoting initiatives, researchers and program developers should consider using implementation models and frameworks to guide their community-based physical activity programs. Further research examining the application of new and existing implementation models and frameworks in developing, exploring, and evaluating community-level programs is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smartphone "apps" are a powerful tool for public health promotion, but unidimensional interventions have been ineffective at sustaining behavioural change. Various logistical issues exist in successful app development for health intervention programs and for sustaining behavioural change. This study reports on a smartphone application and messaging service, called "SmartAPPetite," which uses validated behaviour change techniques and a behavioural economic approach to "nudge" users into healthy dietary behaviours. To help gauge participation in and influence of the program, data were collected using an upfront food survey, message uptake tracking, experience sampling interviews, and a follow-up survey. Logistical and content-based issues in the deployment of the messaging service were subsequently addressed to strengthen the effectiveness of the app in changing dietary behaviours. Challenges included creating relevant food goal categories for participants, providing messaging appropriate to self-reported food literacy and ensuring continued participation in the program. SmartAPPetite was effective at creating a sense of improved awareness and consumption of healthy foods, as well as drawing people to local food vendors with greater frequency. This work serves as a storehouse of methods and best practices for multidimensional local food-based smartphone interventions aimed at improving the "triple bottom line" of health, economy, and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood obesity is a critical public health matter associated with numerous pediatric comorbidities. Local-level data are required to monitor obesity and to help administer prevention efforts when and where they are most needed. We hypothesized that samples of children visiting hospital clinics could provide representative local population estimates of childhood obesity using data from 2007 to 2013. Such data might provide more accurate, timely, and cost-effective obesity estimates than national surveys. Results revealed that our hospital-based sample could not serve as a population surrogate. Further research is needed to confirm this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a methodological model for the study of the space-time patterns of everyday life. The framework utilizes a wide range of qualitative and quantitative sources to create two environmental stages, social and built, which place and contextualize the daily mobilities of individuals as they traverse urban environments. Additionally, this study outlines a procedure to fully integrate narrative sources in a GIS. By placing qualitative sources, such as narratives, within a stage-based GIS, researchers can begin to tell rich spatial stories about the lived experiences of segregation, social interaction, and environmental exposure. The article concludes with a case study utilizing the diary of a postal clerk to outline the wide applicability of this model for space-time GIS research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the prevalence of university students who have ever engaged in self-harm and to examine its correlates. Frequency of thinking about self-harm was explored as a secondary outcome. Participants: Students at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. Methods: This cross-sectional study was completed via an online questionnaire. Logistic regressions assessed the influence of sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with lifetime self-harm and thoughts about self-harm. Results: The sample consisted of 2626 university students. Almost 25% engaged in self-harm in their lifetime and close to 33% have thought about harming themselves. A non-straight sexual orientation, marijuana use, prescription drugs not prescribed, and mental health problems increased the risk of both outcomes. Females were over two times more likely to engage in self-harm than males. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that is needed for developing effective interventions to reduce the risk of self-harm by targeting university students who are most at-risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To advance the knowledge of determinants of diet quality in pregnancy by focusing on both personal characteristics and the food environment. Design: Cross-sectional study in which participants from the Prenatal Health Project were linked to a geographic dataset by home address. Access to fast food, convenience stores, and grocery stores was measured using a geographic information system (ArcGIS9.3). Setting: Pregnant women (n = 2,282) were recruited between 2002 and 2005 in London, Ontario, Canada. Main Outcome Measure: Dietary quality was measured using a validated food frequency questionnaire and the Canadian Diet Quality Index for Pregnancy. Analysis: Univariate and multivariate linear regressions were calculated with the predictor variables on the Canadian Diet Quality Index for Pregnancy. Results: Pregnant women who were born in Canada, common-law, nulliparous, less physically active, smokers, more anxious, or lacking family support had lower diet quality on average. Presence of fast- food restaurants, convenience stores, and grocery stores within 500 m of participants' homes was not associated with diet quality after controlling for personal variables. Conclusions and Implications: The food environment does not seem to have a large influence on diet quality in pregnancy. Further research is needed to determine other potential reasons for low diet quality among pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined environmental influences on a child's mode of travel between home and school. Grade 7 and 8 students (n = 614) from twenty-one schools throughout London, Ontario, participated in a school-based travel mode survey. Geographic information systems (GIS) were employed to examine environmental characteristics of the child's mode of travel between home and school measured at the scale of the likely travel route. Logistic regression was used to assess what factors influence both the to- and from-school trip. Over 62 percent of students living within 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) of school walked or biked to school and 72 percent walked or biked home from school. Actively commuting to school was positively associated with shorter trips, with distance being the most important correlate. Boys were significantly more likely to use active travel modes than girls. Higher traffic volume along the route was negatively related to rates of active travel and children from higher income neighborhoods were less likely to actively travel than children from lower income neighborhoods. In terms of environmental characteristics, the presence of street trees was positively associated and higher residential densities and mixed land uses were negatively associated with active travel to school. For the journey home, crossing major streets and increased intersection density were negatively associated with active travel. The findings of this research give evidence that active travel is associated with the environmental characteristics of walking routes. This information should be considered for urban planning and school planning purposes to improve children's walking environments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The economies of modern cities are dependent on an advanced retail system; so too are the people who inhabit them. The origin and evolution of retailing in London, Canada, was studied using a historical geographic information system (GIS) to document the relationship between a city and its retail sector. Visualization and spatial-statistical techniques afforded by the historical GIS were implemented to study change over time. The locations of retailers and the types of the goods they sold were examined for four periods in the city's early history: 1844,1863,1881, and 1916. The distances traveled to shop were also calculated for a variety of goods. The results indicate that the retail system was ingrained in the development of the city, showing marked locational patterns and a high degree of rationality in the shopkeepers' business strategies. Mapping the retail landscape in each era using historical GIS allowed for the examination of the relationship between retail and residential development in the growing city. While the downtown area remained the primary retail district for the city, considerable retail expansion also occurred at the urban periphery during this early stage of the city's development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Montreal in 1881 was highly segregated along four distinct social dimensions: language, religion, socioeconomic status, and sector of employment. By 1901 the population had doubled, and we examine changes in residential distributions over the two decades. Despite the increased integration of certain groups, segregation remains high, and multiple dimensions are still discernible. In addition to long-established communities of French Canadians, Irish Catholics, and Anglo-Protestants, we see new streams of immigrants occupying their own patches in the urban fabric. To make meaningful observations of sociospatial changes over two decades, we used a geographic information system (GIS) to situate individual census households with spatial precision on 1 of 12,000 lots in 1881 and 30,000 in 1901, so that we could reaggregate them into meaningful districts of different scales and districts with identical boundaries for both years of observation, thereby overcoming the major methodological problems hindering previous comparative analyses. Coupling well-established statistical indexes of segregation and diversity in a GIS framework lends new analytic power to grasp the scale of phenomena and inquire into behavioral choices of nineteenth-century households. The empirical evidence shows how both concentration and diversity were built into the urban fabric. This study also offers methodological cues for comparative studies in other places and periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trends in food retailing associated with the consolidation of smaller-format retailers into fewer, larger-format supercentres have left some rural areas with fewer sources of nutritious, affordable food. Access to nutritious, affordable food is essential for good dietary habits and combating health issues such as type-2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Many studies on food environments use inaccurate or incomplete methods for locating food retailers, which may be responsible for mischaracterising food deserts. This study uses databases of every residence in and every food retailer in and around Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada. Residences were geocoded to their precise address, and network analysis techniques were performed in a geographic information system (GIS) to determine distances between every residence and different types of food retailers (grocery stores, fast food, fruit and vegetable sources, grocery stores plus fruit and vegetable sources, variety stores), both when considering and neglecting facilities outside the area of study, to account for a deficiency in analysis termed the 'edge effect'. Results: Analysis of household accessibility to food outlets by neighbourhood socioeconomic distress level indicated that residents in the most distressed neighbourhoods tended to have better accessibility to all types of food retailers. In the most distressed neighbourhoods, 79 percent of residences were within walking distance of a grocery store, compared to only 10 percent in the least distressed neighbourhoods. When the edge effect was neglected, 37 percent of distance estimates proved inaccurate. Average accessibility to all food retailer types improved dramatically when food outlets adjacent to the study area were considered, thereby controlling for the edge effect. Conclusion: By neglecting to consider food retailers just outside study area boundaries, previous studies may significantly over-report the actual distance necessary to travel for food. Research on food access spanning large rural regions requires methods that accurately geocode residents and their food sources. By implementing methods akin to those in this paper, future research will be better able to identify areas with poor food accessibility. Improving identification of food desert communities is a first step in facilitating more effective deployment of food policies and programs in those communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several studies have examined supermarket access for low-income residents, but few have explored how access to healthy food changes when a new food retailer such as a farmers’ market opens in a place previously known as a ‘food desert’. This paper uses a ‘before and after’ approach to examine the impact of the introduction of a farmers’ market on the price and availability of healthy food in an underserved urban neighbourhood. The farmers’ market had a major impact on grocery prices in the neighbourhood, which decreased by almost 12% in 3 years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives. We examined whether certain characteristics of the social and physical environment influence a child's mode of travel between home and school. Methods. Students aged 11 to 13 years from 21 schools throughout London, Ontario, answered questions from a travel behavior survey. A geographic information system linked survey responses for 614 students who lived within 1 mile of school to data on social and physical characteristics of environments around the home and school. Logistic regression analysis was used to test the influence of environmental factors on mode of travel (motorized vs "active") to and from school. Results. Over 62% of students walked or biked to school, and 72% from school to home. The likelihood of walking or biking to school was positively associated with shorter trips, male gender, higher land use mix, and presence of street trees. Active travel from school to home was also associated with lower residential densities and lower neighborhood incomes. Conclusions. Our findings demonstrate that active travel is associated with environmental characteristics and suggest that school planners should consider these factors when siting schools in order to promote increased physical activity among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A growing body of research suggests that the suburbanization of food retailers in North America and the United Kingdom in recent decades has contributed to the emergence of urban 'food deserts', or disadvantaged areas of cities with relatively poor access to healthy and affordable food. This paper explores the evolution of food deserts in a mid-sized Canadian city (London, Ontario) by using a geographic information system (GIS) to map the precise locations of supermarkets in 1961 and 2005; multiple techniques of network analysis were used to assess changing levels of supermarket access in relation to neighbourhood location, socioeconomic characteristics, and access to public transit. Results: The findings indicate that residents of inner-city neighbourhoods of low socioeconomic status have the poorest access to supermarkets. Furthermore, spatial inequalities in access to supermarkets have increased over time, particularly in the inner-city neighbourhoods of Central and East London, where distinct urban food deserts now exist. Conclusion: Contrary to recent findings in larger Canadian cities, we conclude that urban food deserts exist in London, Ontario. Policies aimed at improving public health must also recognize the spatial, as well as socioeconomic, inequities with respect to access to healthy and affordable food. Additional research is necessary to better understand how supermarket access influences dietary behaviours and related health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For Montréal in the nineteenth century, as for most port cities, the waterfront served as the primary interface between the city and the markets of the world. This paper examines how and why the primitive waterfront of Montréal as of 1830 was repeatedly adapted and transformed into a modern port district by 1914. Beyond a detailed examination of the set of physical changes on the waterfront, this paper draws theoretical insights from geographical interpretations of the rhythm of capital accumulation to explore the formative and adaptive processes underlying waterfront redevelopment. Global innovations in transport and cargo-handling technology are recognised as the preconditions for the periodic redimensioning of the port of Montréal, and it is established that these changes were driven by the perennial demands of local investors to accelerate circulation and thus reduce the turnover time of capital. This paper offers a new perspective on waterfront development by conceptualising the entire port as a comprehensive circulatory system and then exploring the redevelopment of various components in relation to others. The findings indicate that massive increases in traffic—the number and size of ships—through the port were correlated with the redimensioning of all of the connected components of the circulatory system; that is, the major arteries such as the St Lawrence River ship channel, as well as the smaller capillaries like finger piers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the prominent “value‐action gap” within pro‐environmental behaviour, this novel, cross‐sectional study investigated relationships between household food wasting and pro‐environmentalism. Research was undertaken in 11 neighbourhoods across London, Ontario, Canada, including a net‐zero energy neighbourhood. A direct measurement methodology was used to measure household food waste, and a survey was created to measure knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours related to food wasting. Households in the net‐zero energy neighbourhood sent between 2.59 kg and 2.80 kg of food waste to landfill per week, of which 68% was classified as avoidable and the remaining 32% as unavoidable. Households in this neighbourhood sent less total (p < 0.001) and unavoidable (p < 0.001) food waste to landfill than households in “regular” neighbourhoods within the same city. While participants in the net‐zero neighbourhood had strong, self‐reported pro‐environmental worldviews, pro‐environmentalism was not found to be stronger in this neighbourhood compared to the rest of the city. The presence of stronger, self‐reported pro‐environmental worldviews was associated with a decrease in unavoidable food waste generation (p < 0.01). As the first study of its kind, further research is needed to verify the role of pro‐environmentalism in household food wasting in Canada and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Adolescence is a critical stage for improving nutrition. The popularity of smartphones makes them an ideal platform for administering interventions to adolescents. A systematic review has yet to assess the impact of smartphone app–based interventions exclusively on adolescents' dietary intake. Furthermore, despite the impact of equity factors on dietary intake and the claim for mobile health of increased accessibility, there is minimal research on the reporting of equity factors in the evaluation of smartphone app–based nutrition-intervention research. Objectives This systematic review examines the effectiveness of smartphone app–based interventions on adolescents' dietary intake and the frequency with which equity factors and statistical analyses specific to equity factors are reported in these intervention studies. Data Sources Databases (ie, Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ERIC, and Cochrane Central Register for Randomized Control Trials) were searched for studies published from January 2008 to October 2022. Smartphone app–based intervention studies that were nutrition focused, evaluated at least 1 dietary intake variable, and included participants with a mean age between 10 and 19 years were included. All geographic locations were included. Data Extraction and Analysis Study characteristics, intervention results, and reported equity factors were extracted. Because of the heterogeneity of dietary outcomes, findings were reported as a narrative synthesis. Conclusion In total, 3087 studies were retrieved, 14 of which met the inclusion criteria. Eleven studies reported a statistically significant improvement in at least 1 dietary outcome because of the intervention. Reporting of at least 1 equity factor across articles' Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion sections was minimal (n = 5), and statistical analyses specific to equity factors were rare, occurring in only 4 of the 14 included studies. Future interventions should include a measurement of intervention adherence and report the impact of equity factors on the effectiveness and applicability of interventions for equity-deserving groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study examines correlates of lifetime (ie, ever vaped) and past month vape use among students aged 17 to 19 years, 20 to 25 years, and 26+ years from Western University in London, Ontario. The secondary objective is to assess lifetime and past month vape use among students not of legal age to purchase vaping products in Ontario (ie, those 17 to 18 years only). Methods: Using Qualtrics, a cross-sectional survey was sent via email to all students at Western University (N = 38 442), assessing their current and past risk-taking behaviors, mental health, sociodemographic characteristics, as well as questions pertaining to their family structure and socioeconomic background during childhood. Students were asked if they had ever vaped in their lifetime and about past month vape use. Logistic regression models were used to assess correlates of lifetime and past month vape use. Results: The sample consisted of 2626 university students. Compared to those ages 26+ years, teenage university students were 10 times more likely to have vaped in the past month and males were twice as likely as females to have vaped. Alcohol use doubled the odds of vaping in the past month, whereas cigarette, cannabis, or cocaine use approximately tripled the odds. Students who reported many sexual partners were far more likely to have vaped in the past month. Conclusion: Vape use is more common among teenage university students, males, those who drink alcohol, smoke, use cannabis or cocaine, and who report many sexual partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Fruits and vegetables (FV) distribution interventions have been implemented as a public health strategy to increase children's intake of FV at school settings. The purpose of this review was to examine whether snack-based FV distribution interventions can improve school-aged children's consumption of FV.Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of articles published in English, in a peer-reviewed journals, were identified by searching six databases up to August 2020. Standardised mean differences (SMD) and 95 % CI were calculated using a random effects model. Heterogeneity was quantified using I2 statistics.Setting: Population-based studies of interventions where the main focus was the effectiveness of distributed FV as snacks to schoolchildren in North America, Europe and Pacific were included.Results: Forty-seven studies, reporting on fifteen different interventions, were identified; ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. All interventions were effective in increasing children's consumption of FV, with only one intervention demonstrating a null effect. Pooled results under all classifications showed effectiveness in improving children's consumption of FV, particularly for multi-component interventions at post-intervention (SMD 0·20, 95 % CI 0·13, 0·27) and free distribution interventions at follow-up (SMD 0·19, 95 % CI 0·12, 0·27).Conclusions: Findings suggest that FV distribution interventions provide a promising avenue by which children's consumption can be improved. Nonetheless, our results are based on a limited number of studies, and further studies should be performed to confirm these results. More consistent measurement protocols in terms of rigorous study methodologies, intervention duration and follow-up evaluation are needed to improve comparability across studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The nutrigenomics, overweight/obesity and weight management trial (NOW Trial) is a pragmatic randomized controlled trial of community-dwelling adults recruited from the Group Lifestyle Balance™ (GLB™) Program. The GLB™ Program (formerly referred to as the Diabetes Prevention Program) is an evidence-based, intensive weight management program, which was offered to overweight/obese patients (BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2) in a rural Ontario community.Methods: Patients enrolled in the GLB™ Program were invited to participate in this study. GLB™ groups were randomized 1:1 to receive either the standard GLB™ program + population-based lifestyle advice for weight management, or a modified GLB™ program + personalized, genetic-based lifestyle advice for weight management. The purpose of this study is to determine if the provision of genetic-based lifestyle guidelines is superior to the provision of population-based guidelines in a pragmatic clinical setting to promote changes in: body composition, weight, body mass index, dietary and physical activity habits, as well as attitudes, subjective norms, and behavioural control. The 12-month intervention protocol consists of 23 group-based sessions and 4 one-on-one sessions. Data collection time points include baseline in addition to 3, 6, and 12-month follow up. The comprehensive study design is described in the present manuscript, using both the extended CONSORT checklist for reporting pragmatic trials and the SPIRIT checklist as guidance during manuscript development.Discussion: Overall, this study seeks to pragmatically determine if the provision of DNA-based lifestyle advice leads to improved health and lifestyle outcomes compared to the provision of standard, population-based lifestyle advice. The results of this trial can be used to inform clinical and community nutrition practice guidelines.Trial Registration: This study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov : NCT03015012 on January 9, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents are often exposed to food retailers selling unhealthy food items during their lunch breaks and school commutes. This systematic review examines the influence of school neighborhood food retail environments on adolescent food purchasing. A systematic search of 6 databases. Observational studies published from January 2012 to December 2022 that measured food availability, accessibility, or exposure, measured food purchasing, and focused on adolescents (aged 10–19 years) were eligible for inclusion. Twelve studies with 97 findings were included. Thirty-one findings indicated that a school neighborhood with a high density of unhealthy food retail, a school with unhealthy food retail nearby, or exposure to unhealthy food retail on the journey to/from school was associated with higher prevalence and frequency of unhealthy food purchases. Adolescents' food purchasing behaviors may be meaningfully affected by their school neighborhood food retail environment; however, the included studies have many methodological shortcomings. Results identify the need for new studies that measure food purchasing, use comprehensive definitions of food retail environments, and adopt more rigorous methods to approximate exposure to food retail. More robust evidence would strengthen the rationale for policy or program interventions and potentially indicate specific targets for intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intervention, which used elements of the theory of planned behavior, was developed and tested in a randomized control trial (RCT) involving households in the city of London, Ontario, Canada. A bespoke methodology involving the direct collection and measurement of food waste within curbside garbage samples of control (n = 58) and treatment households (n = 54) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. A comparison of garbage samples before and after the intervention revealed that total food waste in treatment households decreased by 31% after the intervention and the decrease was significantly greater (p =.02) than for control households. Similarly, avoidable food waste decreased by 30% in treatment households and was also significantly greater (p =.05) than for control households. Key determinants of treatment household avoidable food waste reduction included personal attitudes, perceived behavioral control, the number of people in a household, and the amount of garbage set out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study examines correlates of lifetime (ie, ever vaped) and past month vape use among students aged 17 to 19 years, 20 to 25 years, and 26+ years from Western University in London, Ontario. The secondary objective is to assess lifetime and past month vape use among students not of legal age to purchase vaping products in Ontario (ie, those 17 to 18 years only). Methods: Using Qualtrics, a cross-sectional survey was sent via email to all students at Western University (N = 38 442), assessing their current and past risk-taking behaviors, mental health, sociodemographic characteristics, as well as questions pertaining to their family structure and socioeconomic background during childhood. Students were asked if they had ever vaped in their lifetime and about past month vape use. Logistic regression models were used to assess correlates of lifetime and past month vape use. Results: The sample consisted of 2626 university students. Compared to those ages 26+ years, teenage university students were 10 times more likely to have vaped in the past month and males were twice as likely as females to have vaped. Alcohol use doubled the odds of vaping in the past month, whereas cigarette, cannabis, or cocaine use approximately tripled the odds. Students who reported many sexual partners were far more likely to have vaped in the past month. Conclusion: Vape use is more common among teenage university students, males, those who drink alcohol, smoke, use cannabis or cocaine, and who report many sexual partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the use of geographic information systems (GIS) has become commonplace within the discipline of archaeology, the potential of a big-data approach to GIS is yet to be fully exploited within historical archaeology. Archaeologists inspired by developments in the social sciences and humanities have recently called for new ways of conceptualizing GIS as a process that is more theoretically satisfying and methodologically effective in its applications to archaeology. We respond to these calls by proposing a new approach for GIS in historical archaeology, an historical spatial-data infrastructure (HSDI). We outline the progression from historical GIS to the construction of an HSDI and present a series of case studies that demonstrate how using a spatiotemporal big-data-based approach expands the scale of archaeological inquiry to studying the postindustrial city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the extent to which socioeconomic status, mental health, and substance use are associated with teenage pregnancies in Southwestern Ontario (SWO), and whether these pregnancies are at an elevated risk for adverse birth outcomes, after controlling for medical, behavioral, and socioeconomic status factors. Retrospective cohort study using perinatal and neonatal databases. Tertiary care hospital in SWO. Women residing in SWO who gave birth to singleton infants without congenital anomalies between 2009 and 2014. Teenage pregnancies (19 years of age or younger) were compared with pregnancies of women 20-34 years and 35 years or older. None. Low birth weight (LBW), very LBW, term LBW, preterm birth, very preterm birth, low and very low Apgar score, and fetal macrosomia. Of 25,263 pregnant women, 1080 (4.3%) were 19 years of age or younger. Approximately 18% of teenage mothers lived in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods, compared with 11% of mothers aged 20-34 and 9% of women 35 years of age or older (P <.001). Teenage mothers had higher rates of depression during pregnancy (9.8%) than mothers 20-34 years (5.8%) and those 35 years of age or older (6.8%; P <.001). Young mothers self-reported higher tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol use during pregnancy than adult mothers (P <.001). Teenage pregnancy increased the risk of a low Apgar score (adjusted odds ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-2.02), but was not associated with other birth outcomes after adjusting for covariates. Teenage pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of socioeconomic disadvantage, mental health problems, and substance use during pregnancy, but is largely unrelated to adverse birth outcomes in SWO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Household food waste may be underestimated if self-reported. • An objective method to collect household food waste samples was tested. • Households self-reported 6.63 portions/week and disposed 2,783 g/week of food waste. • How food waste data is collected impacts relationships with behavioural determinants. • A poor understanding of food waste disposal can impair intervention development. A survey, based on an expanded Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), was used to indirectly measure self-reported food wasting and its behavioral determinants. This was complemented with directly and objectively measured food waste in curbside garbage samples. Households (n = 189) reported throwing out avoidable food waste a mean of 5.48 times (SD = 5.58) and 6.63 portions (SD = 6.61) the week prior to completing the survey. These same households threw out a mean of 2,783 g/week of food waste (SD = 2,664) in a curbside garbage sample, with 63.27% of this consisting of avoidable food waste. There were weak to fair correlations between self-reported and curbside food waste samples. The direction and level of significance of all correlations of TPB behavioral determinants with self-reported and curbside food waste samples were similar, although the correlation coefficients were higher for self-reported food wasting. A linear regression (R2 = 0.34, p < 0.001) on self-reported avoidable food waste frequency demonstrated that it was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with perceived behavioral control, personal attitude, number of people per household, gender and employment status. This was contrasted with a linear regression (R2 = 0.19, p < 0.001) on curbside avoidable food waste which was also significantly (p < 0.05) associated with perceived behavioral control and number of people per household, but also housing tenure type (owner-occupancy vs tenancy) and the good provider identity. In general, self-reported results should be used with caution as they may underestimate food waste disposal and consideration should be given to supplement, if not replace, them with direct measurement of food waste disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the relationship between knowledge and beverage consumption habits among children.Design: Cross-sectional analysis. Linear regression was used to identify sociodemographic, dietary and behavioural determinants of beverage consumption and knowledge, and to describe the relationships between children's knowledge and water and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption.Settings: Seventeen elementary schools in London, Ontario, Canada.Participants: A total of 1049 children aged 8-14 years.Results: Knowledge scores were low overall. Children with higher knowledge scores consumed significantly fewer SSB (β = -0·33; 95 % CI -0·49, -0·18; P < 0·0001) and significantly more water (β = 0·34; 95 % CI 0·16, 0·52; P = 0·0002). More frequent refillable water bottle use, lower junk food consumption, lower fruit and vegetable consumption, female sex, higher parental education, two-parent households and not participating in a milk programme were associated with a higher water consumption. Male sex, higher junk food consumption, single-parent households, lower parental education, participating in a milk programme, less frequent refillable water bottle use and permission to leave school grounds at lunchtime were associated with a higher SSB consumption. Water was the most frequently consumed beverage; however, 79 % of respondents reported consuming an SSB at least once daily and 50 % reported consuming an SSB three or more times daily.Conclusions: Elementary-school children have relatively low nutrition and water knowledge and consume high proportions of SSB. Higher knowledge is associated with increased water consumption and reduced SSB consumption. Interventions to increase knowledge may be effective at improving children's beverage consumption habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand food wasting behaviour, the theory of planned behaviour was used to inform the development of a survey which was administered to households in London, Ontario, Canada. Respondent households (n = 1,263) threw out avoidable food waste 4.77 times/week (SD = 4.81, Mdn = 4.0) and 5.89 food portions/week (SD = 5.66, Mdn = 4.0). When asked to choose one of three possible motivators to reduce food wasting behaviour, 58.9% selected reducing monetary loss as their first choice and this was significantly (p < 0.001) higher than both reducing environmental impact (23.9%) and reducing social impacts (17.2%). A linear hierarchical regression analysis (R2 = 0.30, p < 0.001) on intention to avoid food waste demonstrated that perceived behavioural control (p < 0.001) and personal norms (p < 0.001) had the greatest positive impact on intention. A linear hierarchical regression analysis (R2 = 0.32, p < 0.001) on self‐reported food wasting behaviour showed that perceived behavioural control (p < 0.001) and personal attitudes (p < 0.01) resulted in less food wasting behaviour, while more children in a household (p < 0.01) resulted in more food wasting behaviour. Interventions that seek to strengthen perceived behavioural control and convey the monetary impact of food waste could help reduce its disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Some Canadian schools have modified their daily schedules from the traditional school day (TSD) schedule (two 15‐minute breaks and one 60‐minute break) to a balanced school day (BSD) schedule (two 40‐minute breaks). While this change increases daily planning and instructional time, it also changes the amount of time available for moderate‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA). METHODS: This study uses a case‐control design to examine differences in objectively measured MVPA between children in 3 schools using a BSD schedule and 3 schools using a TSD schedule. Study participants (aged 10‐12 years) were recruited from schools in Ontario, Canada. RESULTS: Regardless of schedule type, girls had lower MVPA than boys, and as both boys and girls got older their MVPA significantly decreased. The findings indicate there was no statistically significant difference in the total minutes of in‐school MVPA between children from BSD schools and children from TSD schools. MVPA was significantly higher for older girls attending BSD schools than older girls attending TSD schools, suggesting that implementing a BSD may help curb declining MVPA as girls enter adolescence. CONCLUSION: Despite encouraging findings, more rigorous studies (ie, pre‐post experiments with control) are needed to better understand how changing schedules impacts children's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's perceptions of their environment have been associated with their physical activity (PA) levels, however a better understanding of the formation of perceptions within different contexts is needed. This will help to inform decision making related to physical inactivity trends in Canadian children. We examined socio-ecological factors influencing children's perceptions of barriers to PA in Ontario, Canada. Binary logistic regression models measured the relationship between perceptions of barriers and PA for 892 children in Ontario. At the intrapersonal level, girls reported the most barriers to PA. Interpersonally, children whose mother was employed reported the most barriers. At the physical environment level, children in urban and suburban neighbourhoods of large cities, and rural areas reported the most barriers, differing relative to population size. The major contribution of this paper is a new perspective of environmental influences on children's perceptions of PA, using an urbanicity spectrum, and highlighting place specific needs of Canadian children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postsecondary students report a low intake of fruits and vegetables and high intake of fast food. As inadequate food knowledge is associated with postsecondary students' inability to consume a healthy diet, food literacy interventions may improve their dietary behaviors. Qualitative inquiry into participants' perspectives of an intervention can provide insight on an intervention's impact on dietary behaviors and why it may or may not have been effective. Explore postsecondary students' perceptions of the impact of a smartphone-based food literacy intervention on their dietary behaviors; and explore participants' views on why the intervention was or was not effective at influencing their dietary behavior. Intervention participants (17-25 years old) from a smartphone-based food literacy intervention in postsecondary institutions across Southwestern Ontario, Canada, were asked to participate in virtual focus groups to share their perspectives on the intervention's impact on their dietary behaviors at the end of the 10-week intervention period. Focus group data was coded via consensus coding by two researchers. After coding was complete, inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze the data for both research objectives. In total, 10 focus groups were conducted (N=30 participants). Themes regarding impact on dietary behavior included increased dietary consciousness, a reduction of perceived "unhealthy foods," an increase of perceived "healthy foods," choosing healthier dietary choices, and "Hawthorne Effect." Themes for why the intervention was or was not effective centered on barriers and facilitators to engagement with the intervention and participants' ability to implement the intervention into their dietary behaviors. Facilitators included the intervention's suitability and app functionality, whereas barriers included technology concerns, a lack of time, food accessibility, food affordability, and intervention suitability. This study provides insight into the impact and the facilitators and barriers of a mHealth food literacy intervention on postsecondary students' dietary behaviors. Researchers should consider these barriers and how to mitigate them to improve the effectiveness of future food literacy and mHealth interventions. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Children's Health Research Institute (CHRI) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical inactivity among children is a significant public health concern. Active school travel (AST) methods, such as walking and wheeling to school, can be a valuable way to increase children's levels of daily physical activity. In Canada, Active and Safe Routes to School (ASRTS), a national health promotion initiative, has led the campaign for AST through its flagship school travel plan (STP) program. At present little is known about the on-the-ground implementation processes that impede or facilitate the success of STPs. Through a thematic analysis of 18 interviews with STP facilitators and 4 focus groups with the larger STP committees, our study evaluates the factors shaping the functioning of STP interventions at ten elementary schools participating in a regional ASRTS program in Southwestern Ontario. Our analysis yielded six themes that have implications for STP implementation and sustainability: 1) accounting for school context; 2) establishing committee capacity and leadership; 3) supporting STP action; 4) responsiveness to external and internal barriers; 5) engaging schools at the grassroots level; and 6) building future champions. We draw from Lewin's Field Theory and discuss the forces affecting STP committees to frame our findings in a way that can be discussed to support the building of efficient, effective, and viable AST intervention environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little consensus on the amount of worldwide food waste generation because many current estimates are indirect and link back to the same limited primary datasets, with much of the data originating from fieldwork undertaken in the 1970s and 1980s. Direct measurement of waste streams, through waste composition studies, can be used to develop accurate estimates of food waste disposal. In Ontario, Canada, municipalities that undertake household waste composition studies all use a common direct measurement methodology that includes a broad range of waste categories, including food waste. The purpose of this research was to estimate the quantity of food waste disposed, in the garbage stream, by households in southern Ontario, Canada, and determine if this common methodology could be expanded and serve as the basis of a standardized and rigorous household food waste measurement methodology. Household waste composition study data (2012–2015), including a single “food waste” category, were gathered from 9 Ontario municipalities, aggregated and analyzed to develop estimates of food waste in the garbage stream. On average, households disposed 2.40 kg/week of food waste in the garbage, which comprised 35.4% of this waste stream. This does not include any food waste otherwise disposed (e.g., sink) or recycled (e.g., composted). Urban households disposed significantly greater amounts of food waste compared to rural households in the spring (p = 0.01) and summer (p = 0.02). Households with access to a green bin program disposed significantly less food waste than those with no access to a green bin program in the spring (p = 0.03) and summer (p<0.01). The common methodology used to develop these estimates shows promise as the basis of a household food waste measurement methodology. This future methodology would include dividing food waste into avoidable and unavoidable food waste categories, as well as adding subcategories (e.g., avoidable fruits and vegetables). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective: Examine the impact of the campus food environment on postsecondary students’ dietary behaviors (e.g., dietary intake) and food purchasing. Participants: Students currently attending a postsecondary institution, all ages and geographic locations included. Methods: A systematic search from January 2000-October 2022 was conducted in six databases using postsecondary education, food environment, and diet related keywords. Results: In total, 25 quantitative and 10 qualitative studies were extracted. All quantitative studies that conducted statistical analyses (n = 15) reported a statistically significant relationship between the campus food environment and dietary intake, including both positive and negative effects. All qualitative studies (n = 10) discussed students’ experience of the campus food environment influencing their diet. Conclusions: This review found moderate evidence that the campus food environment has an impact on postsecondary students’ dietary behaviors. A campus environment that has healthy foods accessible, affordable, and acceptable for postsecondary students may have a beneficial impact on students’ dietary intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographers and health researchers routinely analyze data on food-related behaviors to understand potential relationships between the food environment and diet. Analytical uncertainties arise, however, from discounting the sequential connections and household coordination of various food tasks. This study employed the time-geographic construct of the project, which is defined as a series of goal-oriented activities conducted by one or more individuals, to understand the composition and influencing factors of household food provision. To demonstrate the usefulness of the project concept, this study delineated how food activities were woven into a select couple's daily life paths with the aid of sequence visualizations, and developed an analytical test case using time-use diaries of coupled adults living in Toronto, Canada. Ten dinner project archetypes were identified with distinct characteristics of activity composition and coordination. The study further explored how the dinner project archetypes were related to geographic food environments and meal consumption. By employing the project concept in research on food environments, the interconnectedness between various diet-related activities and diverse patterns of coordination between household members can be captured. Finally, a discussion on how the project perspective can improve the understanding of food environments and healthy eating was presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breakfast skipping has previously been associated with worse diet quality among adolescents; the latter increases the risk of chronic disease. However, many studies do not consider diet quality as a function of calories, which is problematic as skippers tend to consume less energy than consumers. Additionally, due to the lack of one accepted definition of both breakfast skipping and diet quality, it is unclear how differences found may change when using varying definitions. Objectives: We aimed to compare the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) scores and nutrient intakes of teen breakfast skippers and consumers in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Methods: Cross-sectional, baseline data were used from SmartAPPetite, an ongoing nutrition intervention study. Singular 24-h dietary recalls and sociodemographic data from 512 adolescents aged 13-19 y were used to compare HEI-2015 scores and nutrient intakes via multivariable linear regression. Results: Previous day breakfast skippers had significantly lower HEI-2015 scores (-4.4; 95% CI: -8.4, -0.4) and significantly lower intakes of calories, saturated fat, and vitamin C, as well as significantly higher intake of sodium and total fat. Conclusions: Previous day breakfast consumers had significantly higher diet quality scores and better nutrient intakes than breakfast skippers, although, on average, both had poor diet quality. Consequently, it is unlikely that simply advising teens to consume breakfast will result in meaningful change in diet quality, and more effort should be placed on promoting nutritious breakfasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how coupled adults arrange food-related labor in relation to their daily time allocation is of great importance because different arrangements may have implications for diet-related health and gender equity. Studies from the time-use perspective argue that daily activities such as work, caregiving, and non-food-related housework can potentially compete for time with foodwork. However, studies in this regard are mostly centered on individual-level analyses. They fail to consider cohabiting partners' time spent on foodwork and non-food-related activities, a factor that could be helpful in explaining how coupled partners decide to allocate time to food activities. Using 108 daily time-use logs from seventeen opposite-gender couples living in Toronto, Canada, this paper examines how male and female partners' time spent on non-food-related activities impact the total amount of time spent on foodwork by coupled adults and the difference in time spent on foodwork between coupled women and men. Results show that both male and female partners took a higher portion of foodwork when their partner worked longer. When men worked for additional time, the couple-level duration of foodwork decreased. Without a significant impact on the gender difference in foodwork duration, women's increased caregiving duration was associated with a reduction of total time spent on foodwork by couples. An increase in caregiving and non-food-related chores by men was associated with an increased difference in duration of foodwork between women and men, which helped secure a constant total amount of foodwork at the couple level. These behavioral variations between men and women demonstrate the gender differences in one's responsiveness to the change of partners' non-food-related tasks. The associations found among non-food-related activities and foodwork are suggestive of a need to account for partners' time allocation when studying the time-use dynamics of foodwork and other daily activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographic access to food retailers has long been considered an important determinant of food‐related behaviors. Despite methodological improvements in assessing food environments, their associations with food behaviors have remained inconsistent. We argue that one possible reason for these inconsistencies is the lack of information about how an individual's time use dynamics play out in space. To this point, few studies on the combined effects of food geography and time use on food behaviors exist, and methods to achieve such analyses have been underdeveloped. In this study, we propose a novel application of multi‐channel sequence analysis (MCSA) to identify joint patterns of time use and food‐related geographic contexts. We explore how those spatiotemporal patterns are associated with individuals' food shopping and food‐related household chores. This analytical workflow is demonstrated using time use diaries and GPS trajectories collected in Toronto in 2019. This test case identifies spatiotemporal patterns with distinctive characteristics of disaggregated time use and spatial exposure to food retail and finds associations between these distinct space‐time patterns and participation in food‐related activities. This application of MCSA affords a promising novel approach for food environment researchers to perform nuanced assessments of the sequenced spatiotemporal contexts in which food‐related behaviors occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]