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Background: Cross‐cultural research can provide insight into whether levels and correlates of movement behaviours among early years children vary across different cultural contexts. This study (1) compared children's physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST) and parental and environmental correlates of PA and ST between samples of Canadian and South Korean (Korean thereafter) early years children (2–5 years) and (2) investigated parental and environmental correlates of PA and ST and whether country moderates the relationships. Methods: Cross‐sectional data from 121 Canadian children (3.4 years; 49.6% girls) and 101 Korean children (3.4 years; 54.9% girls) who participated in the Parents' Role in Establishing healthy Physical activity and Sedentary behaviour habits (PREPS) study were used. Demographic information, children's PA, ST, PA‐ or ST‐specific parental cognitions and behaviours, and home and neighbourhood environments were measured using a proxy‐reported questionnaire. Two‐tailed independent samples T test or Mann Whitney U test, chi‐square tests, linear regression and moderation analyses were performed. Results: Canadian children spent more time in non‐organized PA compared to Korean children (111 vs. 63 min/day), whereas time spent in organized PA was higher in Korean children than Canadian children (25 vs. 9 min/day). Canadian children had more ST than Korean children (159 vs. 110 min/day). Similarly, Canadian parents reported higher screen (142 vs. 116 min/day) and sitting time (317 vs. 286 min/day) than Korean parents. Though children's behaviours, as well as parental cognitions and behaviours, varied between the two samples, similar correlates of children's PA and ST were observed. The relationship between presence of electronics in children's bedrooms and children's ST was moderated by country, with Canadian children showing a stronger relationship than Korean children. Conclusions: Supporting parents to adopt cognitions and behaviours that are conducive to healthy PA and ST patterns of their own and their early years children may be important for both Canada and Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the study that explores on the use of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) in the treatment of Fanconi anemia (FA) patients in Canada and the U.S. The topics discussed include the attributes of FA, the factors that influenced the decision making of FA patients and family members on SCT, and the benefits and probable risks of SCT.

Objectives DSM-5 changes for eating disorders (EDs) aimed to reduce preponderance of non-specified cases and increase validity of specific diagnoses. The objectives were to estimate the combined effect of changes on prevalence of EDs in adolescents and examine validity of diagnostic groupings. Method A total of 3043 adolescents (1254 boys and 1789 girls, Mage = 14.19 years, SD = 1.61) completed self-report questionnaires including the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale. Results Prevalence of full-threshold EDs increased from 1.8% (DSM-IV) to 3.7% (DSM-5), with a higher prevalence of bulimia nervosa (1.6%) and the addition of the diagnosis of purging disorder (1.4%); prevalence of binge eating disorder was unchanged (0.5%), and non-specified cases decreased from 5.1% (DSM-IV) to 3.4% (DSM-5). Validation analyses demonstrated that DSM-5 ED subgroups better captured variance in psychopathology than DSM-IV subgroups. Discussion Findings extend results from previous prevalence and validation studies into the adolescent age range. Improved diagnostic categories should facilitate identification of EDs and indicate targeted treatments. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Strict adherence to a gluten-free diet is the only treatment for coeliac disease. The gluten-free diet is complex, costly and impacts on all activities involving food, making it difficult to maintain for a lifetime. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the difficulties experienced, the strategies used and the emotional impact of following a gluten-free diet among Canadians with coeliac disease. Methods A questionnaire was mailed to all members ( n = 10 693) of both the Canadian Celiac Association and the Fondation québécoise de la maladie cœliaque in 2008. Results The overall response rate was 72%. Results are presented for the 5912 respondents (≥18 years) reporting biopsy-confirmed coeliac disease and/or dermatitis herpetiformis. Two-thirds never intentionally consumed gluten. Women reported significantly greater emotional responses to a gluten-free diet but, with time, were more accepting of it than men. Difficulties and negative emotions were experienced less frequently by those on the diet for >5 years, although food labelling and eating away from home remained very problematic. Frustration and isolation because of the diet were the most common negative emotions experienced. Conclusions The present study quantifies the difficulties experienced, the strategies used and the emotional impact of following a gluten-free diet. It highlights the need to improve the training and education of dietitians, other health providers and the food service industry workers about coeliac disease and a gluten-free diet, with the aim of better helping individuals improve their adherence to a gluten-free diet and their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to identify predictors of acceptance of intensive treatment and of participation in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) among women with anorexia nervosa (AN). Method Participant data were drawn from a tertiary care intensive treatment programme including a previously published RCT. Women with AN ( N = 106) were offered intensive treatment, and 69 were approached to participate in an RCT of olanzapine's efficacy as an adjunctive treatment for AN. AN subtype and pretreatment psychological variables were used to predict acceptance of intensive treatment and RCT participation. Results AN binge purge subtype and higher depression and body dissatisfaction predicted intensive treatment acceptance. No variable predicted RCT participation among treatment acceptors. Discussion Clinicians may focus on enhancing motivation or use a stepped care approach to increase intensive treatment acceptance especially among women with AN-restricting type and among all those with AN who have lower levels of distress. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of the study was to evaluate time to virological suppression in a cohort of individuals who started highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and to explore the factors associated with suppression. Methods Eligible participants were HIV-positive individuals from a multi-site Canadian cohort of antiretroviral-naïve patients initiating HAART on or after 1 January 2000. Viral load and CD4 measurements within 6 months prior to HAART initiation were assessed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using piecewise survival exponential models where time scale was divided into intervals (<10 months; ⩾10 months). Virological suppression was defined as the time to the first of at least two consecutive viral load measurements <50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL. Results A total of 3555 individuals were included in the study, of median age 40 years [interquartile range (IQR) 34-47 years]. Eighty per cent were male, 18% had a history of injecting drug use (IDU), and 13% presented with an AIDS-defining illness at baseline. The median time to suppression was 4.55 months (IQR 2.99-7.89 months). In multivariate analyses, older age, male sex, treatment in Ontario rather than British Columbia, non-IDU history, and having an AIDS diagnosis at baseline predicted increased likelihood of suppression. Patients with low baseline viral load were more likely to have suppression [4-5 log10 copies/mL, hazard ratio (HR) 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-1.38; <4 log10 copies/mL, HR 1.49, 95% CI 1.32-1.68] than patients with baseline viral load ⩾5 log10 copies/mL; however, this effect ceased after 18 months of follow-up. Suppression was more likely with nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and ritonavir-boosted HAART. Conclusion Identification of patients at risk for diminished likelihood of virological suppression will allow focusing of efforts and the utilization of resources to maximize the benefits of HAART. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The extent to which awareness of chronic disease (CD) diagnosis affects one’s healthy food knowledge, self-efficacy and intentions or healthy dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviours remains unexplored among Inuit in Canada. Methods: A food frequency questionnaire and an adult impact questionnaire were used in a cross-sectional study to collect self-reported data on daily energy and nutrient intake, PA and the diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and cancer amongst adult Inuit and their family members. Associations between awareness of personal and family CD status and healthy food knowledge, self-efficacy and intentions, percentage of energy consumed from non-nutrient-dense foods and PA were assessed via ordinal logistic regression. Results: Of the 266 participants, those who self-reported CD for both themselves and their relative(s) were more likely to have high healthy food knowledge [odds ratio (OR) = 2.45] than those who did not. Reporting hypertension and heart disease amongst only relatives increased the likelihood of high knowledge (OR = 5.20) and intentions (OR = 5.10) for healthy eating. Heart disease in both participants and their relatives was associated with high levels of PA (OR = 12.24). However, there were no associations when only participants (but not their relatives) reported having CD. A joint effect between a high level of education and awareness of CD was positively related to high food knowledge (OR = 38.93). An inverse association between awareness of CD and unhealthy eating was not observed. Conclusions: Awareness of a relative having a CD was a more important factor in increasing knowledge and, to a lesser degree, self-efficacy or intentions to eat healthy than participants’ awareness of personal CD. However, awareness was not associated with lower non-nutrient-dense food intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies of Aboriginal communities in Canada and Native American populations in the United States have reported that early childhood caries (ECC) is highly prevalent. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of ECC and dental caries in the First Nations population of 3- and 5-year-old children in the District of Manitoulin, Ontario to assist in developing effective dental health promotion strategies. METHODS: All 3- and 5-year-old children in elementary schools and day-care centres in seven First Nation communities were eligible for the survey examination. Three-year-old children at home and 5-year-old children attending school off-reserve in six of the communities were also eligible for epidemiological survey examination of oral health status including caries, gingival and soft tissue conditions. Cases of ECC were defined as children with caries or restorations on two or more primary maxillary incisors or canines or those having a total decayed, missing, filled primary teeth (dmft) score of 4 or greater. RESULTS: A total of 87 children (59% 5 years old, 54% females) were examined. Seventy-four per cent of children had one or more carious lesions. Forty-five cases of ECC were found, a prevalence of 52%. The mean dmft score for cases was 7.5 (95% CI 6.5-8.4) and 0.8 (95% CI 0.5-1.1) for non-cases (P < 0.001). Boys in both age groups were more likely to be affected by ECC than girls. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that dental caries and ECC are highly prevalent in this population, with ECC cases having 6.7 more dmft than non-cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically tested two hypotheses in order to evaluate the validity and applicability of the APT to the UK stock market using monthly individual price data from the LSE. Results obtained in this study support the first hypothesis (HI) that the risk free rates are equal to the corresponding estimated intercept terms of the models tested. As this inference could have resulted from weak test methodology, another set of tests was conducted to see if the intercept terms were equal to zero. The earlier inference was supported due to the finding that the intercept term was significantly different from zero. However, the results of testing the second hypothesis (H2) utilizing two different procedures (i.e., the Chi-square test and the t-test) show that the risk premia are not significantly different from zero. This latter finding does not support the APT and is in conflict with the results of Hughes (1982) with regard to the Canadian stock market and several other studies (e.g., Gehr, 1975; Roll and Ross, 1980; and Chen, 1983) based on US stock market data. Given the mixed results obtained in this study, no conclusive statements can be made regarding the validity and the applicability of the APT to the capital markets of the UK. It should be noted that the results of previous tests of the APT using US and Canadian stock market data are also mixed at best." The results obtained in this study and in the previous studies do not provide any conclusive evidence either to accept or reject the APT. Further research is required before any conclusive judgement is passed on this theory which appears to have great potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]