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This study examined profiles of participation in extracurricular activities (ECAs) in 4th grade children (N = 27,121; Mean age = 9.20 years; SD = .54; 51% male) in British Columbia, Canada. Latent class analyses were used to establish activity profiles and determine class membership; ANCOVA was used to investigate differences in mental wellbeing (optimism, life satisfaction, self-concept) and perceived overall health between groups. Data came from a cross-sectional, population-level child self-report survey (i.e., the Middle Years Development Instrument) implemented with 4th grade children in public schools. We found four distinct ECA profiles: participation in “All Activities”, “No activities”, “Sports” (i.e., individual and team sports), and “Individual activities” (i.e., educational programs, arts/music, individual sports). Wellbeing and health scores were highest for children in the “All Activities” and the “Sports” clusters, and lowest for those in “No Activities” and the cluster reflecting individual activities (i.e., “Individual activities”). Results are discussed in the context of previous research, and with respect to practical relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Dairy products contain essential nutrients to ensure healthy growth and bone development in children. However, a significant proportion of children in developed countries fail to consume the daily recommended intake of dairy products. Parents are the gatekeepers of familial nutritional intake and represent a potential vehicle through which to increase dairy consumption in children. As such, formative research was conducted to gain insight into parents' perceived barriers to and benefits of purchasing and consuming dairy products and to develop innovative message content that could be utilized in future public health campaigns.Design: Seven in-depth group interviews were conducted in two phases between February and May 2015.Setting: Interviews were conducted in local recreational centres and libraries in British Columbia, Canada.Subjects: Mothers (n 21, mean age 38 (sd 5) years) and fathers (n 9, mean age 38 (sd 3) years) of children aged 4-10 years.Results: Parents perceived both positive and negative physical outcomes associated with consuming dairy. Lack of trustworthy information was a frequently discussed barrier theme to purchasing and consuming dairy products. Mothers were concerned about the cost of dairy products. Differences in purchasing and consumption strategies were reported between parents of children who consumed adequate dairy and those who did not. Parents believed the most appropriate communication channel was through print material.Conclusions: Messages targeting parents, as a means of increasing dairy consumption in children, should address barriers identified by parents. In addition, practical tips should be provided to promote purchasing and consumption of dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children were a significant part of all past populations, yet they are often overlooked in archaeological inquiry. The reasons for this absence involve both conceptual and practical obstacles: the transposition of present-day, Euro-American understandings of the child as dependent and incapable, and the difficulty of identifying clear archaeological signatures associated with children--particularly in prehistoric contexts. In this paper, I focus on the archaeology of the Northwest Coast region, finding only limited ethnographic accounts of children, and virtually no mention of them in the archaeological literature. After discussing the factors that contribute to the invisibility of children in archaeological interpretation in general, I argue that there is no justification for assuming children in the ancient Northwest Coast were non-productive. I present archaeological and ethnoar-chaeological research--from the Northwest Coast and other regions--that may point the way for future analyses of child life in the ancient Northwest Coast. In particular, foraging models and faunal analysis can be used to reflect the distinctive subsistence strategies of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]