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Background: The context in which school‐based health‐promoting interventions are implemented is key for the delivery and success of these interventions. However, little is known about whether school culture differs by school deprivation. Methods: Using data from PromeSS, a cross‐sectional study of 161 elementary schools in Québec, Canada, we drew from the Health Promoting Schools theoretical framework to develop four measures of health‐promoting school culture (i.e., school physical environment, school/teacher commitment to student health, parent/community engagement with the school, ease of principal leadership) using exploratory factor analysis. One‐way ANOVA with post‐hoc Tukey‐Kramer analyses was used to examine associations between each measure and social and material deprivation in the school neighborhood. Results: Factor loadings supported the content of the school culture measures and Cronbach's alpha indicated good reliability (range: 0.68‐0.77). As social deprivation in the school neighborhood increased, scores for both school/teacher commitment to student health and parent/community engagement with the school decreased. Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity: Implementation of health‐promoting interventions in schools located in socially deprived neighborhoods may require adapted strategies to address challenges related to staff commitment and parental and community involvement. Conclusion: The measures developed herein can be used to investigate school culture and interventions for health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We examined whether factors identified as associated with cannabis use at age 14 to 16 years are also associated with ever use at age 12. Methods: Participants in the AdoQuest study (n = 1852) were recruited in 2005 from among Grade 5 students in 29 French-language elementary schools in Montréal, Canada. Self-report data were collected from participants in Grade 5 (spring 2005) and 6 (fall 2005 and spring 2006) and from parents/guardians in 2006/07. Inclusion in the analytic sample (n = 1076; mean age [SD] = 10.7 [0.5]) required data from participant and parental questionnaires and data on cannabis use in Grade 6 (mean age [SD] = 11.7 [0.4]). We estimated associations between ever use at age 12 with 33 potential correlates, separately in unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models. Results: Fifty-three participants (4.9%) reported ever use at age 12. Factors associated with higher odds of ever use included older age, identifying as male, lower household income, more weekly spending money, ever tried cigarettes or other tobacco products, ever drank alcohol or binge drank, ever gambled, friends or siblings smoke cigarettes, greater nicotine dependence, higher depressive symptoms and greater impulsivity. Protective factors included higher levels of parental/guardian monitoring and greater self-esteem and school connectedness. Conclusions: Factors associated with cannabis use at later ages are also associated with ever use at age 12. Our findings suggest that surveillance for and interventions to prevent cannabis use are warranted before age 12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the association between objectively-measured physical activity (PA) intensities and sedentary behavior (SED) in a cohort of 532 children aged 8-10 y. PA and SED were assessed by accelerometer over 7-days. Television and computer/video-game use were self-reported. Associations between PA intensities and SED variables were assessed by Spearman correlations and adjusted multiple linear regression. Higher mean daily moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous PA (MVPA, VPA) were negatively associated with mean daily SED (r = -0.47 and -0.37; p< .001), and positively associated with mean daily total PA (r = .58 and 0.46; p< .001). MVPA was also positively associated with light PA (LPA; r = .26, p < .001 ). MVPA and VPA were not significantly associated with TV, computer/video or total screen time; accelerometer SED was only weakly associated with specific SED behaviors. On average, for each additional 10 min daily MVPA, children accumulated >14 min less SED, and for each additional 5 min VPA, 11 min less SED. Thus, over the course of a week, higher mean daily MVPA may displace SED time and is associated with higher total PA over and above the additional MVPA, due to concomitant higher levels of LPA. Public health strategies should target both MVPA and SED to improve overall PA and health in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background Binge drinking occurs frequently among young adults, posing risks to health and safety. Little is known, however, about which drinkers continue to binge later into adulthood. We sought to identify predictors of sustained binge drinking behaviors in young adulthood. Methods Participants from the Nicotine Dependence in Teens ( NDIT) cohort ( n = 609, 53% female) completed self-report questionnaires in 20 survey cycles ( SCs) during secondary school between 1999 and 2005, and in 2 postsecondary school SCs in 2007 to 2008 ( SC 21; Mage = 20 years) and 2011 to 2012 ( SC 22; Mage = 24 years). Participants reporting past-year binge drinking in both SCs 21 and 22 were categorized as sustainers ( n = 517). Using multivariable logistic regression, we investigated 25 potential predictors of sustained binge drinking, binge-drinking frequency, and change in frequency over time among sustainers. Results Compared with stoppers, sustainers (85% of participants) were more likely to be younger, male, and to have no college/university education. Sustainers began drinking alcohol and binge drinking earlier, drank at least monthly during more secondary school grades, binged more frequently at age 20, and scored higher on impulsivity and novelty seeking in adolescence. Among sustainers, frequent binge drinkers were more likely to be male, to be nonstudents, to score higher on novelty seeking, and to have reported more depressive symptoms in adolescence. Sustainers who decelerated their binge frequency between SCs 21 and 22 were more likely to be female, to have achieved a higher level of education, and to report more depressive symptoms in SC 21. Conclusions The determinants of sustained binge drinking are similar to predictors of binge drinking reported in the literature. Early identification of, and intervention with, youth who are impulsive, inclined toward novelty seeking, and who report higher levels of early sub clinical depressive symptoms might forestall their involvement in risky alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying food patterns related to obesity can provide information for health promotion in nutrition. Food patterns and their relation with obesity among Canadian children have not been reported to date. Our aim was to identify and describe food patterns associated with obesity in children at risk of overweight. Caucasian children ( n = 630) with at least 1 obese biological parent recruited into the Quebec Adiposity and Lifestyle Investigation in Youth (QUALITY) cohort were studied in cross-sectional analyses. Measures of adiposity (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, body fat mass percentage measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), screen time, physical activity (accelerometer over 7 days), and dietary intake (three 24-h food recalls) were collected. Factor analysis was used to identify food patterns. The relationships between food patterns and overweight were investigated in logistic and multiple linear regression models. Three food patterns were retained for analysis: traditional food (red meats, main dishes-soups, high-fat dairy products, tomato products, dressings, etc.); healthy food (low-fat dairy products, whole grains, legumes-nuts-seeds, fruits, vegetables); and fast food (sugar-sweetened beverages, fried potatoes, fried chicken, hamburgers-hot dogs-pizza, salty snacks). Higher scores on the fast food pattern were associated with overweight (BMI ≥ 85th percentile), and other measures of adiposity (BMI, waist circumference, body fat mass percentage) after adjustment for age, sex, physical activity, screen time, sleep time, family income, and mother's obesity ( p < 0.05). Controlling for energy intake did not change these relationships. Our results provide further evidence of a link between fast food intake and obesity in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research investigating interest of an individualized score among children using a maximal cycling test, called the OMNI cycle scale. Researchers studied the differences between perceived exertion and actual effort, measured by peak oxygen consumption, at various stages of the test to determine whether perceived exertion and actual effort differed according to body mass status or physical activity level. The study's experimental design and methodology, a discussion of the results, and researchers' conclusions regarding the relationship between the effort performed, the OMNI cycle scale score, body mass status, and physical activity level are presented.

Objective: To measure the construct validity of the Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ) in children against a parent report of child night eating syndrome (NES) symptoms (NEQ report) and a 3-day dietary recall. Method: NEQ of 304 children from the QUALITY (QUébec Adipose and Lifestyle InvesTigation in Youth) cohort were compared to a parent report and 3-day dietary recall. Results: Child NEQ scores were related to the parent NEQ report (ρ = 0.30 p < 0.0001) yet there were inconsistencies between responses concerning sleep troubles. Total child NEQ scores, but not parent NEQ report scores, were associated with dietary manifestations of NES such as increased evening (ρ = 0.20, p < .001) and reduced morning intake (ρ= −0.12, p < .05). Discussion: The NEQ score is related to eating patterns of NES in children and is more informative than a parent report, specifically when used in conjunction with dietary recall. © 2012 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2012;45:861-865) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Psychiatry is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Underuse of best practices in chronic disease prevention (CDP) represents missed opportunities to promote healthy living and prevent chronic disease. Better understanding of how CDP programs, practices and policies (PPPs) are transferred from ‘resource' organizations that develop them to ‘user' organizations that implement them is crucial. The objectives of this work were to develop psychometrically sound measures of transfer practices occurring within resource organizations; describe the use of these transfer practices and identify correlates of the transfer process. Cross-sectional data were collected in structured telephone interviews with the person most knowledgeable about PPP transfer in 77 Canadian organizations that develop PPPs. Independent correlates of transfer were identified using multiple linear regression. The transfer practices most commonly used included: identification of barriers to PPP adoption/implementation, tailoring transfer strategies and designing a transfer plan. Skill at planning/implementing transfer, external sources of funding specifically allocated for transfer, type of resource organization, attitude toward process of collaboration and user-centeredness were all positively associated with the transfer process. These factors represent possible targets for interventions to improve transfer of CDP PPPs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to test if parents' participation in an intervention based on an empowerment ideology and participatory experiences decreased the number of cigarettes smoked in homes. Sixty families were randomized to the intervention (n = 30) or control (n = 30) group. The intervention included three weekly group sessions followed by three weekly follow-up telephone calls over six consecutive weeks. During group sessions, parents shared experiences about environmental tobacco smoke, identified personal strengths and resources, and developed action plans. Data were collected in interviewer-administered questionnaires at baseline and 6 months follow-up. Ninety-three percent of the sample consisted of mothers, 77% of whom smoked during pregnancy. Forty-two percent of the total sample reported a household income of <$15,000. The median number of cigarettes smoked in the home daily decreased from 18 to 4 in the total sample however no statistically significant difference was detected between groups at 6 months follow-up. Participation in the study, independent of group, may have resulted in parents decreasing the number of cigarettes smoked in the home. Valuable lessons were learned about recruiting and working with this group of parents, all of whom faced the challenges of tobacco and almost half of whom lived in poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the availability of intramural or extramural sports in secondary schools is associated with physical activity levels in youth throughout secondary school and at age 20. METHODS: Eight hundred and eight adolescents from 10 secondary schools in Montreal, Canada, provided physical activity data every 3 months during the school year from ages 13 to 17, and again at age 20. School administrators completed questionnaires on the availability of intramural and extramural sports. Three-level general linear models were used to examine associations among the number of intramural and extramural sports, moderate and vigorous physical activity controlling for age, sex, body mass index, mother’s education, and school-level socioeconomic status. RESULTS: Regardless of whether or not they reported participating in intramural sports, adolescents in schools with more intramural sports engaged in 3.6 (p = .03) more total, and 1.3 (p = 0.03) more vigorous activities per week than those attending schools with fewer intramural sports. Number of extramural sports was not statistically significantly associated with physical activity, regardless of whether or not individual students participated. CONCLUSION: Providing more opportunities for intramural sports in secondary schools may be an effective strategy to help adolescents attain physical activity recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes student perceptions of school staff smoking before and after implementation of legislation prohibiting smoking on school grounds. Students completed self-report questionnaires before (grade 6) and after (grade 7, 9 and 11) the law. The percentage of students reporting that school staff smoked in areas where smoking is forbidden was 19%, 32% and 33% in grade 7, 9 and 11, respectively. The mean(SD) score for the frequency with which students saw school staff smoking decreased after the ban but increased thereafter [2.5(1.1), 1.9(1.0), 2.4(1.1) and 2.3(1.1)] in grade 6, 7, 9 and 11, respectively [F(2.861,1662.229) = 45.350, P < 0.001]. These data suggest that the effect of the law dissipated over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To test if motivational regulations (i.e., amotivation, external, introjected, identified, and intrinsic) mediate the association between depression symptoms and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in young adults. Method A total of 319 young adults from Montreal, Quebec participating in the Nicotine Dependence in Teens (NDIT) study provided self-report data on depression symptoms at age 20 (SD=0.7years) and motivational regulations at age 24 (SD=0.7years). MVPA was assessed using a self-report questionnaire at age 20 (i.e., at the same time motivation was measured) and using accelerometers one month later. Multiple mediation analysis with bootstrapping was employed to analyze the data. Results Controlling for age, sex and self-reported MVPA at age 20years; introjected regulation was a significant mediator of the association between depression symptoms and MVPA (R2 adj=0.12; point estimate=− 0.0011; BCa CI=− 0.15 to − 0.01). Conclusion Depression symptoms may undermine controlling forms of motivation, resulting in decreased MVPA. Intervention strategies may be needed to address depression symptoms in young adults to promote sustained MVPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]