Validity and Reliability of Three New Instruments for Parents and Children Assessing Nutrition and Physical Activity Behaviors, Environment and Knowledge and Health in Childhood and Adolescence in Greece During the Economic Recession: Data from the National Action Plan for Public Health (MIS301205)

AbstractFor the majority of European adults, who neither smoke nor drink excessively, the most significant controllable risk factors affecting their long-term health are what they eat, and how physically active they are.Scientists are supposed to clarify to policy makers and health professionals the usefulness of their health messages. However, to be able to do that, a more detailed understanding is needed of the basic mechanisms behind the effects on health of diet and physical activity and, especially, the two in combination. Further, better methods for assessment of nutrition and physical activity in the population have to be developed, and more and better baseline data have to be collected. Increased and more efficient interventions are then needed. People trained and competent in the new discipline of Public Health Nutrition are required.Through the stimulating support that the European Commission, as well as other national and international partners, are presently giving to the development of Public Health Nutrition across Europe, we can hope for an increased mobility, networking and understanding between European nutrition and physical activity professionals. This will most likely result in greater and better policy making, strategy development, implementation and evaluation. We now have a great possibility to develop the integrated field of preventive nutrition and health enhancing physical activity.

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Lessons Learned From the Creating Active Communities and Healthy Environments Toolkit Pilot: A Qualitative Study

Environmental Health Insights ◽

10.1177/1178630219862231 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

pp. 117863021986223

Author(s):

Marissa M Shams-White ◽

Alison Cuccia ◽

Fernando Ona ◽

Steven Bullock ◽

Kenneth Chui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Action Plan ◽

Implementation Process ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Built Environments ◽

Free Living ◽

Military Installations ◽

Active Communities

The US Army Public Health Center developed the Creating Active Communities and Healthy Environments (CACHE) Toolkit to help military installations evaluate the quality of their built environments relative to healthy eating, physical activity, and tobacco-free living. This study sought to improve its implementation process and assess subsequent Action Plan Guides’ utility at 5 military installations. Baseline data included a knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs survey (N = 34); post-Toolkit implementation data included focus groups (N = 2) and interviews (N = 10). Although >80% of participants agreed the built environment affects healthy living, only 44%, 53%, and 35% agreed their installations’ built environments promoted healthy eating, physical activity, and tobacco-free living, respectively. Emerging themes comprised “Opportunities to Improve Toolkit and Action Plan Guide Functionality,” the “Sociopolitical Landscape Affects Toolkit Implementation,” and the “Sociopolitical and Physical Landscapes Affect the Toolkit’s Value and Utility.” This study provides concrete lessons for the CACHE Toolkit and other public health-based military initiatives.

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Intensity-specific validity and reliability of the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study-physical activity questionnaire

Preventive Medicine Reports ◽

10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101169 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 101169 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Hiroyuki Kikuchi ◽

Shigeru Inoue ◽

Yuko Odagiri ◽

Hikaru Ihira ◽

Manami Inoue ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Prospective Study ◽

Health Center ◽

Validity And Reliability ◽

Physical Activity Questionnaire ◽

Public Health Center ◽

Activity Questionnaire

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Beyond nutrition and physical activity: food industry shaping of the very principles of scientific integrity

Globalization and Health ◽

10.1186/s12992-021-00689-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mélissa Mialon ◽

Matthew Ho ◽

Angela Carriedo ◽

Gary Ruskin ◽

Eric Crosbie

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Food Industry ◽

Policy Research ◽

Professional Associations ◽

Scientific Integrity ◽

Freedom Of Information ◽

Food Science ◽

Nutrition And Physical Activity ◽

Corporate Funding

Abstract Background There is evidence that food industry actors try to shape science on nutrition and physical activity. But they are also involved in influencing the principles of scientific integrity. Our research objective was to study the extent of that involvement, with a case study of ILSI as a key actor in that space. We conducted a qualitative document analysis, triangulating data from an existing scoping review, publicly available information, internal industry documents, and existing freedom of information requests. Results Food companies have joined forces through ILSI to shape the development of scientific integrity principles. These activities started in 2007, in direct response to the growing criticism of the food industry’s funding of research. ILSI first built a niche literature on COI in food science and nutrition at the individual and study levels. Because the literature was scarce on that topic, these publications were used and cited in ILSI’s and others’ further work on COI, scientific integrity, and PPP, beyond the fields of nutrition and food science. In the past few years, ILSI started to shape the very principles of scientific integrity then and to propose that government agencies, professional associations, non-for-profits, and others, adopt these principles. In the process, ILSI built a reputation in the scientific integrity space. ILSI’s work on scientific integrity ignores the risks of accepting corporate funding and fails to provide guidelines to protect from these risks. Conclusions The activities developed by ILSI on scientific integrity principles are part of a broader set of political practices of industry actors to influence public health policy, research, and practice. It is important to learn about and counter these practices as they risk shaping scientific standards to suit the industry’s interests rather than public health ones.

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Children and parents’ perspectives of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Ontario children’s physical activity, play, and sport behaviours

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-12344-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Monika Szpunar ◽

Leigh M. Vanderloo ◽

Brianne A. Bruijns ◽

Stephanie Truelove ◽

Shauna M. Burke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Return To Play ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Sporting Events ◽

Parents And Children ◽

Children And Parents ◽

Authority Figures ◽

The Impact ◽

Children’S Physical Activity

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures have resulted in the closure of many physical activity-supporting facilities. This study examined Ontario parents’ and children’s perspectives of COVID-19’s impact on children’s physical activity behaviours, return to play/sport during COVID-19, as well as barriers/facilitators to getting active amid extended closures of physical activity venues. Methods Parents/guardians of children aged 12 years and under living in Ontario, Canada were invited to participate in an interview. 12 parent/guardian and 9 child interviews were conducted via Zoom between December 2020 – January 2021, were audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Thematic content analysis was undertaken to identify pronounced themes. Results Themes for both parent and child interviews fell into one of three categories: 1) barriers and facilitators for getting children active amid COVID-19 closures of physical activity-supporting facilities; 2) changes in children’s activity levels; and, 3) perspectives on return to play/sport during and post-pandemic. Various subthemes were identified and varied between parents and children. The most common facilitator for dealing with children’s inactivity voiced by parents/guardians was getting active outdoors. Parents/guardians noted their willingness to have their children return to play/sport in the community once deemed safe by public health guidelines, and children’s willingness to return stemmed primarily from missing their friends and other important authority figures (e.g., coaches) and sporting events (e.g., tournaments). Conclusions Findings from this study could inform families of feasible and realistic strategies for increasing children’s physical activity during community closures, while also providing public health experts with information regarding what supports, or infrastructure might be needed during future lockdown periods and/or pandemics.

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