1. 2011 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

2. Presentation Outline Active Healthy Kids Canada 2011 Report Card
History, Strategic Direction, Strategic Partners
2011 Report Card
Don’t Let This Be the Most Physical Activity Our Kids Get After School
Report Card Influences and Indicators
Physical Activity
Sedentary Behaviour
School
Family and Peers
Community and Built Environment
Policy

3. Active Healthy Kids Canada
Established in 1994, a national organization with a passionate voice for the development of active healthy children and youth in Canada.
Focused on making physical activity a major priority in the everyday lives of Canadian families.
Committed to providing expertise and direction to policymakers and the public on increasing and effectively allocating resources and attention toward physical activity for children and youth.

4. Mandate
Strategic national leadership – advancing knowledge, evidence-informed communication and advocacy strategies – to influence issue stakeholders who affect physical activity opportunities for children and youth.
The primary vehicle to achieve this mandate is the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth and its related activities.

5. The Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
The Report Card, in its seventh year of production, is an evidence-informed communications and advocacy piece designed to provide insight into Canada’s “state of the nation” each year on how, as a country, we are being responsible in providing physical activity opportunities for children and youth.

6. Strategic Development Partners
The Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group at the the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute serves as the key knowledge partner, and leads the content development and writing of the Report Card, supported by a Research Work Group.
ParticipACTION facilitates design, dissemination and media outreach for the Report Card across Canada, through communications strategies that garner attention and provoke action across government, non-governmental organizations, the media and the public.

7. 2011 Report Card Research Work Group
Chair – Rachel Colley CHEO Research Institute
Coordinator – Joel Barnes CHEO Research Institute
Mark Tremblay
CHEO Research Institute
Jean-Philippe Chaput
Ian Janssen Queens University
Christine Cameron CFLRI
Steve Manske University of Waterloo
John Spence University Alberta
Jon McGavock Manitoba Institute of Child Health
Jennifer Cowie-Bonne Ophea
Adrea Fink Active Healthy Kids Canada
Research team members contribute comprehensive data reports, and additional information is gathered from the field yielding a review of the current research in all indicator areas. The information is discussed at length by the team to determine grade assignments and other experts are accessed by the team to support the development of the Report Card. 7

8. Report Card Influences and Indicators
The Report Card frames around the Physical Activity Levels grade.
It assesses the influences and indicators that have an impact on Physical Activity Levels.
It also looks at the outcomes associated with physical activity and how these also then influence Physical Activity Levels. 8

9. Short Form Report Card

10. Long Form Report Card

11. Data Sources Key data sources:
Health Behaviour of School-aged Children Survey (HBSC)
Tell Them from Me Survey (TTFM)
Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute: Physical Activity Monitor; Survey of Canadian Schools; CANPLAY Survey;
Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)
Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS)
National Longitudinal Survey on Children and Youth (NLSCY)
Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, Statistics Canada (PALS)
SHAPE Survey (Alberta Preschoolers)
WEB-Span Survey (Alberta)
School Health Action Planning and Evaluation System (SHAPES)
SHES: School Health Environment Survey
In addition, the long form Report Card includes a comprehensive set of references and a variety of specific recommendations in each section and can be accessed at activehealthykids.ca.

12. School’s Out… Do you know what your kids are doing?
The after-school period (from 3pm-6pm) is a window of opportunity for children and youth to be physically active.
Kids are spending only 14 minutes, out of a possible 180 minutes, engaging in moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity.
Reference: Canadian Health Measures Survey

13. The Percentage of Time 6- to 19-Yeald Olds in Canada Spend in Physical Activity and Sedentary Pursuits from 3 to 6 P.M.

14. The After-School Period

15. Why the After-School Time Period is a Missed Opportunity for Physical Activity
Kids are spending a large portion of this time indoors.
Kids, and teens specifically, are still spending an average of 6 hours a day in front of screens (watching TV or playing video or computer games) outside of school.
Parents and caregivers feel that they do not have access to supervised after-school programs that encourage physical activity for their children.

16. Programming in the after-school period
72% of parents say that their children do not have access to a supervised program after-school
Fewer than half of the after-school programs offered, reported having physical activity as the primary purpose

17. After-School Time Spent Outdoors
5- to 19-year-olds who play outdoors after-school take approximately 2,000 more steps per day than those who do not play outdoors in the
period. This is roughly equal an additional
2 kilometers of movement per day.
Active Play or Unstructured Sport
are the most common forms of
physical activity that children
engage in after-school

18. The after-school period is critical for physical activity in order to gain health, emotional and behavioural benefits.
One study found that childhood obesity was 27%-41% lower with those who spent more time outdoors.
Adolescents in supervised after-school settings are less likely to experiment with risky behaviours such as alcohol/drug use and sexual activity

19. Recommendations for increasing physical activity after-school:
Get outside with room to move: Those who are outside after-school take about 2,000 more step than those who stay indoors.
Create School-Community partnerships : Effective partnerships have been demonstrated to facilitate the engagement of students in programming at nearby facilities or delivered at the school itself.
Engage you in after-school program development and delivery: programs that involve youth in the development of programs have higher levels of youth engagement and also foster peer connections.
Increase policy and investment support: Policy changes by government and partners are needed to ensure that resources and training for physical activity promotion in the after-school period are available and sustained.

20. Physical Activity LevelsF
According to newly released data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey, only 9% of boys and 4% of girls meet the new Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines. The Guidelines state that for health benefits, children and youth should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.
*Nunavut – the percent of children and youth in Nunavut meeting the guideline is not able to be determined due to the small sample size. Data shows that the average number of steps taken by children and youth in Nunavut is 13,012 as compared to the national average of 11,698 steps. CFLRI

21. Physical Activity Levels
44% of Canadian children and youth are getting 60 minutes of physical activity (MVPA) 3 days per week, and 78% are getting 30 minutes of MVPA 3 days per week.
Children and youth from European countries take almost 2,400 more steps per day than their peers in Canada.

22. Organized Sport and Physical Activity Participation
75% of parents say their children participated in sport in the past year.
Children who participate in organized sport take 1,600 more steps per day than those who don’t participate in these sports.
Studies indicate that organized sport during childhood is positively related to frequency of leisure-time physical activity in early adulthood.

23. Sport Participation Recommendations
Though children and youth who participate in sport take an extra 1,600 steps per day, physical activity promoters and parents should ask whether there are other ways for kids to get that extra physical activity.
Work with sport associations and coaches is required to devise ways for kids to be more active when participating.

24. Active Play F
One Quebec study noted that only 1 in 8 children are engaged in active play 5 days/week in the after-school period.
There is a lack of data available about the definition, frequency, intensity and duration of active play. More research is needed.

25. Active TransportationD
24% of Canadian parents say their children use only active modes of transportation in trips to and from school.
A regional study indicates that 42% of kids are driven to school. The majority of parents who currently drive indicated that they would allow their children to walk/cycle to/from school if the kids were not alone.

26. Active Transportation Recommendations
Efforts should be expanded to implement Active and Safe Routes to School programs in all communities.
Parents and school representatives need to explore the possibility of modifying school bus drop-off locations to provide for a “walking school bus” to complete the trek to school for children who require busing.
Initiatives need to be supported that facilitate active transportation to and from school (e.g., no drop-off zones around schools, safe and visible bike lock facilities on-site at schools).  

27. Screen time and Physical Activity
Screen-Based Sedentary Behaviours F
Children and youth are getting an average of 6 hours per day of screen time outside of school hours, and over 7 hours on weekend days.
High screen time is associated with reduced academic achievement and sleep, as well as high-risk behaviours, such as smoking, drinking and sexual intercourse.

28. Inc Non-Screen Sedentary Behaviours
Total daily sedentary time for Canadian children and youth averages 8.6 hours, or 62% of their waking hours.
Evidence shows that increased levels of sedentary behaviours, independent of physical activity levels, are associated with various physical and mental health risks.

29. Screen Time Recommendations
Parents should implement household rules on screen time and provide alternative opportunities for active play, sport and physical activity participation.
Parents should model screen time rules.
Parents should reintroduce some manual chores for a dual purpose – even washing and drying dishes requires a little more energy than loading the dishwasher.
Schools should educate students and model behaviours to create awareness around the importance of reducing sedentary behaviours, especially extended sitting.

30. B B C- School Physical Education
Parents report that 44% of Canadian children get days of PE classes per week, 25 % get 3-4 classes per week, and 22 who get no daily PE
One study shows that during PE class, only 2% of girls and 3% of boys spend at least half of the class in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Sport & Physical Activity Opportunities at School
Participation in school sport declines at the transition to high school, and continues to decline throughout high school.
77% of parents say schools offer other physical activity or sport programs outside of regular PE classes
Infrastructure and Equipment
Many schools have renovated and replaced playground equipment. Children with no playground equipment are significantly less active, and use of playground equipment is significantly higher at schools with renovated schoolyards. B B

31. School
School Policy
School policy, supported by effective implementation, is critical. For example, schools with a written policy for physical activity and schools offering organized physical activity several times/week outside of PE class have higher proportions of students who reported daily physical activity at recess. C

32. School Recommendations
There is a need for a novel curriculum that increases the fraction of PE time devoted to physical activity.
Schools should have physical activity as part of their school improvement plan. Out-of-class physical activity opportunities for the whole school need to be addressed.
Ensure the gym is available for use before school, during lunch and immediately after school, for both sport and general participation in physical activity.
PE teachers and physical activity leaders, as well as all other teachers and school staff, need to be given adequate, regular and appropriate training to establish quality and safe PE and physical activity programs.

33. Family Physical ActivityD+
Children who received greater parental support for physical activity, and who had parents who rated physical activity as highly enjoyable, were more likely to engage in 1 or more hours of physical activity per day
Only 37% of parents regularly engage in physical activity with their children, although 64% take their children places to be active.
15% of Canadian adults are meeting the new Physical Activity Guidelines for adults.

34. Peer Influence
Inc
While there is not enough evidence to assign a grade, one study found that friends were the most important factor in young women’s participation in sport and physical activity.
Students with 3 or more physically active friends were more likely to be moderately active than students with fewer than 3 friends who were active

35. Family and Peers Recommendations
Since the obesity epidemic is affecting both children/youth and parents, interventions should be investigated that encourage whole families to be physically active and reduce sedentary time.
Given the important influence peers have on health-related behaviours, parents should talk more with their children, and encourage them to have friends who will have a positive effect on their behaviours. Talk about peers as both positive and negative influences on behaviour, and empower children and youth to recognize the difference.

36. Community and Built Environment
Proximity and Accessibility
93% of parents say public facilities and programs for physical activity and sports are available locally, and 95% say parks and outdoors spaces for physical activity and sports are nearby and available.
Community Programming
93% of parents say public programs for physical activity and sports are available locally, and 91% of municipalities report offering physical activity programs and schedules for children.
Disparities exist, as only 51% of municipalities report offering physical activity programs and schedules for children and youth at risk, and only 24% report programming for Aboriginal peoples. B+

37. Community and Built Environment
Usage of Facilities, Programs, Parks and Playgrounds
61% of parents say their children use public facilities and programs, and 70% of parents say their children use parks and outdoor spaces at least sometimes.
Perceptions of Safety and Maintenance
66% of Canadians 15 years and older report that there are many safe places
in their communities to walk, such as sidewalks and walking trails.
Only 5% of parents say there are no safe places to walk in their communities. C B

38. The Proportion of 5- to 17-Year Olds Who Use Public and Private Facilities and Parks and Outdoor Spaces, According to Parents

39. Community and Built Environment
Municipal Policies and Regulations
Approximately 20% of small municipalities use physical activity guidelines in their physical activity programming, which signals a need for improvement.
Nature and Outdoors
64% of parents say their children and youth play outdoors between the time they finish school and have supper. However, the quality of this information is limited due to our lack of understanding about the frequency, intensity and duration of this outdoor activity.
Outdoor play declines as children and youth age. 80% of 5- to 12-year-olds, vs. 43% of 13- to 17-year-olds, play outdoors after school. D-
Inc

40. Community and Built Environment Recommendations
Develop/expand a well-connected series of sidewalks, paths, trails and linear parks to permit safe commuting from place to place and for unstructured activities.
Studies consistently demonstrate an association between green space and physical activity among children. There needs to be greater advocacy for green space within communities.
Strategies that try to change how adolescents view their community and built environment may help improve their physical activity.

41. C B+ F Policy Federal Government Strategies
While other countries have national strategies in place to promote physical activity, Canada remains without a comprehensive national strategy, indicating a low priority in the area.
Provincial/Territorial Government Strategies
There is encouraging policy development at the provincial/territorial level. There are 110 provincial/territorial-level strategies in place (56 policies, 53 statues and 1 bylaw).
Federal Government Investments
Despite an increasingly robust body of evidence that physical inactivity is a major public health issue in Canada, significant new investment has not been seen in response. B+ F

42. F C- C Policy Provincial/Territorial Government Investments
Leading provinces are investing well in health behaviour programs (BC: $ per capita; QC: $16.80 per capita), but there is room for improvement in other provinces and territories.
Non-Government Strategies and Investments
Funding continues to be low due to the economic downturn and fragile recovery. Some organizations are starting to see positive change in this area, while others continue to experience funding challenges. F C

43. Policy Recommendations
Work effectively across departments and ministries in strategic, collective efforts to increase physical activity.
Regular, transparent disclosure of spending directly on physical activity is required.
The strategy should include a large-scale awareness campaign to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary time; environmental changes to make social and physical environments supportive of physical activity; promotion of active commuting; opportunities to be active in the after-school period; access to safe outdoor spaces; and inclusive programming.

44. The Report Card was supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada and:
The Public Health Agency of Canada supports the Report Card but does not endorse its contents.

45. activehealthykids.ca