Healthy Living E-bulletin July 2009

Home/Family Settings

• Welcome
• Special Announcement
• Fast Facts: CFLRI Research Files
• Feature Article: 2009 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
• Healthy Living Best Practices and/or Evidence-based Practices: Coalitions Linking Action and Science for Prevention (CLASP); Recently completed projects – Mental Health Promotion Unit (PHAC)
• Updates from Federal, Provincial and Territorial Governments
• Healthy Living Campaigns: Get Inspired, Get Moving - ParticipAction
• Key Dates & Events

• Research and Resources: The Canadian Population Health Initiative; Making the Case for Active Transportation: 8 Fact Sheets (Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute); Spotlight on Family Health: National Projects Fund and Diabetes Training Symposium

• Next edition:

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Welcome

Welcome to the Healthy Living E-bulletin, a quarterly newsletter designed to keep healthy living stakeholders informed on efforts to promote physical activity, healthy eating and healthy weights across the country. It is produced by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) on behalf of the Healthy Living Issue Group (HLIG) of the Intersectoral Healthy Living Network.

After the fourth edition in November 2008, an evaluation of E-bulletin was conducted online.  Ninety-two (92) percent of respondents felt the E-bulletin should be continued.  More than 93% of respondents said they would recommend the E-bulletin to a friend or colleague and 72% believe the E-bulletin is useful.  Respondents also indicated room for improvement, such as making it easier to find on the web site and developing a better layout. You will notice some changes to this issue and further improvements are on the way to make the E-bulletin as useful to you as possible.

This edition focuses on the home/family setting, one of the four settings identified in the Integrated Pan-Canadian Healthy Living. Future issues will focus on the remaining three settings: schools, workplaces and community/health settings.
We want to hear from you! Please send your comments and feedback to our editor at: healthyliving.viesaine@phac-aspc.gc.ca

The HLIG is responsible for reporting to the Public Health Network Council on progress in meeting the targets and outcomes identified in the Integrated Pan-Canadian Healthy Living Strategy (PCHLS) (http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hl-vs-strat/index-eng.php). The HLIG provides a forum to foster collaboration efforts that contribute to improving overall health outcomes and to reducing health disparities, the goals of the PCHLS. The HLIG has representation from the federal and provincial/territorial governments, the private sector, Aboriginal organizations and non-government organizations (NGOs). One of the six NGO positions is vacant and we are accepting nominations for a provincial-level NGO to sit at the table. Please send the name of the NGO to healthyliving.viesaine@phac-aspc.gc.ca by August 4, 2009. Current NGO members will form a nomination committee to review submissions. The HLIG secretariat will confirm receipt of your nomination.

The HLIG is preparing to select workplan ideas that were listed as part of the 2009-2010 workplan approved on April 28 by the Population Health Promotion Expert Group and would like your feedback. One or more of the following workplan ideas will be selected (see bullets below). Please let us know which of these you feel should be given priority by sending an e-mail to healthyliving.viesaine@phac-aspc.gc.ca by August 4, 2009.

• Support the development of a "Health 101" educational module for planners and local government officials as it relates to the built environment;
• Promotion of active transportation through social marketing efforts;
• Healthy eating project in collaboration with the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Group on Nutrition; and
• Best Practices in how schools support active transportation.
• Other

Special Announcement:

On April 6, 2009, Sylvain Segard assumed the position of Director General, Centre for Health Promotion at PHAC, which includes being the federal co-chair of the Population Health Promotion Expert Group. 
Isabel Romero, Director of the Healthy Communities Division (HCD) at PHAC accepted a two-year secondment at Infrastructure Canada. She started her new assignment on April 21, 2009. Barbara LeBrun has agreed to act as Director of HCD until a replacement can be found. 
We wish them all well in their endeavours.

Fast Facts

 

The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute (CFLRI) re-launched their Research File series of research summary articles about active lifestyles. The articles are developed in collaboration with ParticipACTION.  In March, 2009 CFLRI highlighted family physical activity influences. Among the many findings:

1. Parental encouragement of physical activity appears to be associated with their adolescents’ physical activity level. However, there is no association between parent activity levels and adolescent activity levels.
2. Physical activity levels of parents appear to be lower than physical activity levels of non-parents. This is especially the case for women.

For more information on this subject or to find out about other Research File topics, visit the CFLRI website: http://www.cflri.ca/eng/research_file/index.php

Feature Article

The 2009 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth was released on June 2, 2009. It is the fifth annual assessment of physical activity levels among children and youth in Canada. The Report Card is a comprehensive assessment, examining the influences of family, peers, school, community and policy on physical activity, as well as the relationship between physical activity and physical and mental health as well as academic performance.  

The key indicator in the Report Card around which these influences and relationships are framed is the grade that assesses Physical Activity Levels. This indicator is the core focus of the Report Card and is based on various data sources, including the Canadian Physical Activity Levels Among Youth (CANPLAY) Survey conducted by the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, that through federal-provincial-territorial agreements allows for annual objective measures of physical activity with pedometers.

The 2009 Report Card reports on three consecutive years from this study. The CANPLAY measures have informed the goal set by Ministers of Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation to increase by seven percentage points the proportion of children and youth who participate in 90 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, by 2015. These goals have driven planning and action from Deputy Ministers across the country. Sustained CANPLAY assessments moving forward can allow for an annual measure of progress in each Report Card.  To read more CLICK HERE

Healthy Living Best Practices and/or Evidence-based Practices

Coalitions Linking Action and Science for Prevention (CLASP): A new initiative of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, the CLASP project is identifying groups of experts and front-line practitioners involved in the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases to support the integration, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based prevention programs. The goals are to accelerate the movement of knowledge into action, and to assist the process of learning from program action already being carried out by partners to develop a stronger information base that can be shared across the country. The coalitions formed through this project will accelerate the integration and implementation of new and existing knowledge into existing chronic disease prevention programs and will foster increased adoption of evidence-based practices and policies in funding decisions. Over the long-term this will build a more coordinated and efficient approach to chronic disease prevention in Canada and complement federal, provincial and territorial healthy living strategies. To read more CLICK HERE

Updates from Federal, Provincial and Territorial Governments

British Columbia

Marketing Action Plan (M.A.P.) to promote physical activity. The M.A.P. is a toolkit with easy-to-use directions on how to create an awareness campaign at the community level, using the theme “Active Is What You Make It.” It is aimed at helping communities get active.  M.A.P. provides templates for posters, ads, radio spots and directions for creating promotional materials and press releases to get the message about local initiatives, programs and/or events to the target audience. These no-cost and low-cost templates come with tips on how to time and plan marketing campaigns, use popular Internet tools like Facebook and create motivating workshops. This Community Based Awareness Initiative will also be providing small grants to communities who want to get started. The first phase of grants went out to 36 municipalities, regional districts, First Nations communities and non-profit organizations which are motivating their communities to be more active. This initiative is led by the BC Recreation and Parks Association and all materials are downloadable from the Physical Activity Strategy web site at www.physicalactivitystrategy.ca

BC’s Healthy Living Alliance’s (BCHLA) Farm to School Salad Bar, led by the Public Health Association of BC is introducing the enhanced tastes and textures of local produce to students in the North and Interior. The root of the issue has been the abundance of root vegetables available in the shorter northern growing season. One of the model schools for the program is Mountain View Elementary in William’s Lake, BC where 95% of students are eating their veggies. The funding also helps with a breakfast program for students bussed from outlying areas. The program also works hard to keep local farmers in the equation. For instance, local meat for a chili is used when produce is not available locally and the weather is cold. In an ideal situation all the food would be local and organic, but where that’s not feasible it’s about feeding the kids, and getting more veggies and fruit into their diet.

Food Skills for Families – Aimed at families in targeted communities (Aboriginal, Punjabi, new immigrant and low income), this program is one of the BC Healthy Living Alliance’s Healthy Eating Strategy Initiatives and is delivered through the Canadian Diabetes Association. Its purpose is to build cooking skills and nutritional knowledge within the four communities through a fun, hands-on, six-session curriculum adapted to meet the needs of each of the communities. Programs are run every month in community agencies and schools across the province. Participant feedback is very positive, and appears to be assisting families in cooking, shopping and eating more healthily. Web site: http://bchealthyliving.ca/node/103

Early Childhood Overweight Resources - This program is aimed at families of overweight children aged two to five with the assistance of community nutritionists, public health nurses, child care resource/referral programs and family physicians. A series of four brochures has been developed to support families of children aged two to five who are overweight or obese. The titles are: Healthy Eating, Active Play, A Healthy Relationship with Food and Promoting Healthy Weights. The brochures are available in five languages - English, Punjabi, Chinese, French and Spanish and in print and online formats. They were produced by the Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport in partnership with NutritionLink Services Society and the Centre for Healthy Weights – Shapedown BC.  Centre for Healthy Weights – Shapedown BC
http://www.bcchildrens.ca/Services/SpecializedPediatrics/CentreHealthyWeights/ForFamilies/TipSheets.htm
NutritionLink Services Society http://www.nutritionlink.org/

Families Eating Together – This program targets children aged five to twelve and their families. British Columbia is launching a web site called “Better Together” to provide information and resources about the many health benefits of intergenerational families eating together. The site will feature a ground-breaking Canadian study entitled “The Modern Psychology of Meals”, funded by the Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport and delivered by the B.C. Dairy Foundation. Initially the web site will be aimed at helping health professionals and community groups incorporate messages about eating together in existing healthy eating programs, and will be developed over time to be a resource for individuals looking for ways to reconnect food and fun. More information can be found at the Better Together web site: www.bettertogetherbc.ca .  For a backgrounder on the benefits of eating together see: http://www.bcdairyfoundation.ca/nutrition_education/docs/Eat_Together-Revised.pdf . To order a DVD of the April 2009 BC Dairy Foundation Forum featuring study findings, see: http://www.bcdairyfoundation.ca/nutrition_education/docs/BCDF-nutrition-forum-2009.pdf .

Ontario

EatRight Ontario:  This Program is aimed at Ontarians of all ages and stages and provides nutrition information from Registered Dietitians to make healthier food choices easier.  EatRight Ontario provides three easy ways to reach a Registered Dietitian: Visit the website for articles, tips and recipes at www.Ontario.ca/EatRight; e-mail the Ask a Dietitian service or call the toll-free number: 1-877-510-5102.  Web site link: www.Ontario.ca/eatright .

Caregiver Resources:  This program is aimed at parents and caregivers of young children.
Developed by the Nutrition Resource Centre as part of the Ontario government’s Action Plan for Healthy Eating and Active Living, these resources aim to assist families, caregivers and professionals to support healthy eating and physical activity in the early years.

Resources can be found at the following web sites:

Eat Right Be Active A guide for parents and caregivers of preschoolers ages 3 - 5
Eat Right Be Active A guide for parents and caregivers of children ages 6 - 8
Busy Bodies: Creative food and play ideas for your pre-schooler (ages 3-5)

Federal Government

The Healthy Living Issue Group (HLIG) of the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network supported the development of a report titled, Bringing Health to the Planning Table: A profile of promising practices from Canada and abroad.  This report profiles case studies from Canada and abroad where health has been considered in planning and decisions related to the built environment. The report will be translated and disseminated in summer 2009. All E-bulletin subscribers will receive an electronic copy. The PHAC, a member of the HLIG, funded this work through a joint collaboration between the Centre for Health Promotion and the Strategic Initiatives and Innovations Directorate.

Health Canada's Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion recently launched a ready-to-use presentation on nutrition labelling. The presentation is designed for use by health professionals and educators to teach consumers. This presentation, along with existing nutrition labelling resources such as the Interactive Nutrition Label and Quiz, can be found on Health Canada's web site: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/nutrition/cons/interactive-eng.php

F/P/T Physical Activity Monitoring (PAM) - With the financial support of PHAC and the provinces and territories (Inter-provincial Sport and Recreation Council - ISRC), the F/P/T Physical Activity Monitoring (PAM) is carried out by the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute (CFLRI). Results of the PAM 2007 Capacity Study have been released
(see  www.cflri.ca). The results of the Capacity Study on communications and parental awareness are expected to be released beginning July 2009. The CANadian Physical Activity Levels Among Youth (CANPLAY) Study year 3 (2007) results, which includes objective physical activity data on 5 to 19 year olds using pedometers, were released. They show a significant increase in average steps taken and in the proportion meeting 16,500 steps per day, since year 1. Data collection was initiated for PAM 2009 and the 2009 Capacity Study on local opportunities in the community. Finally, an evaluation of the PAM was carried out to assess success in achieving intended outcomes and impacts, and continued relevance to key stakeholders.  Findings will be released in 2009.

The Future of Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines - PHAC supported the CSEP to hold an International Consensus Conference in Kananaskis, Alberta in January 2009 to review the science behind Canada's physical activity guidelines. The Conference included discussion on current Canadian guidelines, guideline 'gaps' (pre-school, teens 15-19 years, Aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, pregnant women), and on international physical activity guideline initiatives in England, Australia, the U.S., and the World Health Organization. An independent international scientific panel was tasked with assessing the evidence from the systematic reviews and developing consensus recommendations. The outcomes of the Conference will be published in a peer-reviewed journal in late 2009. The publication of Clinical Practice Guidelines for physical activity for the asymptomatic population is also being explored.

Canada's Physical Activity Guides were developed in partnership by PHAC and the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP). The age-targeted Guides were released in 1998 (adults), 1999 (older adults), and 2002 (children, youth) and are the means by which physical activity guidelines are communicated to the Canadian public.

Physical Activity Screening and Clearance - PHAC supported the CSEP towards enhancing the effectiveness of the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) - an internationally recognized tool to identify those who should consult with their doctor before becoming much more physically active - and the Physical Activity Readiness Medical Examination (PARmed-X) for doctors. Revisions to these tools will help reinforce the fact that becoming more active is very safe for most people, help reduce barriers to physical activity, identify those who need to consult with their health professional before becoming more active, and reduce health care costs associated with unnecessary medical clearance for physical activity. Systematic reviews on physical activity risks and clearance for people of all ages were presented at a consensus meeting in March 2009. The screening tools will be revised and pilot-tested and the results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal in late 2009.

Eat Well and Be Active Every Day - Poster and Educator Sheets - Since the launch of Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide in 2007 there have been many requests, largely from healthcare professionals and educators, for an accompanying poster. While a poster of Canada's Physical Activity Guide (for adults) is available free of charge from PHAC, currently there is no Canada's Food Guide poster.

In keeping with Health Canada's and PHAC's commitment to the joint promotion of healthy eating and physical activity messages, an integrated Canada's Food Guide and Canada's Physical Activity Guide poster is being developed. This poster will be supported by a series of downloadable educator sheets to help intermediaries convey key healthy eating and physical activity messages, and encourage individuals to take action. The poster and educator sheets will complement existing supporting material for Canada's Food Guide and for Canada's Physical Activity Guides. 

Preliminary concepts and materials are currently being reviewed by experts across Canada.  The completed set of resources are intended for release in late fall 2009.

Healthy Living Campaigns

ParticipACTION: In November 2008, ParticipACTION launched its second major ad campaign titled Get Inspired, Get Moving. This campaign is aimed at helping parents encourage their children to get moving more by participating in physical activity and sports. For more information please visit http://www.participaction.com

Key Dates and Events

July 7-9, 2009, Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC – National Collaborating Centres for Public Health Summer Institutes 2009: “Knowledge for a Change”. To learn more or to see the preliminary program, please visit the web site: http://www.si2009.ca/18/home.html

July 17-18, 2009, London, ON – Activity and Ageing Conference 2009: “Research to Action” http://www.uwo.ca/actage/index.html

September 2-4, 2009, Brussels, Belgium – 1st International Conference on Obesity: “Bridging the Gap between Somatic and Psychosocial Approaches” http://www.mahealthcareevents.co.uk/cgi-bin/go.pl/conferences/detail.html?conference_uid=85

November 11-14, 2009, Vancouver, BC – CSEP-SCEP 2009 – “Ideas Crossing Boundaries – From Elite Athletes to Patients with Chronic Disease”.   http://www.confmanager.com/main.cfm?cid=1717&nid=12313

Research and Resources

The Canadian Population Health Initiative (CPHI) of the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) released Improving the Health of Canadians: Exploring Positive Mental Health in March, 2009. This report brings together information and data analyses that look at one way of defining positive mental health; how we currently measure it; its role in health; what factors are associated with high levels of positive mental health; and what strategies are, or may be, effective at promoting mental health at a population level. There are numerous multi-directional links between positive mental health, mental illness, physical illness and positive physical health. New CPHI analyses of data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) cycle on mental health (cycle 1.2, 2002) show that people 15 years and older who report higher levels of positive mental health are less likely to report adverse outcomes and are more likely to report positive health outcomes than are people who report low and moderate levels of positive mental health. This report also looks at the evolution and inclusion of positive mental health elements in mental health programs and policies at the societal, community and individual level. To download a copy of the reportor access various complementary products, please visit our web site at www.cihi.ca/cphi . For further information, please contact CPHI at cphi@cihi.ca

Making the Case for Active Transportation: 8 Fact Sheets (Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute) - Information bulletins have been developed for professionals and community members who want to build a case for active transportation in their community. Academic, government and non-government sources are used to build a strong case for implementing active transportation opportunities at the local level. http://www.cflri.ca/eng/active_transportation/index.php

Spotlight on Family Health: National Projects Fund (NPF) and Diabetes Training Symposium - The Ontario Coalition of Community Action Plan for Children (CAPC) and Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program Projects (CPNP) hosted a three-day symposium from March 10 to12, 2009 in Toronto to provide a training and networking opportunity for Ontario-based CAPC and CPNP projects. This symposium provided an opportunity for project representatives from the other regions to gather to attend the symposium in addition to a one-day National Network meeting held during the symposium. More than 250 people attended the symposium which focussed on training for NPF resources as well as diabetes-related workshops. At the end of March 2010, all of the webcasts will be uploaded to the www.realhelp.ca  web site. Funding for this workshop was provided through PHAC. For more information, visit the www.spotlightonfamilyhealth.ca

Next Edition

The next edition is expected in October 2009.

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