Search

Scalability and scaling-up strategy of a physical activity policy intervention in Australian childcare centres

There is an urgent need for scalable interventions to promote physical activity in early childhood. An early childhood education and care physical activity policy intervention with implementation support strategies (Play Active) has been proposed for scale-up in Australia. 

A Scoping Review of Methodologies Exploring Diet and Health Outcomes in Lactating Women: What Has Been Done and Where to Next?

Developing dietary guidelines for lactating women presents significant challenges, due to limited evidence being available on their specific nutrient needs and the biological impacts of various dietary dimensions. Current dietary recommendations often rely on data from nonlactating women, leading to potential inaccuracies.

Profile of the PLAY spaces & environments for children’s physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep (PLAYCE) cohort study, Western Australia

Childhood is a critical period for the development of movement behaviours such as physical activity, sleep and sedentary behaviour. The PLAYCE Cohort was established to investigate how movement behaviours change over early to middle childhood, across key behaviour settings and relationships with health and development. An overview of the PLAYCE cohort, summary of key findings to date, and future research opportunities are presented.

A cross-sectional audit of the Australian community food environment highlights the prominent role of chain food outlets

Food retail and food service outlets can be part of a chain, or independently operated. Chain food outlets are likely to have the most influence over community food environments but have not been routinely identified in studies which map and monitor access to food, highlighting an important knowledge gap. This study aimed to identify the food retail and food service outlets present within metropolitan Perth, including presence of chain and independent food outlets; and examine differences across local governments. 

Impact of covid-19 restrictions on western Australian children’s physical activity and screen time

Physical activity is essential for children’s healthy development, yet COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions such as school closures and staying at home, playground closures, and the cancelling of organised community sport have dramatically altered children’s opportunities to be physically active. This study describes changes in levels of physical activity and screen time from February 2020 (i.e., before COVID-19 restrictions were introduced in Western Australia) to May 2020 (i.e., when COVID-19 restrictions were in place). Parents of children aged 5 to 9 years from Western Australia were eligible to participate and recruited through convenience sampling.

Pets Are Associated with Fewer Peer Problems and Emotional Symptoms, and Better Prosocial Behavior: Findings from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

Pets may protect children from developing social-emotional problems and should be taken into account when assessing child development and school readiness

The influence of the early childhood education and care environment on young children’s physical activity

The PLAYCE Study instruments provide reliable measures of early childhood education and care physical activity environments

Living liveable? RESIDE's evaluation of the “Liveable Neighborhoods” planning policy on the health supportive behaviors and wellbeing of residents in Perth

New suburban communities built in accordance with the “Liveable Neighbourhoods” policy have the potential to encourage health supportive behaviors

The effect of upgrades to childcare outdoor spaces on preschoolers’ physical activity: Findings from a natural experiment

This natural experiment investigated the influence of early childhood education and care outdoor physical environment upgrade on preschoolers' physical activity

Not just "A walking the dog": Dog walking and pet play and their association with recommended physical activity among adolescents

To examine the role of pet play and dog walking in children's and adolescents' leisure time, and the relationship between these activities and physical activity