Health Reports 

About: Health Reports is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Population & Community health. It has an ISSN identifier of 0840-6529. Over the lifetime, 725 publications have been published receiving 31251 citations. The journal is also known as: Rapports sur la santé.

Physical activity of Canadian adults: accelerometer results from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey.

Abstract: Background Rising obesity rates and declining fitness levels have increased interest in understanding what underlies these trends. This article presents the first directly measured data on physical activity and sedentary behaviour on a nationally representative sample of Canadians aged 20 to 79 years. Data and methods Data are from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). Physical activity was measured using accelerometry. Data are presented as time spent in sedentary, light, moderate and vigorous intensity movement as well as steps accumulated per day. Results An estimated 15% of Canadian adults accumulate 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per week; 5% accumulate 150 minutes per week as at least 30 minutes of MVPA on 5 or more days a week. Men are more active than women and MVPA declines with increasing age and adiposity. Canadian adults are sedentary for approximately 9.5 hours per day (69% of waking hours). Men accumulate an average of 9,500 steps per day and women, 8,400 steps per day. The 10,000-steps-per-day target is achieved by 35% of adults. Interpretation Before the CHMS, objective measures of physical activity and sedentary behaviour were not available for a representative sample of Canadians. The findings indicate that 85% of adults are not active enough to meet Canada's new physical activity recommendation.

Physical activity of Canadian children and youth: accelerometer results from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey.

Abstract: Background Physical activity is an important determinant of health and fi tness. This study provides contemporary estimates of the physical activity levels of Canadians aged 6 to 19 years. Data and methods Data are from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey. The physical activity of a nationally representative sample was measured using accelerometers. Data are presented as time spent in sedentary, light, moderate and vigorous intensity movement, and in steps accumulated per day. Results An estimated 9% of boys and 4% of girls accumulate 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on at least 6 days a week. Regardless of age group, boys are more active than girls. Canadian children and youth spend 8.6 hours per day—62% of their waking hours—in sedentary pursuits. Daily step counts average 12,100 for boys and 10,300 for girls. Interpretation Based on objective and robust measures, physical activity levels of Canadian children and youth are low. Keywords Actical, pedometer, sedentary behaviour, obesity, public health, motion sensor

Overweight and obesity among children and youth.

Abstract: Objectives This article describes the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Canadian children and youth aged 2 to 17, based on direct measurements of their height and weight. Data from 1978/79 and 2004 are compared, and trends by sex and age groups are presented. Data sources Data based on direct measurements are from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS): Nutrition. Other information is from the 1978/79 Canada Health Survey and the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted in the US. Analytical techniques The estimated prevalence of overweight and of obesity, including an overall rate reflecting both, was based on 2004 CCHS data for 8,661 children and youth whose height and weight were measured.

Quality control and data reduction procedures for accelerometry-derived measures of physical activity.

Abstract: Background This article describes four key quality control and data reduction issues that researchers should consider when using accelerometry to measure physical activity: monitor reliability, spurious data, monitor wear time, and number of valid days required for analysis. Data source and methods Exploratory analyses were conducted on an unweighted subsample (n=987) of the accelerometry data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey. Participants were asked to wear an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days. Calibration, reliability, biological plausibility and compliance issues were explored using descriptive statistics. Results Ongoing calibration is an effective method for identifying malfunctioning accelerometers. The percentage of files deemed viable for analysis depends on participant compliance, the allowable interruption period chosen and the minimum wear-time-per-day criterion. A 60-minute allowable interruption period and 10-hours-per-day wear time criteria resulted in 95% of the subsample having at least 1 valid day, and 84% having at least 4 valid days. Interpretation Before the derivation of physical activity outcomes, accelerometry data should undergo standardized quality control and data reduction procedures to prevent mis-representation of the results. Incomplete accelerometry data should be handled carefully, and strategies to improve compliance in the field are warranted.

Fitness of Canadian children and youth: results from the 2007-2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey.

Abstract: Background The fi tness of Canadian children and youth has not been measured in more than two decades, a period during which childhood obesity and sedentary behaviours have increased. This paper provides up-to-date estimates of the fi tness of Canadians aged 6 to 19 years.