Stephanie Ward

School-based culinary courses may increase children’s food literacy and improve their eating behaviours. This study assessed the impact of a school-based culinary programme on 9- and 10-year-old students’ food literacy and vegetable, fruit, and breakfast consumption. This cluster quasi-experimental trial compared 88 grade 4 and 5 students who participated in the Apprenti en Action programme to 82 students who did not. Students’ food literacy and eating behaviours were assessed with a self-administered questionnaire. The programme’s impact on vegetable and fruit consumption, cooking skills, food skills, and food knowledge was measured using MANOVA, and the odds of eating breakfast at least five times per week were assessed with logistic regression. Students who participated in the programme reported a greater increase in their cooking skills (p = 0.013) and food knowledge (p = 0.028) than students in the control group. No effect was found on food skills and vegetables, fruit, and breakfast consumption (p-values > 0.05). Boys improved their cooking skills (p = 0.025) and food knowledge (p = 0.022), but girls did not. The programme improved students’ cooking skills and food knowledge, especially among boys; however, modifications are needed to improve students’ food skills and eating behaviours.

The Professional Cooking (PC) course is an optional 18-week experiential learning course offered in francophone high schools in New Brunswick, Canada. Stud

Adolescents’ intake of vegetables and fruits is generally low, and many demonstrate unhealthy eating behaviors. Food literacy may be key to improving adolescents’ nutrition. However, the relationship between food literacy, fruit and vegetable intake, and other healthy eating behaviors remains unclear, as well as how these relationships may differ among boys and girls. This study assessed the relationship between food literacy (including food skills and cooking skills), vegetable and fruit consumption, and other eating behaviors of adolescents. This cross-sectional study included 1,054 students, including 467 boys and 570 girls from five francophone high schools in New Brunswick, Canada. Quantitative data on students’ food and cooking skills, vegetable and fruit consumption, and other eating behaviors were collected with a self-reported questionnaire. Multilevel regressions were used to assess the relationship between food literacy, students’ consumption of vegetables and fruits, and other eating behaviors. Better cooking skills were associated with healthier eating behaviors and greater vegetable and fruit consumption for boys and girls. Better food skills were also associated with healthier eating behaviors and greater vegetable and fruit consumption among both genders. These findings highlight the importance of improving food literacy among adolescents. Public health interventions should focus on increasing cooking and food skills to improve adolescents’ nutrition.

Journal of Medical Internet Research - International Scientific Journal for Medical Research, Information and Communication on the Internet #Preprint #PeerReviewMe: Warning: This is a unreviewed preprint. Readers are warned that the document has not been peer-reviewed by expert/patient reviewers or an academic editor, may contain misleading claims, and is likely to undergo changes before final publication, if accepted, or may have been rejected/withdrawn. Readers with interest and expertise are encouraged to sign up as peer-reviewer, if the paper is within an open peer-review period. Please cite this preprint only for review purposes or for grant applications and CVs (if you are the author). Background: Childhood obesity is a global public health concern and is a priority for researchers and policy makers. Approximately 340 million children and adolescents were obese or overweight in 2016. To overcome the epidemic of obesity, influencing factors throughout the lifespan need to be addressed, including those in the preconception period. Gaining an understanding of paternal preconception factors associated with childhood obesity is important for public health interventions. Objective: This systematic review examines the relationship between paternal preconception obesity and health behaviours and their offspring’s obesity and body weight. Methods: This review will follow the 2020 Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA-2020). Observational studies investigating paternal preconception obesity and health behaviours, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep, psychological stress, exercise, and eating habits, and its relationship with childhood obesity and overweight will be included. Studies obtained from a specific search strategy, conducted in seven databases, will be exported to a reference management software. At least two independent researchers will conduct study selection, data extraction and management, and quality assessment. A descriptive synthesis will be used to report relevant findings from each paternal preconception exposure. Results: This systematic review will begin in September 2021 and is expected to be completed by the end of June 2022. Conclusions: Findings from this review will provide valuable insights into the relationship between preconception paternal exposures and children’s obesity and body weight. Findings will also help support health professionals working with families during the preconception period.

BACKGROUND Childhood obesity is a global public health concern and is a priority for researchers and policy makers. To overcome the epidemic of obesity, influencing factors throughout the life span need to be addressed, including those in the preconception period. A better understanding of the association between paternal preconception factors and childhood obesity is important for public health interventions. OBJECTIVE This systematic review will examine the relationship between paternal preconception obesity and health behaviors and their offspring’s overweight or obesity. METHODS Peer-reviewed quantitative studies and grey literature that report associations between paternal preconception obesity and health behaviors—such as smoking, exercise, and eating habits—and childhood overweight and obesity will be identified through a computerized literature search in 7 databases. The quality of each study will be assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Characteristics of the included studies will be reported, and relevant findings from each paternal preconception exposure will be narratively synthesized. This review will follow the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 guidelines. RESULTS This systematic review is anticipated to begin in December 2021 and be completed by the end of August 2022. CONCLUSIONS This systematic review will contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between preconception paternal exposures and their offspring’s overweight or obesity. Findings will help support health professionals working with prospective parents to educate fathers on the benefits of improving their weight and health behaviors during the preconception period. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT PRR1-10.2196/31254

Adolescence represents a critical transition phase during which individuals acquire eating behaviours that can track into adulthood. This study aims to characterise trends in eating behaviours throughout adolescence by investigating the presence of sub-groups of individuals presenting distinct trajectories of vegetable and fruit, sugary beverage, breakfast and fast-food consumption. Data from 744 MATCH study Canadian participants followed from 11 to 18 Years old (2013–2019) were included in the analyses. Participants reported how often they ate breakfast and consumed vegetables and fruits, sugary beverages and fast foods. Trajectories of eating behaviours over seven years were identified using group-based multi-trajectory modelling. For girls, three different groups were identified, namely ‘stable food intake with a decline in daily breakfast consumption’ (39.9%), ‘moderate food intake and worsening in overall eating behaviours’ (38.0%) and ‘stable high food intake’ (22.1%). For boys, five different groups were identified, namely ‘low food intake with stable daily breakfast consumption’ (27.3%), ‘breakfast-skippers and increasing fast food intake’ (27.1%), ‘low food intake with a decline in daily breakfast consumption’ (23.9%), ‘high food intake with worsening of eating behaviours’ (13.3%) and ‘average food intake with consistently high breakfast consumption’ (8.4%). Eating behaviours evolve through various distinct trajectories and sub-group-specific strategies may be required to promote healthy eating behaviours among adolescents.

Background: Since young children spend approximately 30 h per week in early childcare centres (ECC), this setting is ideal to foster healthy behaviours. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the Healthy Start-Départ Santé (HSDS) randomized controlled trial in increasing physical activity (PA) levels and improving healthy eating and fundamental movement skills in preschoolers attending ECC.Methods: Sixty-one ECC were randomly selected and allocated to either the usual practice (n = 30;n = 433 children) or intervention group (n = 31;n = 464 children). The HSDS intervention group was provided a 3-h on-site training for childcare educators which aimed to increase their knowledge and self-efficacy in promoting healthy eating, PA and development of fundamental movement skills in preschoolers. PA was measured during childcare hours for five consecutive days using the Actical accelerometer. Preschoolers’ fundamental movement skills were assessed using the standard TGMD-II protocol and POMP scores. Food intake was evaluated using digital photography-assisted weighted plate waste at lunch, over two consecutive days. All data were collected prior to the HSDS intervention and again 9 months later. Mixed-effect models were used to analyse the effectiveness of the HSDS intervention on all outcome measures.Results: Total number of children who provided valid data at baseline and endpoint for PA, food intake and fundamental movement skills were 259, 670 and 492, respectively. Children in the HSDS intervention group had, on average, a 3.33 greater point increase in their locomotor motor skills scores than children in the control group (β = 3.33,p = 0.009). No significant differences in effects were observed for object control, PA and food intake. However, results demonstrated a marginal increase in portions of fruits and vegetables served in the intervention group compared to control group (β = 0.06,p = 0.05).Conclusion: Of the 12 outcome variables investigated in this study, 10 were not different between the study groups and two of them (locomotor skills and vegetables and fruits servings) showed a significant improvement. This suggests that HSDS is an effective intervention for the promotion of some healthy behaviours among preschoolers attending ECC.Trial registration: Clinical TrialsNCT02375490. Registered on February 24, 2015; 77 retrospectively registered.

BACKGROUNDSchool environmental characteristics may be associated with youth's participation in different types of physical activities (PAs). This study aimed to identify which school policies and built environmental characteristics were associated with participation in organized, nonorganized, individual, and group-based activities. METHODSThis cross-sectional analysis included 776 students in grade 5 or 6 from 16 schools. The school environment was assessed through school-based questionnaires completed by school representatives. Types of PA and attainment of PA recommendations were obtained using self-administered student questionnaires. Associations between environment and student PA were examined using multilevel logistic regressions. RESULTSSchools with favorable active commuting environments were positively associated with girls' participation in organized (odds ratio [OR] = 1.34, confidence interval [CI] = 1.04-1.74) and group-based PA (OR = 1.54, CI = 1.19-1.99) and with boys' odds of participating in individual activities (OR = 1.45, CI = 1.04-2.04). There was also a positive relationship between having a school environment favorable to active commuting and boys' odds of meeting PA recommendations (OR = 2.19, CI = 1.43-3.37). School policies supporting PA were positively associated with girls' odds of participating in nonorganized activities (OR = 1.18, CI = 1.00-1.40). CONCLUSIONSSchool environments that favor active commuting may encourage participation in different types of PA. School policies promoting PA also may encourage girls to participate in organized activities.