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The sleep and activity database for the early years (SADEY) study: design and methodsCanada, Australia, the World Health Organization and other countries have released 24-hour movement guidelines for the early years which integrate physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep, focusing on supporting children to achieve a healthy 24-hour day. The guideline evidence synthesis, however, highlighted the dearth of high-quality evidence, particularly from large-scale studies.
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Impact of the Play Active policy intervention on early childhood educator's sedentary behaviour-related practices, psychosocial influences and meeting policy recommendationsHigh levels of sedentary behaviour are associated with poor child health outcomes such as obesity. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are a key intervention setting. Most ECEC policy-based interventions focus on children's nutrition and physical activity with few aimed at children's sedentary behaviour.
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More pedestrians, less cars: Researchers call for shopping strip overhaulResearchers have identified 10 Australian shopping strips where the removal of on-street parking would transform the area’s liveability.
News & Events
Family dogs help kids move and sleep more: new studyResearchers exploring the potential health benefits of pets have found children who regularly walk and play with a family dog are more active, have less screen time, and sleep more.
News & Events
Dogs are more than companions, they are great for our mental wellbeingA new study has highlighted the positive impact dog ownership has on our mental health.
Research
Playful BytesNurturing children's health together: A collaboration between early childhood education and care (ECEC) educators and parents on active play and eating well
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Exploring preferences for interventions to increase active school transportation among children and adolescents in AustraliaThe observed decline in children's active school transport (AST) across numerous countries over recent decades necessitates targeted, multi-level interventions to reverse this trend. However, data on young people's preferred AST interventions is lacking. This study aimed to explore children's preferences for AST interventions and assess differences between AST users and non-users among primary and secondary school students.
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Living closer to the beach is associated with better socioemotional development in young boysNatural outdoor environments such as green and blue spaces have increasingly been seen as key health and wellbeing determinants for adults. However, it is unclear if these effects are seen in young children. We examined the associations between access to natural green and blue space and young children's socioemotional development.
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Movement behavior policies in the early childhood education and care setting: An international scoping reviewMeeting 24-h movement behavior guidelines for the early years is associated with better health and development outcomes in young children. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) is a key intervention setting however little is known about the content and implementation of movement behavior polices in this context. To inform policy development this international scoping review examined the prevalence, content, development and implementation of ECEC-specific movement behavior policies.
Research
Longitudinal effects of dog ownership, dog acquisition, and dog loss on children’s movement behaviours: findings from the PLAYCE cohort studyRegular physical activity is important for children's physical and mental health, yet many children do not achieve recommended amounts of physical activity. Dog ownership has been associated with increased physical activity in children, however, there have been no longitudinal studies examining this relationship.