Limiting the availability of EECDs in children's bedrooms and discouraging their night-time use may be considered as a strategy to promote sleep and reduce childhood obesity.

BackgroundIn 2005, we reported on the success of Comprehensive School Health (CSH) in improving diets, activity levels, and body weights. The successful program was recognized as a "best practice" and has inspired the development of the Alberta Project Promoting active Living and healthy Eating (APPLE) Schools. The project includes 10 schools, most of which are located in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. The present study examines the effectiveness of a CSH program adopted from a "best practice" example in another setting by evaluating temporal changes in diets, activity levels and body weight.MethodsIn 2008 and 2010, we surveyed grade 5 students from approximately 150 randomly selected schools from the Canadian province of Alberta and students from 10 APPLE Schools. Students completed the Harvard Youth/Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire, questions on physical activity, and had their height and weight measured. Multilevel regression methods were used to analyze changes in diets, activity levels, and body weight between 2008 and 2010.ResultsIn 2010 relative to 2008, students attending APPLE Schools were eating more fruits and vegetables, consuming fewer calories, were more physically active and were less likely obese. These changes contrasted changes observed among students elsewhere in the province.ConclusionsThese findings provide evidence on the effectiveness of CSH in improving health behaviors. They show that an example of "best practice" may lead to success in another setting. Herewith the study provides the evidence that investments for broader program implementation based on "best practice" are justified.

ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to assess population-level trends in children's dietary intake and weight status before and after the implementation of a provincial school nutrition policy in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.MethodSelf-reported dietary behavior and nutrient intake and measured body mass index were collected as part of a population-level study with grade 5 students in 2003 (n = 5215) and 2011 (5508), prior to and following implementation of the policy. We applied random effects regression methods to assess the effect of the policy on dietary and health outcomes.ResultsIn 2011, students reported consuming more milk products, while there was no difference in mean consumption of vegetables and fruits in adjusted models. Adjusted regression analysis revealed a statistically significant decrease in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Despite significant temporal decreases in dietary energy intake and increases in diet quality, prevalence rates of overweight and obesity continued to increase.ConclusionThis population-level intervention research suggests a positive influence of school nutrition policies on diet quality, energy intake and healthy beverage consumption, and that more action beyond schools is needed to curb the increases in the prevalence of childhood obesity.

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the association between frequency of assisting with home meal preparation and fruit and vegetable preference and self-efficacy for making healthier food choices among grade 5 children in Alberta, Canada.DesignA cross-sectional survey design was used. Children were asked how often they helped prepare food at home and rated their preference for twelve fruits and vegetables on a 3-point Likert-type scale. Self-efficacy was measured with six items on a 4-point Likert-type scale asking children their level of confidence in selecting and eating healthy foods at home and at school.SettingSchools (n151) located in Alberta, Canada.SubjectsGrade 5 students (n3398).ResultsA large majority (83–93 %) of the study children reported helping in home meal preparation at least once monthly. Higher frequency of helping prepare and cook food at home was associated with higher fruit and vegetable preference and with higher self-efficacy for selecting and eating healthy foods.ConclusionsEncouraging children to be more involved in home meal preparation could be an effective health promotion strategy. These findings suggest that the incorporation of activities teaching children how to prepare simple and healthy meals in health promotion programmes could potentially lead to improvement in dietary habits.

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Reference: Fung C, Wiseman-Hakes C, Stergiou-Kita M, Nguyen M, Colantonio A (2013) Time to wake up: bridging the gap between theory and practice for sleep in occupational therapy.

The findings of the present study suggest that the differential usage of prescription drugs among overweight/obese children underline the need to develop effective obesity prevention programmes and policies that may reduce the health and economic burden of childhood obesity.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 easily becomes viable but nonculturable (VBNC) under environmental stresses and escapes detection by current methods. Here, we report a unique method enabling the quantification of VBNC E. coli O157:H7 using a selective marker within the rpoS gene. A nucleotide at position +543 within the rpoS gene open reading frame was identified to be unique to E. coli O157:H7. Specifically designed primers and probe combinations were able to differentiate E. coli O157:H7 from closely related bacteria and other common bacteria. The application of this strategy correctly identified 36 clinical and bovine isolates of E. coli O157:H7. A one-step quantification method combining reverse transcription (RT) and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was developed to provide a linear relationship (R(2) > 0.99) of copies of RNA with threshold cycles (Ct) and the capability of detecting a single copy of rpoS RNA standards. This technique was used to determine the copies of the rpoS mRNA in culturable cells at different growth phases (mid-log, late-log, and stationary phase) to be 1.57, 0.56, and 0.41 copies/CFU, respectively. VBNC E. coli O157:H7 was determined to have one copy of the rpoS mRNA for every 10 cells, and no rpoS mRNA was detected in 10(6) dead cells and negative controls. This technique had a linear dynamic range over 6 orders of magnitude and >90% amplification efficiency for tap and river water samples. It was able to selectively quantify as few as 7 E. coli O157:H7 cells in pure culture, 9 culturable cells in tap water and river water, and 23 VBNC cells in river water, demonstrating the best quantification limits for culturable and VBNC E. coli O157:H7 in environmental water.