Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth: Exploring the perceptions of stakeholders regarding their acceptability, barriers to uptake, and dissemination

Abstract

Engaging stakeholders in the development of guidelines and plans for implementation is vital. The purpose of this study was to examine stakeholders' (parents, teachers, exercise professionals, paediatricians, and youth) perceptions of the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Behaviour Guidelines for Children and Youth ("Movement Guidelines"). Stakeholders (n = 104) engaged in semi-structured focus groups or interviews to discuss the perceived acceptability of the guidelines, potential barriers to implementation, and preferred methods and messengers of dissemination. A thematic analysis was conducted. Overall, there was consistent support across all stakeholder groups, with the exception of youth participants, for the Movement Guidelines. Stakeholders identified a range of barriers to the uptake of the guidelines including concerns with accurately defining key terms such as "recreational" screen time; everyday challenges such as financial and time constraints; and the possibility of the Movement Guidelines becoming just another source of stress and guilt for already busy and overwhelmed parents. Participants identified a range of recommended methods and messengers for future dissemination. School and medical settings were the most commonly recommended settings through which dissemination efforts should be delivered. Overall, participants representing a range of stakeholder groups were receptive to the new Movement Guidelines and endorsed their value. In complementing the Movement Guidelines, messaging and resources will need to be developed that address common concerns participants had regarding their dissemination and implementation.

Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep

“…Together these studies provide compelling evidence that the "whole day matters". While the 24-h guidelines may initially be viewed as another challenge and potential source of stress by busy parents, the overall concept of the integration of all behaviours on the movement continuum is widely supported by stakeholders and end-users (Carson et al 2013a;Faulkner et al 2016).…”

“…While awareness of the existing guidelines is low (LeBlanc et al 2015), feedback from a variety of stakeholders (e.g., parents, teachers, physical activity professionals, pediatricians) indicates that integrated guidelines that combine the movement behaviours across the whole day would be welcomed and preferred over a series of segregated guidelines (Carson et al 2013a;Faulkner et al 2016). Therefore, the purpose of this manuscript is to outline the process and outcomes for the development of the …”

Introduction to the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep

“…Using the draft guidelines, a series of focus group meetings were held with various stakeholder groups in sites across Canada and this rich, qualitative feedback was summarized and presented in the paper by Faulkner et al (2016).…”

The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth: Implications for practitioners, professionals, and organizations

“…Health professionals are considered an expert and credible source of physical activity information (Faulkner et al 2016). As such, health care interactions provide an opportunity to lay the framework for lifelong healthy behavior among children and youth.…”