Research

CHILD Study: Maternal depression higher among certain ethnic minorities

Mothers who are Black or of First Nations ethnicity are at greater risk of experiencing stress and symptoms of depression during pregnancy and their children’s first five years, according to new CHILD Study research.

It was already known that mothers from ethnic minorities are more at risk for psychosocial distress while pregnant and until their children reach pre-school age, observes CHILD Study Director Dr. Padmaja Subbarao (The Hospital for Sick Children), but “our study showed that this pattern is more nuanced than previously thought.”

Dr. Subbarao and her team analyzed data from more than 3,000 mothers participating in the CHILD Study, who had completed detailed questionnaires in which they self-identified their ethnicity and described their distress levels during pregnancy and their children’s first years.

“Black and First Nations mothers consistently reported the highest stress levels compared to all other ethnicities,” says AllerGen trainee and study first-author Christoffer Dharma (McMaster University). “This difference was significant, even after we controlled for other factors that may affect stress, such as social support, a history of depression, and socioeconomic status.”

Although self-reported depressive symptoms may not always translate to clinical depression, it is important for family, friends and healthcare professionals to be aware of potential problems and to support a mother’s psychological wellbeing both during and after pregnancy, notes Dr. Subbarao.

The research was published online in August 2018 in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

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Can The Moblees™ Move Canadian Children?

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Investigating the Impact of a Television Program on Children's Physical Activity

Background

The effects of messaging about physical activity and sedentary behavior purposefully integrated into children's TV programming on children's behavior is unknown. The Moblees is a Canadian childrens' show that explicitly promotes physical activity. Two studies were conducted to (1) examine whether children were more physically active when watching a Moblees episode, and (2) explore parental perceptions of the show.

Visit Frontiers in Public Health to read the article for free, or download the PDF. 

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Register now! 7th Conference on Recent Advances in the Prevention and Treatment of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity

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This conference brings together an interdisciplinary group of professionals working in the field of childhood and adolescent obesity. The 7th conference will focus on a range of topics that impact the prevention and treatment of obesity beyond the clinic setting, considering the broader social and environmental factors that influence the health of children, adolescents, and families. This multi-theme meeting will explore the role that health care professionals can play in promoting healthy strategies within the greater community to enhance the well-being of children and adolescents living with obesity. Specifically, the conference will showcase examples of successful collaborations that span diverse settings, including the health care system, government, schools, and community at-large.

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Nutrition Resource Centre Forum 2018: Registration & Call for Abstracts Open

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Growing concerns about unhealthy eating habits, including consuming too many processed foods and beverages, and the lack of food literacy in children, youth and adults have inspired this year’s theme - Unpacking Food Literacy. Join the Nutrition Resource Centre at their 2018 forum as the latest research and tools are shared to help consumers make healthier food choices. 

At this event, you will learn:

  • how food literacy is defined and its components
  • the current state of food literacy and what programming is happening in Ontario and beyond
  • the latest research and strategies to impact and evaluate behavior change through food literacy programs, policies and interventions 

Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to hear from and network with health professionals, service providers, educators, students, researchers, government decision makers and food literacy champions.

Preliminary program coming soon!

Check out their registration page if you're interested in attending here. Fees are outlined on the webpage and don't miss out on the early bird rates, which will run until Friday, August 31, 2018.

To see more information on how to submit an abstract, click here. The deadline for abstracts is Thursday, August 30, 2018.

If you've got any questions, feel free to contact events@opha.on.ca. 

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AllerGen CHILD Study Findings Connect Infant Sleep Duration with Cognitive and Language Skill Development

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AllerGen CHILD Study researchers have found that infants who regularly sleep less than 12 hours total in a 24-hour period have poorer cognitive and language skills by two years of age compared to infants who sleep more.

“Short sleep duration and symptoms of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) ranging from snoring to sleep apnea have been associated with multiple health, learning and behavioural problems in children,” says Dr. Piush Mandhane, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Alberta and leader of the CHILD Study’s Edmonton site. “We were interested to find out if limited sleep time and sleep disruption affected cognitive and language development in preschool children. Our study found that short nighttime sleep was associated with a significant decrease in cognitive development using a standardized test of mental and motor development."

In a second study, Dr. Mandhane and the team of CHILD researchers identified four distinct types of SDB that occur in infants, along with unique risk factors associated with each.

Both studies were published in the August 2018 issue of Sleep Medicine.

For the complete story, check out the official press release here.