North American Society for Pediatric Exercise Medicine NASPEM 2004 Biennial Meeting

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North American Society for Pediatric Exercise
Medicine (NASPEM)2004 Biennial Meeting

• St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, NB
• August 11-15th, 2004
• Pediatric Exercise Medicine for Communities,
  Classrooms, and Clinics

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Objectives of this presentation

• Raise awareness of NASPEM, and the student
  opportunities that it offers
• Highlight the importance of NASPEMs commitment
  to pediatric exercise science research
• Bring specific learnings from the 2004 conference
  back to the Dal community (key highlights)
• Help foster enthusiasm ongoing commitment for
  continued research in the area of pediatric
  exercise science

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What is NASPEM?

• Mission to promote exercise science, physical
  activity and fitness in the health and medical
  care of children and adolescents
• Quarterly NASPEM journal Pediatric Exercise
  Medicine - dedicated exclusively to pediatric and
  exercise medicine issues

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What were the objectives of the NASPEM Conference?

• Opportunity to share and discuss research
  advances
• Forum for pediatric exercise scientists to
  network
• Non-threatening opportunity for student growth
  and learning
• Provide increased public awareness about issues

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Context of 2004 NASPEM Conference

• Childhood obesity is becoming increasing
  prevalent around the world epidemic
  proportions
• Increasing rate of childhood obesity will have
  devastating effect on the health of the next
  generation
• Held in Atlantic Canada, where we have one of the
  highest rates of childhood obesity/ inactivity in
  the world!

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NASPEM Student Opportunities

• Commitment to student growth and learning
• Opportunity to attend NASPEM meetings (2004
  through CIHR funding support)
• Student Research Grant Program- 500-1000 grants
  available (www.naspem.org)

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Key Highlight 1 Evidence base for childrens
physical activity guidelines

• How are Childrens Physical Activity Guidelines
  developed? How much? How often?

Childhood PA
Childhood Health
Adult PA
Adult Health
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• Although link between adult physical activity and
  health outcomes is supported, similar link
  between children and health outcomes not as well
  defined (Dr. Jos Twist Dr. Neil Armstrong)
• Difficulty with measurement of physical activity
  in children (validity of subjective measures
  controlling for maturation)
• Adverse health effects take time to develop not
  immediately evident in children
• Longitudinal studies required to determine (1)
  link between childrens physical activity
  (inactivity) and adverse health outcomes in
  adulthood (2)link between PA in childhood and PA
  in adulthood

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• Canadas physical activity guidelines highlighted
  as unique to others around the world (Dr. Mark
  Tremblay)
• Any increase in physical activity is a good
  thing no ceiling effect for children already
  active
• Keep in mind that Canadas Physical Activity
  guidelines are not evidence-based, or threshold
  based
• No defined threshold, difficult for researchers
  attempting to classify children as active/
  inactive

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Key Highlight 2 Role of lifestyle in obesity
epidemic

• What is the cause of obesity lack of physical
  activity or dietary indiscretion?
• Undeniable link between physical activity and
  obesity
• Obesity epidemic due to shift in lifestyle

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• The obesity lifestyle problem (Dr. Roy
  Shephard)
• We have become lazy dogs
• We should buy a dog or pretend we have one
• Less exercise due to more cars school buses,
  more TV computer games
• Urbanization urban sprawl (grocery stores,
  schools, etc. not within walking distance)
• Loss of family meals, increase in intake of fast
  food

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• Obesity epidemic will be devastating for future
  health of our population will have devastating
  effect on our healthcare system
• Increase in Type II diabetes in young adolescents
  (usually only seen in adults!!)
• Increase in hyperlipidemia hypertension
• High childhood obesity associated with
  atherosclerotic lesions (how early does heart
  disease begin??)
• Low self-efficacy, low self-esteem, psychosocial
  problems

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Key Highlight 3 Lessons learned from landmark
longitudinal studies

• Several key longitudinal studies were
  highlighted
• Saskatchewan Growth Study, Dr. Don Bailey
• Trois-Rivieres Physical Education Study, Dr.
  Francois Trudeau
• Amsterdam Growth Study, Dr. Han Kemper

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• Increased importance and need for longitudinal
  research into childrens obesity
• Does trend of obesity continue into adulthood?
• How does childhood obesity impact future health
  outcomes?
• Impact of childhood physical activity on adult
  activity levels?

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• Longitudinal studies require long-term commitment
  and dedication of researchers
• Difficulty with keeping same employees for
  consistency of measurement, methodological rigor,
  etc.
• Confounding factors in longitudinal studies
• Time of measurement effect
• Cohort effect
• Detect test or learning (i.e. EE reported)
• Drop-out effect

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Some final thoughts

• Change in State of Change may impress granting
  agencies but does not change health! (Dr. Roy
  Shephard)
• Proactive approach to childhood obesity required
• Multi-disciplinary, team approach required
  between all sectors and stakeholders

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In summary

• Increased importance and need for research,
  networking between exercise science
  professionals, and increased public awareness of
  obesity/ physical activity trends NEED FOR
  CHANGE!
• Check NASPEM website for future student
  opportunities (www.naspem.org)

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Thanks to NASPEM and CIHR for offering student
support to attend 2004 conference.