Public Health DPA Support

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Public Health DPA Support
PARC Conference Feb 6, 2006 Louisa Barei Snowie,
BScN York Region Health Services

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Content

• Mandatory Core Physical Activity
• Child and Youth Health
• Health Benefits
• Impact on Learning
• What Motivates Youth to be Physically Active
• Best Practice Healthy Schools
• Professional Support PAP Network
• DPA Support Models Hastings Prince Edward
  Counties, York Region, others
• Summary and questions/discussion

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Mandatory Core Guidelines - Public Health -
Physical Activity

• Under the Chronic Disease Prevention Standard
• The following behavioural and policy objectives
  are aimed at achieving the above-stated disease
  objectives
• l. to increase to 60 per cent the proportion of
  youth who include at least 30 mins of
  accumulated, moderate physical activity on most
  if not all days of the week by the year 2010
• m. to increase the proportion of children who
  are active
• Requirements and Standards
• 7. The board of health shall work with municipal
  recreation departments and other community
  partners to promote and increase access to
  regular physical activity for people of all ages.
  This should include a minimum
• provide, on an ongoing basis, information to the
  public through the use of television, radio,
  pamphlets, posters, presentations on the health
  benefits of regular physical activity
• promote, on an ongoing basis, the availability of
  opportunities for physical activity
• assist community partners to increase the
  availability of safe and accessible recreation
  opportunities such as walking trails and cycling
  routes
• promote and assist in the development of policies
  that increase access to regular physical activity
  in the community

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• 9. The board of health shall work with all
  schools and school boards to implement health
  promotion programming. Topics that must be
  included are
• tobacco-free living, healthy eating, healthy
  weights and regular physical activity. This
  shall include as a minimum
• a) provide assistance and consultation to school
  boards, school advisory councils and
  principals/teachers to review and implement
  health-related curricula on all the above topics
  as requested
• b) promote and provide teachers from all schools
  an opportunity to attend 2 hours of continuing
  education annually on one or more of the
  above-mentioned topics
• c) provide ongoing consultation and development
  and review of learning materials for school
  boards, students advisory councils and school
  staff throughout the year on all of the
  above-mentioned topics
• d) support the implementation of a variety of
  activities in schools on an ongoing basis. This
  will include student-led school wide
  initiatives, peer education, peer support groups
  and annual awareness events on any of the above
  topics.
• 10. The board of health shall with school
  boards, school advisory councils,
  prinicipals/teachers and parents to develop and
  implement guidelines that support healthy eating
  and regular physical activity. This shall
  include as a minimum
• promote the need for guidelines for healthy
  eating and daily physical activity with all
  school boards and all schools on an annual basis
• provide information, consultation and support to
  establish guidelines which encourage daily
  physical activity for all students through
  balanced instructional programs, intramural
  activities and interschool athletics and skill
  development for lifelong active living.

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Child and Youth Health

• Some Barriers to Physical Activity for children
  and youth
• Lack of daily H PE in schools
• Exploded Screen use - obsession
• Inactive transportation
• Safety concerns outside home and school
• Reduced Accessibility to low cost activities
• Dual income families balancing home and work
• Single parent families
• ..
• Results
• Prevalence of childhood obesity in Canada has
  increased between 300-500 percent increase in TV
  watching, video games and Internet use also
  suggests that Canada may be a world leader in the
  childhood obesity epidemic (Dr Mark Tremblay)

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Health Benefits of PA

• Improves aerobic capacity, muscular strength,
  body agility and coordination, metabolic
  functioning,
• Improves bone density, lipid profiles, insulin
  levels and immune function
• Reduces diabetes, obesity (CDC, 1996)
• Children who are physically active are more
  likely to stay physically active for the rest of
  their lives (Health Canada, 2002)
• PA is vital to the growth and development of
  children and youth (CAPHERD, 1996)
• PA is consistently related to improved
• self-esteem and body image (Tremblay
• and Wilms, 2000)

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DPA in Action RelayIncorporating Active Content

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Physical Activity Impact on Learning

• Studies demonstrate the positive effects of daily
  physical activity has on performance and academic
  achievement in terms of memory, observation,
  problem-solving and decision-making as well as
  significant improvements in attitudes,
  discipline, behaviour and creativity (Keays and
  Allison, 1995, The Effects of Regular Moderate to
  Vigorous Physical Activity on Student OutcomesA
  review. Canadian Journal of Public Health. Vol
  86, No 1)
• Physical activity stimulates the production of
  dopamine, creates stronger nerve connection and
  releases endorphins into the system. Aerobic
  exercise increases blood supply to the brain.
  All of the these factors set the stage for
  learners to maximize academic achievement
  (Jenson, 2000)
• Physical activity improves self-esteem, enhances
  psychological well-being, overcomes boredom and
  provides positive leisure pursuits (Canadian
  Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, 1997)
• Physical well-being of has a direct impact on
  their ability to achieve academically (California
  study, 2002,www.cde.ca.gov/news/releases2002)

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What Motivates Youth to be Physically Active

• Enjoyment
• Development of competency in physical skills
  gain confidence
• Social acceptance make new friends and gain
  acceptance from their
• peers (Research Digest, 2000)
• Steps for Success
• Youth need to be part of the solution active
  participants in process of changing their
  behaviour. Build awareness of their activity
  level record PA for a set time
• Set goals for themselves short and long term
• Supported with specific feedback and
  encouragement from parents, teachers, role
  models, coaches
• Frequent Commitment checks
• Recognition and celebration of successes
• (Adapted from Health Canada, PA Guide to Healthy
  Active Living Teachers Guide to PA for Children
  6-9 years of age, 2002)

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Best Practice Model for Public Health

• Comprehensive School Health or Healthy Schools
• Healthy Schools provide children with an
  opportunity to experience positive role models,
  healthy food choices, physical activity and
  positive student-teacher bonds.
• Includes a broad spectrum of activities and
  services that take place in school and
  surrounding communities enabling children and
  youth to enhance their health, develop to their
  fullest potential and establish productive and
  satisfying relationships in their present and
  future lives (Canadian Association for School
  Health)
• Utilizes 4 strategies
• Instruction about Health
• Support Services from the community
• Social Support
• Healthy Physical Environment
• Healthy Schools, Healthy Kids!

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Public Health Schoolbased Physical Activity
Promoter Interest Group

• Summer/Fall 2005 - Started distribution list to
  share resources and ideas of PA promotion in
  schools great interest and some sharing began
• Attended CEPAP meeting many common interests
  planned to meet Dec 9th to discuss PA promotion
  and DPA support
• Invited all Ontario PH PA Promoters to
  participate terrific response 19 Health units
  participated (in person and teleconference)
• Agenda included updates from OPHEA/PARC on DPA,
  CHNET-works, CAPHERD, Ontario PA Promoters
  Network and main topic PH DPA support discussion
• (Minutes available if interested)
• Lots of support and interest for DPA major
  barrier
• public health units structured differently
  through out the
• province

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Main themes supporting DPA

• Communication accurate and timely DPA
  information sharing (OPHEA, PARC, Activitalk,
  Ontario Healthy Schools Coalition, CAPHERD)
• PAP Network join with provincial group to
  strengthen voice for PA in Ontario
• Advocacy working with school boards, school
  leaders and community to enhance DPA awareness
  and sustainability
• Research knowledgeable and advocate for PA
  research
• Supporting Parents and community in DPA
• implementation

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These are guiding principles that could be
incorporated into the school service models of
the various health units

• 1. Assessment - Take a "customer service"
  approach to provision of services. I.e. consult
  with schools, boards etc assess needs first.
• 2. Offer a "menu" of choices, ie DPA workshops.
  These options would reflect the health unit's
  services, programs etc, but could also include
  other consultants etc, and may not be limited to
  physical activity.
• 3. Promote a Health Promoting Schools, or
  Comprehensive School Health Process approach. 
  (This is a recommended practice) Intensity can
  vary, but it advocates for collective planning
  and problem solving among key stakeholders (at
  school level, and/or at board level) Teachers
  involvement is critical to success!
• 4. Promote the value of school physical activity
  to parents and the broader community
• 5. Buy in - Frame Daily Physical Activity in
  terms of what is important for schools (e.g.
  attendance, behaviour, attention to task).
• (Adapted from Anne Ostrom, PHN,Thunder Bay
  District Health Unit)

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Successful DPA Partnership Models

• Hastings Prince Edward Counties Health Unit
  Jennifer Ronan, PHN
• York Region Health Services, Louisa Barei Snowie,
  PHN (framework and Fitness Ambassadors)
• Others

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Healthy Schools Physical Activity To improve
the health of students and enhance learning, York
Region Health Services strongly recommends that
each school forms a Healthy Schools Committee.
Support is offered in the following four areas
related to Health Schools.