The mediation effect of breastfeeding duration on the relationship between maternal preconception BMI and childhood nutritional risk.

Background: Higher maternal preconception body mass index (BMI) is associated with lower breastfeeding duration, which may contribute to the development of poor child eating behaviours and dietary intake patterns (components of nutritional risk). A higher maternal preconception BMI has been found to be associated with higher child nutritional risk. This study aimed to determine whether breastfeeding duration mediated the association between maternal preconception BMI and child nutritional risk.

Body Weight at Age Four Years and Readiness to Start School: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Adolescents with obesity have lower academic performance, but little is known about the association between body weight in early childhood and school readiness. The objective was to examine the association between age- and sex-standardized body mass index (zBMI) and body weight status and school readiness in young children. A prospective cohort study in Toronto, Canada, was conducted in young children enrolled in TARGet Kids!.

Nutritional Risk in Early Childhood and School Readiness.

Background: Nutrition in early childhood is important for healthy growth and development. Achieving school readiness is considered one of the most important developmental milestones for young children.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine if nutritional risk in early childhood is associated with school readiness in kindergarten.

Nutritional risk in early childhood and parent-reported school concerns.

Objective: To determine if nutritional risk in early childhood is associated with parent-reported school concerns.

Design: A prospective cohort study conducted through the TARGet Kids! primary care research network (2011-2018). Nutritional risk was measured between 18 months and 5 years of age using validated parent-completed NutriSTEP® questionnaires with eating behaviour and dietary intake subscores (0 = lowest and 68 = highest total nutritional risk score).

Screening for marginal food security in young children in primary care.

Background: Household food insecurity (FI), even at marginal levels, is associated with poor child health outcomes. The Nutrition Screening Tool for Every Preschooler (NutriSTEP®) is a valid and reliable 17-item parent-completed measure of nutrition risk and includes a single item addressing FI which may be a useful child-specific screening tool. We evaluated the diagnostic test properties of the single NutriSTEP® FI question using the 2-item Hunger Vital Sign™ as the criterion measure in a primary care population of healthy children ages 18 months to 5 years.

Going Smokeless: Promotional Features and Reach of US Smokeless Tobacco Direct-Mail Advertising (July 2017-August 2018).

Introduction: Although cigarette use in the United States has declined over time, smokeless tobacco (SLT) use has remained steady. Direct-mail advertising and coupon redemption have been linked to increased tobacco use, and efforts to promote SLT through direct-mail advertising may contribute to sustained SLT use. We examined reach of SLT direct-mail advertisements by recipient demographics and promotional features, including coupons.

Modelling retailer-based exemptions in flavoured tobacco sales restrictions: national estimates on the impact of product availability.

Objectives: More than 250 US localities restrict sales of flavoured tobacco products (FTPs), but comprehensiveness varies, and many include retailer-based exemptions. The purpose of this study is to examine resulting changes in the US retail environment for FTPs if there was a hypothetical national tobacco control policy that would prohibit FTP sales in all retailers except (1) tobacco specialty stores or (2) tobacco specialty stores and alcohol outlets.

Design And Setting: A cross-sectional analysis of the FTP retail environment in every US Census tract (n=74 133).

Public Support for E-Cigarette-related Policies among a Nationally Representative Sample of US Adults.

Background: The wide availability of flavored e-cigarettes and broad use of e-cigarettes in public places may contribute to the rapidly increasing rates of use among youth and young adults in the U.S. However, policies at the federal, state and local levels can address these factors.

Beyond BMI: a feasibility study implementing NutriSTEP in primary care practices using electronic medical records (EMRs).

Introduction: Primary care providers have a role to play in supporting the development of healthy eating habits, particularly in a child's early years. This study examined the feasibility of implementing the NutriSTEP® screen-a 17-item nutrition risk screening tool validated for use with both toddler and preschooler populations-integrated with an electronic medical record (EMR) in primary care practices in Ontario, Canada, to inform primary care decision-making and public health surveillance.

Methods: Five primary care practices implemented the NutriSTEP screen as a standardized form into their EMRs.

Characteristics and Reach Equity of Policies Restricting Flavored Tobacco Product Sales in the United States.

In 2009, flavored cigarettes (except menthol) were banned in the United States, but other flavored tobacco products (FTPs) were allowed. Women, populations of color, youth, sexual minority, and low-socioeconomic status populations disproportionately use FTPs. Localities have passed sales restrictions on FTPs that may reduce disparities if vulnerable populations are reached.

Fit for School Study protocol: early child growth, health behaviours, nutrition, cardiometabolic risk and developmental determinants of a child's school readiness, a prospective cohort.

Introduction: School readiness is a multidimensional construct that includes cognitive, behavioural and emotional aspects of a child's development. School readiness is strongly associated with a child's future school success and well-being. The Early Development Instrument (EDI) is a reliable and valid teacher-completed tool for assessing school readiness in children at kindergarten age.

The Family Mealtime Observation Study (FaMOS): Exploring the Role of Family Functioning in the Association between Mothers' and Fathers' Food Parenting Practices and Children's Nutrition Risk.

This cross-sectional study explores associations between mothers' and fathers' food parenting practices and children's nutrition risk, while examining whether family functioning modifies or confounds the association. Home observations assessed parents' food parenting practices during dinnertime ( = 73 families with preschoolers). Children's nutrition risk was calculated using NutriSTEP.

A Canadian University "Understanding Foods" Course Improves Confidence in Food Skills and Food Safety Knowledge.

The impact of a hands-on foods course on undergraduate students' food skills was examined at the University of Guelph. For a convenience sample, first- and second-year students (n = 47, 87% female) registered in the "Understanding Foods" course were recruited to participate in a survey administered on Qualtrics at the beginning of the semester and again at the end of the semester. Participants were asked questions related to demographics and food habits; additional questions on food skills, in Likert-scale format, included confidence in food preparation, food safety knowledge, and grocery shopping habits.

Food parenting practices and their association with child nutrition risk status: comparing mothers and fathers.

In Canada, little is known about how food parenting practices are associated with young children's dietary intakes and no studies have examined food parenting practices of Canadian fathers. This study aimed to examine associations between food parenting practices and preschool-age children's nutrition risk. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of thirty-one 2-parent families; 31 mothers, 31 fathers, and 40 preschool-age children.

Young Adults' Perceptions of Calcium Intake and Health: A Qualitative Study.

Many young Canadian adults are not meeting dietary calcium recommendations. This is concerning as adequate calcium is important throughout young adulthood to maximize peak bone mass for osteoporosis prevention. There are limited studies that have explored young adults' perceptions toward calcium and health.

Parents and Tots Together: Pilot randomized controlled trial of a family-based obesity prevention intervention in Canada.

Objective: To test the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary impact of Parents and Tots Together (PTT), a family-based obesity prevention intervention, in Canada.

Participants: Canadian parents of preschoolers (aged 2-5 years).

Setting: Ontario Early Years centres in southwestern Ontario.

Development, reliability, and validity testing of Toddler NutriSTEP: a nutrition risk screening questionnaire for children 18-35 months of age.

Nutrition is vital for optimal growth and development of young children. Nutrition risk screening can facilitate early intervention when followed by nutritional assessment and treatment. NutriSTEP (Nutrition Screening Tool for Every Preschooler) is a valid and reliable nutrition risk screening questionnaire for preschoolers (aged 3-5 years).

Vitamin D intake among young Canadian adults: validation of a mobile vitamin D calculator app.

Objective: To establish the validity and reproducibility of the dietary component of a mobile vitamin D calculator app.

Methods: Participants entered their dietary intake into the Vitamin D Calculator app on 3 recording days over 1 month and underwent subsequent 24-hour dietary recalls.

Results: There were 50 adults (25 female), aged 18-25 years (mean, 22 ± 2 years).

Association between serum cholesterol and eating behaviours during early childhood: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Modifiable behaviours during early childhood may provide opportunities to prevent disease processes before adverse outcomes occur. Our objective was to determine whether young children's eating behaviours were associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease in later life.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study involving children aged 3-5 years recruited from 7 primary care practices in Toronto, Ontario, we assessed the relation between eating behaviours as assessed by the NutriSTEP (Nutritional Screening Tool for Every Preschooler) questionnaire (completed by parents) and serum levels of non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, a surrogate marker of cardiovascular risk.

Predictors of bone mineral density in a convenience sample of young Caucasian adults living in southern Ontario.

Osteoporosis is a major public health concern in Canada and worldwide. Although much is known about bone health in older adults, little is known about bone health in young, healthy Canadian men and women. The objectives of this research were to describe bone mineral density (BMD) of young, healthy adults living in southern Ontario, Canada, and to identify predictors of BMD in this population.

Air displacement plethysmography for fat-mass measurement in healthy young women.

Purpose: Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and air displacement plethysmography (ADP) are commonly used to assess body composition. Accurate body fat measures are valuable in a variety of populations. Because DXA, the reference standard, is expensive and labour-intensive, determining whether these two methods are interchangeable is important.

Biosurfactant-producing Bacillus are present in produced brines from Oklahoma oil reservoirs with a wide range of salinities.

Nine wells producing from six different reservoirs with salinities ranging from 2.1% to 15.9% were surveyed for presence of surface-active compounds and biosurfactant-producing microbes.

Effect of the transition from high school to university on anthropometric and lifestyle variables in males.

The obesity epidemic in North America has focused attention on the health risks of excess weight gain. The transition from high school to university is a critical period for weight gain, commonly referred to as the Freshman 15. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the transition from high school to university on anthropometrics and physical and sedentary activities in males.

Folic acid food fortification prevents inadequate folate intake among preschoolers from Ontario.

Objective: Folic acid food fortification has successfully reduced neural tube defect-affected pregnancies across Canada. The effect of this uncontrolled public health intervention on folate intake among Canadian children is, however, unknown. Our objectives were to determine folic acid intake from food fortification and whether fortification promoted adequate folate intakes, and to describe folic acid-fortified food usage among Ontario preschoolers.