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Nature play and fundamental movement skills training programs improve childcare educator supportive physical activity behaviorBoth the Nature play and fundamental movement skills professional development programs were effective in improving educators’ self-efficacy to engage children
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More pedestrians, less cars: Researchers call for shopping strip overhaulResearchers have identified 10 Australian shopping strips where the removal of on-street parking would transform the area’s liveability.
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Family dogs help kids move and sleep more: new studyResearchers exploring the potential health benefits of pets have found children who regularly walk and play with a family dog are more active, have less screen time, and sleep more.
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Dogs are more than companions, they are great for our mental wellbeingA new study has highlighted the positive impact dog ownership has on our mental health.
Research
Playful BytesNurturing children's health together: A collaboration between early childhood education and care (ECEC) educators and parents on active play and eating well
Research
Scalability and scaling-up strategy of a physical activity policy intervention in Australian childcare centresThere is an urgent need for scalable interventions to promote physical activity in early childhood. An early childhood education and care physical activity policy intervention with implementation support strategies (Play Active) has been proposed for scale-up in Australia.
Research
Profile of the PLAY spaces & environments for children’s physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep (PLAYCE) cohort study, Western AustraliaChildhood is a critical period for the development of movement behaviours such as physical activity, sleep and sedentary behaviour. The PLAYCE Cohort was established to investigate how movement behaviours change over early to middle childhood, across key behaviour settings and relationships with health and development. An overview of the PLAYCE cohort, summary of key findings to date, and future research opportunities are presented.
Research
A cross-sectional audit of the Australian community food environment highlights the prominent role of chain food outletsFood retail and food service outlets can be part of a chain, or independently operated. Chain food outlets are likely to have the most influence over community food environments but have not been routinely identified in studies which map and monitor access to food, highlighting an important knowledge gap. This study aimed to identify the food retail and food service outlets present within metropolitan Perth, including presence of chain and independent food outlets; and examine differences across local governments.
Research
Longitudinal evidence of the impact of dog ownership and dog walking on mental healthEmerging evidence supports the physical health and social benefits of dog ownership. This study examined the longitudinal effect of dog ownership and dog walking on mental health.