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Exercise enjoyment and depressive symptoms for university students in a mental health service: An intensive repeated measures study

We explored how university students’ mental and physical health changed during a 12-week on-campus exercise program. When students enjoyed exercise more than usual or more than others, they reported better mental and physical health. These findings highlight the importance of prioritising enjoyment of exercise when designing exercise programs for student wellbeing. 

New policy helps kids huff and puff their way to stronger, healthier bodies and brains

Childcare centres have flocked to take up a new evidence-based policy to help ensure young children get more of the physical activity they need to be healthy and developmentally on track.

“That's not fair on my kid”: Carers' perspectives on sport participation and experiences for children in out-of-home care

Children in out-of-home care participate in less organised sport than children from other household structures, potentially reducing opportunities for improvements in social, developmental, and health outcomes. Despite this, little is known about barriers and facilitators of sport participation for children in care. We aimed to explore carers' perspectives on the influences on children in care's participation and experiences in organised sport.

Eating and exercise experiences of Australian trans and gender diverse folks: lived experience and stakeholder perspectives

Trans individuals face elevated health risks and socio-environmental challenges, influencing their engagement in health-protective behaviors (e.g. exercise and nutrition). Despite these challenges, there is a significant gap in understanding the specific eating and exercise experiences of Australian trans adults, including barriers to healthy behaviors and healthcare experiences. This study aims to address this gap by exploring these experiences, informing targeted interventions and healthcare practices to improve health outcomes.

Factors influencing participation in home, school, and community settings by 6- to 9-year-old children born preterm: a qualitative descriptive study

There is no published information on preterm children's activities and participation during middle childhood, a time when growth and development are characterised by increasing motor, reasoning, self-regulation, social and executive functioning skills. This study explored the health, activities and participation of children born very preterm during middle childhood (6-9 years) from the perspectives of their parents.

Living closer to the beach is associated with better socioemotional development in young boys

Natural outdoor environments such as green and blue spaces have increasingly been seen as key health and wellbeing determinants for adults. However, it is unclear if these effects are seen in young children. We examined the associations between access to natural green and blue space and young children's socioemotional development. 

Dog ownership, dog walking, and physical function in mid-older adults: Findings from the HABITAT cohort study

To examine the longitudinal effects of dog ownership and dog walking on self-reported and objective measures of physical function in mid- to older-aged adults.

Exploring preferences for interventions to increase active school transportation among children and adolescents in Australia

The observed decline in children's active school transport (AST) across numerous countries over recent decades necessitates targeted, multi-level interventions to reverse this trend. However, data on young people's preferred AST interventions is lacking. This study aimed to explore children's preferences for AST interventions and assess differences between AST users and non-users among primary and secondary school students.

Supported exercise within transdiagnostic mental health services: a protocol paper for a two-arm hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial

People living with severe mental illness have a reduced life expectancy when compared to the general population largely due to physical health comorbidities. Exercise is a valuable, evidence-based component of mental healthcare, with positive effects on physical health, mental health, and quality of life.

A therapeutic exercise program for adolescents engaged in gender diversity services: study protocol for a non-randomised clinical trial

Despite the well-documented benefits of exercise for adolescents’ physical and mental health, exercise remains an underutilized strategy for improving the health of trans adolescents. This is notable because, compared to their cisgender peers, trans adolescents experience greater health challenges and systemic barriers to being physically active. To date, no research has evaluated an evidence-based exercise service within specialist paediatric gender services in Australia.