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Project Outline |
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The Commonwealth Institute Lifestyle of our Kids (LooK) Project
A Longitudinal investigation of the effect of Lifestyle on our Children’s Health and DevelopmentA project commenced in October 2005 An initiative of The Commonwealth Education Trust The Bluearth Institute, Melbourne, Australia and the ACT Department of Education, Australia. With collaboration and support from: The Canberra Hospital This is a longitudinal project with primary school children to study physical and psychological health over a four-year period from Grade 2 to Grade 6. Special attention will be applied to the relationship of health and development with physical activity, incorporating a design so that the research may continue into later life. The Commonwealth Institute LOOK StudyLOOK is a longitudinal project over four years involving primary school children. It is a multi-disciplinary project that monitors many indicators of health, specifically early symptoms of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, bone health, immuno-competence, psychological problems, as well as posture and coordination. The Questions we want our research to answer:We have many questions, but our basic ones are:
Need for this ResearchLifestyle and non-communicable disease in AdultsAs widely publicized by the World Health Organization (WHO) there are no longer any doubts that regular physical exercise, good nutrition, and a happy existence are important contributors to ongoing physical and psychological well-being in adults. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that physical inactivity alone causes 2 million deaths per year globally as a result of 60% of adults not engaging in sufficient physical activity. The research into risk factors for cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease and ischaemic stroke), non-insulin-dependent (Type 2) diabetes, certain cancers (colon, breast and other sites) provides unequivocal evidence for a causal association between physical inactivity and the disease. Furthermore, there are plausible mechanisms to explain the causes. WHO continues to alert people as to the risks they experience by leading sedentary existences, now ranking inactivity alongside poor nutrition and smoking as our greatest modifiable threats to health. Lifestyle associated problems in Children – an Epidemic?Along with poor nutrition and psychological stress, a lack of physical activity in our children's lifestyle may contribute to the development of many non-communicable diseases expressed in later life. Whilst we are out to investigate this very issue, our feelings about the lack of movement in many children's lives is so strong that we refer to a possible Physical Activity Deprivation Syndrome (PADS). One of the outwardly obvious effects of inadequate physical activity and poor nutritional choices is the climbing incidence of overweight and obesity in our youngsters, a situation that has been referred to as of epidemic proportions. The Research DesignWe propose to measure the physical activity levels and nutritional intake of 850 ACT children beginning at age 7-8 years, carefully monitoring a wide range of markers of bone, metabolic and cardiovascular health as well as psycho-social well-being and body movement efficiency. These children, now in Term 4 of Grade 2 2005, will be followed through to Grade 6, finishing in 2009. We also aim to investigate the influence of the quality of physical activity by introducing a special physical activity program to half the schools in our study over the four year period. This will be carried out by trained teachers who will visit the schools and take the lessons and provide all the equipment free of charge. The health factors being measuredWe offer to investigate whether relationships exist between lifestyle factors, especially physical activity, and
We also aim to include a nutritional survey initially both for the purposes of better interpretation of the role of physical activity. Later in the study, as we extend the nutrition component past a 24 hour dietary record, we will be in a position to better link nutritional intake with the above factors. In conjunction with the special physical activity program introduced to half of the schools we will also offer a professional development training course to the class-room teachers, conducted during class time. In so doing we propose an investigation of the effectiveness and sustainability of this program. Proposed time-frameThe project will begin in Term 4, 2005, October 10. The first major data collection period will be completed at the end of Term 4, on December 16. The second and third (final) data collection periods will be in Term 4, 2007 and Term 4, 2009. Final reports and papers will be written in 2010.In the year between these major testing periods, there will be some minor tests requested, consisting of some questionnaires and basic measures of growth and physical activity. And then….. The 50 year Follow-up Invitation to the Lifestyle of our Adults study.The initial 4 year study is designed so that the effects of the movement education and physical activity in general in children aged 7 years to 11 years old can be followed through to early adolescence and adulthood. We hope that this study will help us determine just how important childhood lifestyle is to both childhood and health though a lifetime. The Research TeamResearch Director: Prof Richard D Telford, Commonwealth Institute (Australia), and Faculty of Medicine, Australian National University Please click here for a full listing of the Research Team. The Advisory BoardDr Peter Frost Dr Steven N Blair Mr Mark Peters Professor Donald McIntyre Professor Heather McKay
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