Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

In Canada, childhood overweight and obesity is a major public health challenge. Approximately 1.6 million or one-third of Canadian children and youth are overweight or obese. There is an opportunity to prevent obesity and reduce the future chronic disease burden by fostering healthy eating habits from an early age. Yet, the overwhelming majority of Canadian children do not have healthy eating habits. Researchers have suggested that children's eating habits are influenced by the food environments that surround them. Recent studies have found that being exposed to unhealthy food environments, such as convenience stores and fast-food outlets in a neighbourhood, is linked to poor eating habits and a higher likelihood of being obese. However, little is known about the relationship between unhealthy food environments, healthy eating habits and body weights in school-aged children. This study used data from Raising healthy Eating and Active Living Kids Alberta (REAL Kids Alberta), population-based study of grade 5 students in Alberta, Canada, to examine how unhealthy food environments impact children's diet and body weights. Of the 989 school-aged students who participated in the study, 40% were classified as overweight or obese. On average, participants reported consuming foods from a variety of food groups, but overall had relatively low diet quality. Further analysis if currently under investigation. This research will provide important evidence to guide future obesity prevention efforts to support school-aged Canadian children in having healthy eating habits and body weights.