Maintenance of traditional cultural orientation is associated with lower rates of obesity and sedentary behaviours among African migrant children to Australia

Background: Migrants from developing to developed countries rapidly develop more obesity than the host population. While the effects of socio-economic status on obesity are well established, the influence of cultural factors, including acculturation, is not known.

Objective: To examine the association between acculturation and obesity and its risk factors among African migrant children in Australia.

Design and participants: A cross-sectional study using a non-probability sample of 3- to 12-year-old sub-Saharan African migrant children. A bidimensional model of strength of affiliation with African and Australian cultures was used to divide the sample into four cultural orientations: traditional (African), assimilated (Australian), integrated (both) and marginalized (neither).

Main outcome measures: Body mass index (BMI), leisure-time physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviours (SBs) and energy density of food.

Results: In all, 18.4% (95% confidence interval (CI): 14–23%) were overweight and 8.6% (95% CI: 6–12%) were obese. After adjustment for confounders, integrated (ß=1.1; P<0.05) and marginalized ß(=1.4; P<0.01) children had higher BMI than traditional children. However, integrated children had significantly higher time engaged in both PA (ß=46.9, P<0.01) and SBs (ß=43.0, P<0.05) than their traditional counterparts. In comparison with traditional children, assimilated children were more sedentary (ß=57.5, P<0.01) while marginalization was associated with increased consumption of energy-dense foods (ß=42.0, P<0.05).

Conclusions: Maintenance of traditional orientation was associated with lower rates of obesity and SBs. Health promotion programs and frameworks need to be rooted in traditional values and habits to maintain and reinforce traditional dietary and PA habits, as well as identify the marginalized clusters and address their needs.

Fundamental movement skills - How do primary school children perform? The 'Move it Groove it' program in rural Australia

Child Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) underpin active lifestyles yet little is known of their distribution and mastery.

‘Move it Groove it’ project rated proficiency of primary school children (n=1045, 18 schools) in skills of balance, throw, catch, sprint, hop, kick, side gallop and jump. Rating categories were ‘mastery’, ‘near mastery’ or ‘poor’ (ie mastered all, all but one, or less of the five to six components of an FMS).

Less than half of all child tests were rated at mastery (21.3%) or near mastery (25.7%) level. In grade three, 75.4% of children achieved mastery or near mastery (MNM) in static balance but less than half did so for any other FMS. In grade four, 59.0% achieved MNM in the side gallop and 56.0% in the catch but less than half did so for any other FMS.

Although the highest percent mastery for both genders was for the balance, the skills best performed thereafter by boys (throw and kick) rated poorest for girls. Conversely the hop and side gallop which rated, after balance, as the skills best mastered by girls, were among the more poorly performed skills for boys.

The low prevalence of FMS mastery found in this survey suggests that there may be great potential to improve fundamental movement skills of primary aged children in many parts of rural Australia. Even if the aim were for children to achieve near mastery levels, the improvement could be substantial in every skill category. Where appropriate, gender differences in mastery might easily be addressed by tailored physical education programs and modification of social and physical environments.

A cost-effectiveness analysis of the management of sore throat in children in Australia

For the first time a cost-effectiveness analysis of the management of sore throat in Australian children has been conducted using accurate epidemiological data generated from recent Australian studies.

When do children begin to learn mathematics? Views of preschool practitioners in regional and rural Australia

Preschool directors, teachers, and assistants from regional and rural eastern Australia were interviewed in the autumn of 2008 to discover their knowledge and beliefs concerning whether young children had the capacity to solve mathematical problems, when young children begin to think mathematically, and their observations of children’s mathematics learning. Respondents overwhelmingly agreed that preschool children were capable of mathematical activity and thought. Fifty eight (88%) respondents believed that children had begun to exhibit mathematical thinking by age 3; 30 (46%) by their first birthday. Practitioners interviewed were able to provide examples of both incidental and planned mathematical activities across a breadth of content, including number and operations, measurement, geometry, and fundamental classifying and ordering activities. The practitioners also demonstrated a creditable awareness of children who seemed to have a good grasp of mathematics. Many practitioners realized that mathematical proclivity could be shown in the processes children use as they engaged in mathematical activity and solved mathematical problems.

Catholic intermarriages in Australia : attitudes to children, identity and sharing household responsibilities

A cursory glance of the human history shows a changing view about marriage on various aspects and levels. One of which is the level of people’s exploration leading to marriage with a spouse that may have different articles of faith.

This study’s focal concern is on Australia’s Catholics’ and Christians’ interfaith marriages, and its level of influence on attitudes to children, identity, and sharing household responsibilities. Expectations are predetermined from both parties but it can be discerned that with sound values, relationships can be rockbed strong.

Raising a family for two individuals with distinct spiritual formation can bring multidisciplinary results. It may be a source of inspiration not only for children seeing their parents respecting each other’s belief— for the love of fellow, own children, and especially the love that has flourished through the union of faith.