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A Canadian peer-reviewed journal of population health and health services research

September 2012

Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents: Results from the 2009 to 2011 Canadian Health Measures Survey

by Karen C. Roberts, Margot Shields, Margaret de Groh, Alfred Aziz and Jo-Anne Gilbert

Since the late 1970s, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has risen among children and adolescents in Canada. Excess weight in childhood has been linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, poor emotional health, and diminished social well-being. As well, obese children tend to become obese adults, making childhood obesity a public health concern.

Comparison of waist circumference using the World Health Organization and National Institutes of Health protocols

by Jennifer Patry-Parisien, Margot Shields and Shirley Bryan

Waist circumference (WC) is an important independent measure in the assessment of obesity-related health risk. The 2003 Canadian Guidelines for Weight Classification in Adults recommended that WC be measured on all persons with a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 34.9 kg/m², using the World Health Organization (WHO) measurement protocol. In 2006, based on recommendations from an expert panel, the Canadian clinical practice guidelines on the management and prevention of obesity in adults and children suggested that practitioners use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) method to measure WC. Two years later, the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) adopted the NIH method as part of the measurement protocols in the Canadian Physical Activity and Fitness Lifestyle Approach.

August 2012

Unintentional injury hospitalizations among children and youth in areas with a high percentage of Aboriginal identity residents: 2001/2002 to 2005/2006

by Lisa N. Oliver and Dafna E. Kohen

Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death and morbidity among Canadian children. Not only are injuries associated with increased health care costs, hospitalizations and physician care, but injuries sustained in childhood also have consequences that can last throughout the lifecourse. For these reasons, childhood injuries have been identifi ed as a public health issue. Among Aboriginal children, in particular, injury rates have been reported to be relatively high.

Cause-specific mortality by education in Canada: A 16-year follow-up study

by Michael Tjepkema, Russell Wilkins and Andrea Long

The social, economic and environmental conditions that people experience throughout their lives are the most important influences on their health. Known as the social determinants of health, these factors include income, occupation, living conditions, and importantly, education.

July 2012

Area-based methods to calculate hospitalization rates for the foreign-born population in Canada, 2005/2006

by Gisèle Carrière, Paul A. Peters and Claudia Sanmartin

By 2031, it is projected that 28% of Canada's population could be foreign-born, up from about 20% in 2006. Understanding patterns of health care use among this growing segment of the population is important for the planning and delivery of services. While evidence suggests better health among the foreign-born compared with people born in Canada, much of that research is based on survey data. Those studies are typically constrained by small sample sizes that limit area-level comparisons. Furthermore, analysis based on survey data may be subject to recall bias or affected by linguistic and cultural barriers.

Informal caregiving for seniors

by Annie Turner and Leanne Findlay

As Canadians age, informal caregiving becomes increasingly important to the well-being of seniors. According to the 2008/2009 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)–Healthy Aging, an estimated 3.8 million Canadians who were aged 45 or older (35%) were providing informal care to a senior with a short- or long-term health condition. Informal caregivers—family and friends who provide unpaid assistance with tasks such as transportation and personal care—help seniors remain in their homes, thereby reducing demands on the health care system. Moreover, remaining in one's home is usually the preference of seniors themselves.

Mortality rates among children and teenagers living in Inuit Nunangat, 1994 to 2008

by Lisa N. Oliver, Paul A. Peters and Dafna E. Kohen

A number of recent studies have examined life expectancy, mortality, hospitalization, and other health indicators for the four Inuit Nunangat land claim regions. Life expectancy at birth for residents of that area is 6 to 11 years less than for people in the rest of Canada, and the infant mortality rate is higher. To date, child and youth mortality rates for residents of Inuit Nunangat have not been calculated.