Youth 13-19

Hear Me, Understand Me, Support Me: What Young Women Want You to Know about Depression explores the diverse challenges that young women experience in relation to depression; prevention strategies; healthy helping relationships; the dos and don’ts of working with young women; and referrals and resources that can provide more information.

Contents

I Introduction – What is the VALIDITY♀ Project?
II Girls Talk: A Program that Aims to Prevent Depression in Young Women from CAMH
III Project Resources for Providers
IV Lessons Learned

--submitted by Cathy Thompson, Project Lead, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

I Introduction– What is the VALIDITY♀ Project?

Active Healthy Kids Canada has released its fifth Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. This year, the focus of the report is on the important role physical activity plays in facilitating learning and academic performance. Children and youth who are more physically active showed improved memory, concentration and attention span - leading to better results in school.

The report card also highlights inequities in physical activity - especially for low-income children and youth and those with disabilities.

Some findings to note are:

Type of Resource: Article
 Bray, G.A. (2003). Evaluation of obesity, Who are the obese?, Postgraduate Medicine, 114 (6), 19-27, 38.

Evans, J. (2003). Physical education and health: A polemic or 'let them eat cake!', European Physical Education Review. 9(1), 87-101.

Flegal, K.M. Graubard, B.I., Williamson, D.F., & Gail, M.H. (2005). Excess deaths associated with underweight, overweight, and obesity, Journal of American Medical Association, 293, 15, 1861-1867.

 Nestle, M. and Jacobson, M.F. (Jan/Feb 2000).Public Health Reports, Vol. 115, 12-25.

"The paper, "Halting the Obesity Epidemic: A Public Health Policy Approach," urges legislators, researchers, educators, businesses, urban planners, transportation experts, and nonprofit groups to approach obesity in a more creative way and to take immediate action. Specific recommendations include:
* Mounting large scale mass-media campaigns to promote healthier diets and physical activity;

c/o Ophea

1185 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 501

Toronto ON, M3C 3C6

Tel: (416) 426-7120

Fax: (416) 426-7373
livingschool@ophea.net
 

 Obesity and Body Image
* Obesity, OHPE Bulletin 243.1, January 25, 2002, http://www.ohpe.ca/ebulletin/ViewFeatures.cfm?ISSUE_ID=243&startrow=1
* Promoting Healthy Body Image in Girls and Women, OHPE Bulletin 143.1, February 11, 2000, http://www.ohpe.ca/ebulletin/ViewFeatures.cfm?ISSUE_ID=143&startrow=1

Healthy Schools

I Introduction

II Bodies at Risk, Fat Stats and Fostering Fear

III A Culture of Activity Case Study: Ophea's Living School Initiative

IV Conclusion

V References



-- by Margaret MacNeill, PhD, Centre for Girls' and Women's Health and Physical Activity, Faculty of PE & Health, University of Toronto, margaret.macneill@utoronto.ca



Margaret MacNeill, is an associate professor at the University of Toronto in the Faculty of Physical Education and Health. She is also cross appointed to Public Health Sciences where she teaches health communication. Her current research interests include youth understandings of fitness and health, active media literacy, and media productions of obesity narratives and health scares.

 Shields, M. (July 2005). Overweight Canadian Children and Youth, Nutrition: Findings from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Retrieved July 22, 2005.

Tjepkema, M. (July 2005). Adult Obesity in Canada: Measured Height and Weight and Overweight Canadian Children and Youth, Nutrition: Findings from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Retrieved July 22, 2005.

Type of Resource: Book