Elementary Wellness Project
HERG appreciates the contribution of its’ partners, the NB Department of Wellness, Culture & Sport, l'Université de Moncton, University of Waterloo,and the Departments of Education.
This project builds upon last year’s NB Student Wellness Survey for Grades 6-12 and is contributing to the NB Wellness Strategy and to the When Kids Come First Education Plan.
This youth mobilization initiative is based on theoretical model designed to increase self-determination of youth in pursuing personal goals and wellness.
The purpose of this research is to provide a provincial profile on the four key wellness areas:
- Physical activity
- Healthy eating
- Tobacco-free living
- Mental fitness
It is hoped that the outcomes of this project will assist in the development of school and community-based activities for promoting healthy lifestyle behaviours.
Active consent of parents/guardians is required before data collection can occur in the following four areas:
- A Home Wellness Survey to Parents/Guardians of Students at the K-5 Level: The Home Wellness Survey contains questions related to food choices, eating routines, level of and opportunities for physical activity, tobacco use and exposure, as well as items relating to school connectedness and climate. Parents complete the 10 minute survey at home.
- A Student Wellness Survey to Students in Grades 4 and 5: The Student Wellness Survey takes about 20 minutes for students to complete. It contains questions related to food choices, eating routines, level of and opportunities for physical activity, tobacco exposure, as well as items relating to school connectedness and climate.
- Direct Measures of Students in Grades 1, 3, and 5: Direct measurements include the standing & sitting height, weight, waist and hip circumferences of students. The direct measure data collection will be undertaken adhering to the National Guidelines of Statistics Canada’s Canadian Health Measures Survey.
- Physical Activity Measure of Students in Grade 5: Grade 5 students are provided with a physical activity monitor to record physical activity over a 7 day period. Each monitor collects data on daily steps, distances travelled, calories burned and the aerobic activity of each student. Students are asked to maintain their normal daily routine.
