Objective: In this study, we investigate university students to learn about their barriers to improving and/or maintaining a healthy lifestyle and their needs and interests regarding the development of a tailored intervention to promote physical activity and a healthy diet. Participants: The qualitative research included three focus groups…

Student mental health and well-being are increasing concerns in higher education. This exploratory study examined students' learning in a mindfulness programme incorporated into an undergraduate class. Six brief mindfulness-based practices were introduced: mindfulness meditation, walking meditation, body scan, mindful eating, loving-kindness and…

Objectives: An increasing number of nutrition policies have been implemented in Ontario schools as part of a concerted effort to address students' well-being. This article explores understandings of biological differences in nutrition requirements between young men and women and the extent to which these differences are (re)produced in social…

Background: Media literacy skills are needed to navigate high levels of food marketing promoting the consumption of unhealthy foods. Health-promoting media literacy education encourages children to use analytical skills to critically examine media messages in order to make informed health choices. Objective: To evaluate the influence of media…

Canadian post-secondary students are vulnerable to food insecurity, yet lack of examination of this issue has prevented identification of policy and program solutions. This mixed-methods study aimed to characterize the experience of food insecurity among undergraduate students by eliciting barriers to food security, strategies used to manage food…

The Community Cooking Workshops (CCWs) are free, bi-weekly, hands-on, cooking and nutrition education workshops for international students facilitated by the Simon Fraser University (SFU) Peer Health Educators (PHEs). The impacts of the CCWs on international student nutrition knowledge, behavior change, and social outcomes were examined. Data was…

Discourses around Study Abroad (SA) consistently portray a transformational experience for participants who return home forever changed. This article investigates how such change is inscribed in texts addressed to Australian tertiary students considering SA. Acknowledging the significant role of the non-study component of SA in triggering change,…

Background: Frequent fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption is protective against some cancers, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases. This study explores self-reported frequency of FV consumption in a nationally generalizable sample of Canadian youth in grades 6-12. Methods: Data from grades 6-12 students who participated in the…

Objective: To examine the independent and combined effects of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) variables and trait self-control (TSC) in the prediction of fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) among first-year university students. Participants: Seventy-six first-year undergraduate university students. Methods: In their first week of class…

To date, the impacts of school-based, peer-led nutrition education initiatives have not been summarized or assessed collectively. This review presents the current evidence, identifies knowledge gaps, and provides recommendations for future research. PubMed, Scopus, ERIC and Google Scholar were searched for refereed Canadian and American primary…

In recent years, media, health organizations and researchers have raised concern over the health of Canadian children and adolescents. Stakeholders have called on the government to confront the problem. Schools are seen as an ideal location for developing and implementing large-scale interventions because of the ease of access to large groups of…

Objective: To examine the effects of a Healthy Active Living (HAL) community intervention on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC), and psychosocial mediators of physical activity among students transitioning into university. Methods: Sixty undergraduate students were assigned to reside in either the…

Objective: This study examined students' perceptions of and suggestions for the Northern Fruit and Vegetable Program, a free, school-based fruit and vegetable snack program implemented in elementary schools in 2 regions of northern Ontario, Canada. Methods: This was a qualitative study involving 18 focus groups with students in 11 elementary…

We are delighted to welcome you to the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT) 2016, taking place in Lisbon, Portugal, from 30 of April to 2 of May, 2016. Psychology, nowadays, offers a large range of scientific fields where it can be applied. The goal of understanding individuals and groups (mental functions and…