Debbie MacLellan - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Debbie MacLellan

Research paper thumbnail of Adolescence, Athletic Elitism, and Qualitative Methods

The intervention potential of physical activity programs for intermediate schools (grades 7–9), c... more The intervention potential of physical activity programs for intermediate schools (grades 7–9), could be enhanced by an understanding of how students engage with and disengage from physical activity. This study provides an interpretation of how adolescents, parents, teachers, and principals perceive students ’ involvement in physical activity within their intermediate school environment. Thematic analyses of eighteen interview transcripts resulted in an interpretation of students ’ continuum of engagement with or disengagement from physical activity. The continuum is reflective of a social process that is grounded in three key themes: school culture, social valuing of athletic elitism, and adolescent

Research paper thumbnail of Worth the Wait Tout vient � point

Can J Diet Pract Res, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Making a Difference To the Health of Canadians Am�liorer la sant� des Canadiens

Can J Diet Pract Res, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Predictors of adolescents not smoking: Student and school-level influences

Research paper thumbnail of Deepening our Relation-in-Practice

Research paper thumbnail of Swimming Upstream: Bringing Critical Dietetics into Conventional Practice

Food Policy, 2019

The aim of this chapter is to describe how dietitians are socialized in the early years of practi... more The aim of this chapter is to describe how dietitians are socialized in the early years of practice and the challenges dietitians face in incorporating the tenets of critical dietetics into their day-to-day practice.

Research paper thumbnail of On Beginning to Become Dietitians

<jats:p>This paper explores beginning dietetic practitioners' perspectives on the proce... more <jats:p>This paper explores beginning dietetic practitioners' perspectives on the process of becoming dietetics professionals through the use of vignettes to illuminate the complex process of professional socialization. Embedded in these vignettes are three themes related to the socialization process that occurs in the early years of dietetic practice: congruence, resilience, and relationships. Our findings indicate that new dietitians struggle to develop their dietitian identity. They feel unprepared for the relational and practice realities of the workplace and find the transition from dietetic intern to dietitian challenging. They seek many ways to cope including seeking support from others and planning for the future but some consider leaving the profession. It is important to understand the professional socialization and identity formation processes that occur during the early years of practice to ensure that dietitians feel prepared and supported as they begin their careers.</jats:p>

Research paper thumbnail of Dietetics: The unfinished bridge

Is there anyone on earth who has not felt disconnected or isolated since the Covid-19 pandemic be... more Is there anyone on earth who has not felt disconnected or isolated since the Covid-19 pandemic began? Travel has been largely curtailed, supply chains disrupted, higher education has gone mostly online, and mental illness has become a major issue everywhere. For many, it feels like our bridge to the 'normal' world has broken. Despite the many issues that we have all faced over the past year, Critical Dietetics has published its first newsletter and the Journal continues to receive excellent submissions. We are pleased to offer eight of them and a book review to you in this issue. Although seemingly disparate in nature, they cover topics that need to be a part of the conversation in Critical Dietetics in order to make our profession stronger.

Research paper thumbnail of Life Lessons: How an Ordinary Dietitian from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Became President of the First Canadian University in Egypt

How does an ordinary dietitian have an extraordinary career? What is the most important asset tha... more How does an ordinary dietitian have an extraordinary career? What is the most important asset that a dietitian has? Why is it important to take risks, be resilient, and challenge the status quo? In this article I answer these questions by sharing the highlights of my career and describing how I was socialized into the dietetics profession and ended up as the first female President of a Canadian university in Egypt.

Research paper thumbnail of A Province-wide School Nutrition Policy and Food Consumption in Elementary School Children in Prince Edward Island

Canadian Journal of Public Health

Although the majority of Canadian provinces have indicated that they have adopted new school nutr... more Although the majority of Canadian provinces have indicated that they have adopted new school nutrition policies, there have been few if any systematic evaluations of these policies. In Prince Edward Island, a nutrition policy for elementary schools was adopted province-wide in 2006. In the present study, we assessed the nutritional benefits of the new policy by examining changes in student food consumption prior to and one year following implementation of the policy. We surveyed fifth and sixth grade children from 11 elementary schools in Prince Edward Island in 2001/02 (pre-policy implementation) and fifth and sixth grade children from the same 11 schools in 2007 (post-policy implementation). Food consumption was assessed using a self-administered validated food frequency questionnaire. We applied multilevel logistic regression to compare pre-/post-policy implementation differences in the proportion of students meeting Canada&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s Food Guide recommendations for vegetables and fruit (VF) and milk and alternatives (MA) and in the proportion of students consuming &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 3 servings of low nutrient dense foods (LNDF) daily. Relative to students in 2001/02, students surveyed in 2007 were 2.14 (95% CI 1.62-2.82) times more likely to report consuming less than three daily servings of LNDF and were more likely to meet recommendations for VF (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.00-2.07) and MA (OR 1.27, 95% CI 0.98-1.64). The present study is the first in Canada to show favourable changes in student food consumption that parallel the introduction of a school nutrition policy.

Research paper thumbnail of Nutritional quality of children's school lunches: differences according to food source

Public Health Nutrition, 2012

ObjectiveTo assess the nutritional quality of lunchtime food consumption among elementary-school ... more ObjectiveTo assess the nutritional quality of lunchtime food consumption among elementary-school children on Prince Edward Island according to the source of food consumed (home v. school).DesignStudents completed a lunchtime food record during an in-class survey. Dietary adequacy was assessed by comparing median micronutrient intakes with one-third of the Estimated Average Requirement; median macronutrient intakes were compared with the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to assess differences in nutrient intakes according to source of food consumed.SettingElementary schools in Prince Edward Island, Canada.SubjectsGrade 5 and 6 students (n 1980).ResultsFoods purchased at school were higher in nutrient density for ten micronutrients (Ca, Mg, K, Zn, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12) compared with packed lunch foods from home, which were higher in three micronutrients (Fe, vitamin C and folate). School...

Research paper thumbnail of Predictors of physical activity, healthy eating and being smoke-free in teens: A theory of planned behaviour approach

Psychology & Health, 2010

and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study pu... more and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.

Research paper thumbnail of Developing School Nutrition Policies: Enabling and Barrier Factors

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2009

Purpose: The study was conducted to identify the enabling and barrier factors in the development ... more Purpose: The study was conducted to identify the enabling and barrier factors in the development of nutrition policies in Prince Edward Island elementary and consolidated schools. Methods: A document review and in-depth interviews were conducted with key stakeholders (n=12). Results: Principals were identified as important champions for change. Working group members created an interface between the school world and the nutrition world, and drew upon common philosophical ground to work together to lead the change process. Successfully navigating the process of policy development required building a case for change, testing policies in the real world, integrating healthy eating within school life, offering support to schools, engaging participants, and acknowledging the need to weigh the costs and benefits of the change. At times, external pressures on schools and available foods varied in the extent to which they enabled or challenged policy development. Finally, resource limitations...

Research paper thumbnail of The influence of student-level normative, control and behavioral beliefs on staying smoke-free: An application of Ajzen's theory of planned behavior

Addiction Research & Theory, 2009

... Smoking behavior Was measured via one item: “Think about the last 30 days. Did you smoke a ci... more ... Smoking behavior Was measured via one item: “Think about the last 30 days. Did you smoke a cigarette, even just a few puffs?” rated on a scale from 1 (every day) to 5 (not at all) (Cameron et al. 1999a). ... Therefore, basing a smoke-free intervention on these findings may ...

Research paper thumbnail of Implementing Elementary School Nutrition Policy: Principals' Perspectives

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2011

Purpose: We assessed principals’ perceptions about the level of school nutrition policy (SNP) imp... more Purpose: We assessed principals’ perceptions about the level of school nutrition policy (SNP) implementation in Prince Edward Island elementary schools, objectively evaluated how closely elementary schools are following SNP regulations for types and frequency of foods offered at school, and explored principals’ beliefs about the key enablers and barriers to SNP implementation. Methods: Phase I involved a cross-sectional survey of principals’ assessment of perceived and actual adherence to SNP components. Phase II included in-depth interviews to explore principals’ perceptions about factors influencing policy adherence. Descriptive statistics were generated. Thematic content analysis was used to identify themes. Results: Forty-one (93%) principals participated in Phase I, and nine of these participated in Phase II. The level of implementation of SNP components varied. Seventy-four percent of all foods sold were categorized as allowed by the SNP; 68% of schools sold at least one “not ...

Research paper thumbnail of Physical Activity in Intermediate Schools: The Interplay of School Culture, Adolescent Challenges, and Athletic Elitism

The Qualitative Report, Jun 1, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Screening for nutritional risk among community-dwelling elderly on Prince Edward Island

Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de santé publique

The purpose of this survey was to estimate the prevalence of nutritional risk among a group of co... more The purpose of this survey was to estimate the prevalence of nutritional risk among a group of community-dwelling older persons on Prince Edward Island, aged 70 years and over, and to examine the relationships between health-related factors and nutritional risk. Subjects (n = 215) were interviewed as part of the 1996 Canadian Study of Health and Aging. The prevalence of nutritional risk, as measured by the DETERMINE checklist, in PEI seniors was 37.1% (95% CI = 36.3, 37.9). The prevalence was estimated at 47% after adjusting for the sensitivity and specificity of the checklist. Only pain was a significant predictor of the presence or absence of nutritional risk (logistic regression, p = 0.05). The only predictor to discriminate between the three categories of no nutritional risk, moderate risk, and high risk was depression (Kruskal-Wallis, p = 0.035). Several limitations were identified with the use of the DETERMINE checklist.

Research paper thumbnail of What Do Adults in Prince Edward Island : Know About Nutrition?

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2007

Purpose: To assess adults’ knowledge of dietary recommendations, food sources of key nutrients, f... more Purpose: To assess adults’ knowledge of dietary recommendations, food sources of key nutrients, food choices, and diet-disease relationships. Methods: A previously validated survey, designed to assess nutrition knowledge, was adapted for use in Prince Edward Island and mailed to a random sample of 3,500 adults (aged 18 to 74). Dillman's Total Design Method was followed and a response rate of 26.4% achieved. Mean scores and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the overall survey and for each section. Demographic variations were assessed by univariate analysis. Results: Of an overall possible score of 110 points, the mean score with 95% CI was 71.0 (70.1, 71.9). Respondents scored higher on the sections on dietary recommendations, food sources, and food choices than diet-disease relationships. Demographic differences existed in gender, age, education, and income. Findings suggest that adults have good general knowledge of dietary recommendations, but lack knowledge a...

Research paper thumbnail of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption: Benefits and Barriers

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2004

Few people on Prince Edward Island meet the goal of consuming five or more servings of vegetables... more Few people on Prince Edward Island meet the goal of consuming five or more servings of vegetables and fruit a day. The main objective of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of the nutritional benefits and barriers to vegetable and fruit intake among adult women in Prince Edward Island. Participants were 40 women aged 20-49, with or without children at home, who were or were not currently meeting the objective of eating five or more fruit and vegetable servings a day. In-home, one-on-one interviews were used for data collection. Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed interviews. Data were examined for trustworthiness in the context of credibility, transferability, and dependability. Most participants identified one or more benefits of eating fruit and vegetables; however, comments tended to be non-specific. The main barriers that participants identified were effort, lack of knowledge, sociopsychological and socioenvironmental factors, and availability. I...

Research paper thumbnail of Professional socialization in dietetics: A review of the literature

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Adolescence, Athletic Elitism, and Qualitative Methods

The intervention potential of physical activity programs for intermediate schools (grades 7–9), c... more The intervention potential of physical activity programs for intermediate schools (grades 7–9), could be enhanced by an understanding of how students engage with and disengage from physical activity. This study provides an interpretation of how adolescents, parents, teachers, and principals perceive students ’ involvement in physical activity within their intermediate school environment. Thematic analyses of eighteen interview transcripts resulted in an interpretation of students ’ continuum of engagement with or disengagement from physical activity. The continuum is reflective of a social process that is grounded in three key themes: school culture, social valuing of athletic elitism, and adolescent

Research paper thumbnail of Worth the Wait Tout vient � point

Can J Diet Pract Res, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Making a Difference To the Health of Canadians Am�liorer la sant� des Canadiens

Can J Diet Pract Res, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Predictors of adolescents not smoking: Student and school-level influences

Research paper thumbnail of Deepening our Relation-in-Practice

Research paper thumbnail of Swimming Upstream: Bringing Critical Dietetics into Conventional Practice

Food Policy, 2019

The aim of this chapter is to describe how dietitians are socialized in the early years of practi... more The aim of this chapter is to describe how dietitians are socialized in the early years of practice and the challenges dietitians face in incorporating the tenets of critical dietetics into their day-to-day practice.

Research paper thumbnail of On Beginning to Become Dietitians

<jats:p>This paper explores beginning dietetic practitioners' perspectives on the proce... more <jats:p>This paper explores beginning dietetic practitioners' perspectives on the process of becoming dietetics professionals through the use of vignettes to illuminate the complex process of professional socialization. Embedded in these vignettes are three themes related to the socialization process that occurs in the early years of dietetic practice: congruence, resilience, and relationships. Our findings indicate that new dietitians struggle to develop their dietitian identity. They feel unprepared for the relational and practice realities of the workplace and find the transition from dietetic intern to dietitian challenging. They seek many ways to cope including seeking support from others and planning for the future but some consider leaving the profession. It is important to understand the professional socialization and identity formation processes that occur during the early years of practice to ensure that dietitians feel prepared and supported as they begin their careers.</jats:p>

Research paper thumbnail of Dietetics: The unfinished bridge

Is there anyone on earth who has not felt disconnected or isolated since the Covid-19 pandemic be... more Is there anyone on earth who has not felt disconnected or isolated since the Covid-19 pandemic began? Travel has been largely curtailed, supply chains disrupted, higher education has gone mostly online, and mental illness has become a major issue everywhere. For many, it feels like our bridge to the 'normal' world has broken. Despite the many issues that we have all faced over the past year, Critical Dietetics has published its first newsletter and the Journal continues to receive excellent submissions. We are pleased to offer eight of them and a book review to you in this issue. Although seemingly disparate in nature, they cover topics that need to be a part of the conversation in Critical Dietetics in order to make our profession stronger.

Research paper thumbnail of Life Lessons: How an Ordinary Dietitian from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Became President of the First Canadian University in Egypt

How does an ordinary dietitian have an extraordinary career? What is the most important asset tha... more How does an ordinary dietitian have an extraordinary career? What is the most important asset that a dietitian has? Why is it important to take risks, be resilient, and challenge the status quo? In this article I answer these questions by sharing the highlights of my career and describing how I was socialized into the dietetics profession and ended up as the first female President of a Canadian university in Egypt.

Research paper thumbnail of A Province-wide School Nutrition Policy and Food Consumption in Elementary School Children in Prince Edward Island

Canadian Journal of Public Health

Although the majority of Canadian provinces have indicated that they have adopted new school nutr... more Although the majority of Canadian provinces have indicated that they have adopted new school nutrition policies, there have been few if any systematic evaluations of these policies. In Prince Edward Island, a nutrition policy for elementary schools was adopted province-wide in 2006. In the present study, we assessed the nutritional benefits of the new policy by examining changes in student food consumption prior to and one year following implementation of the policy. We surveyed fifth and sixth grade children from 11 elementary schools in Prince Edward Island in 2001/02 (pre-policy implementation) and fifth and sixth grade children from the same 11 schools in 2007 (post-policy implementation). Food consumption was assessed using a self-administered validated food frequency questionnaire. We applied multilevel logistic regression to compare pre-/post-policy implementation differences in the proportion of students meeting Canada&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s Food Guide recommendations for vegetables and fruit (VF) and milk and alternatives (MA) and in the proportion of students consuming &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 3 servings of low nutrient dense foods (LNDF) daily. Relative to students in 2001/02, students surveyed in 2007 were 2.14 (95% CI 1.62-2.82) times more likely to report consuming less than three daily servings of LNDF and were more likely to meet recommendations for VF (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.00-2.07) and MA (OR 1.27, 95% CI 0.98-1.64). The present study is the first in Canada to show favourable changes in student food consumption that parallel the introduction of a school nutrition policy.

Research paper thumbnail of Nutritional quality of children's school lunches: differences according to food source

Public Health Nutrition, 2012

ObjectiveTo assess the nutritional quality of lunchtime food consumption among elementary-school ... more ObjectiveTo assess the nutritional quality of lunchtime food consumption among elementary-school children on Prince Edward Island according to the source of food consumed (home v. school).DesignStudents completed a lunchtime food record during an in-class survey. Dietary adequacy was assessed by comparing median micronutrient intakes with one-third of the Estimated Average Requirement; median macronutrient intakes were compared with the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to assess differences in nutrient intakes according to source of food consumed.SettingElementary schools in Prince Edward Island, Canada.SubjectsGrade 5 and 6 students (n 1980).ResultsFoods purchased at school were higher in nutrient density for ten micronutrients (Ca, Mg, K, Zn, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12) compared with packed lunch foods from home, which were higher in three micronutrients (Fe, vitamin C and folate). School...

Research paper thumbnail of Predictors of physical activity, healthy eating and being smoke-free in teens: A theory of planned behaviour approach

Psychology & Health, 2010

and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study pu... more and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.

Research paper thumbnail of Developing School Nutrition Policies: Enabling and Barrier Factors

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2009

Purpose: The study was conducted to identify the enabling and barrier factors in the development ... more Purpose: The study was conducted to identify the enabling and barrier factors in the development of nutrition policies in Prince Edward Island elementary and consolidated schools. Methods: A document review and in-depth interviews were conducted with key stakeholders (n=12). Results: Principals were identified as important champions for change. Working group members created an interface between the school world and the nutrition world, and drew upon common philosophical ground to work together to lead the change process. Successfully navigating the process of policy development required building a case for change, testing policies in the real world, integrating healthy eating within school life, offering support to schools, engaging participants, and acknowledging the need to weigh the costs and benefits of the change. At times, external pressures on schools and available foods varied in the extent to which they enabled or challenged policy development. Finally, resource limitations...

Research paper thumbnail of The influence of student-level normative, control and behavioral beliefs on staying smoke-free: An application of Ajzen's theory of planned behavior

Addiction Research & Theory, 2009

... Smoking behavior Was measured via one item: “Think about the last 30 days. Did you smoke a ci... more ... Smoking behavior Was measured via one item: “Think about the last 30 days. Did you smoke a cigarette, even just a few puffs?” rated on a scale from 1 (every day) to 5 (not at all) (Cameron et al. 1999a). ... Therefore, basing a smoke-free intervention on these findings may ...

Research paper thumbnail of Implementing Elementary School Nutrition Policy: Principals' Perspectives

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2011

Purpose: We assessed principals’ perceptions about the level of school nutrition policy (SNP) imp... more Purpose: We assessed principals’ perceptions about the level of school nutrition policy (SNP) implementation in Prince Edward Island elementary schools, objectively evaluated how closely elementary schools are following SNP regulations for types and frequency of foods offered at school, and explored principals’ beliefs about the key enablers and barriers to SNP implementation. Methods: Phase I involved a cross-sectional survey of principals’ assessment of perceived and actual adherence to SNP components. Phase II included in-depth interviews to explore principals’ perceptions about factors influencing policy adherence. Descriptive statistics were generated. Thematic content analysis was used to identify themes. Results: Forty-one (93%) principals participated in Phase I, and nine of these participated in Phase II. The level of implementation of SNP components varied. Seventy-four percent of all foods sold were categorized as allowed by the SNP; 68% of schools sold at least one “not ...

Research paper thumbnail of Physical Activity in Intermediate Schools: The Interplay of School Culture, Adolescent Challenges, and Athletic Elitism

The Qualitative Report, Jun 1, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Screening for nutritional risk among community-dwelling elderly on Prince Edward Island

Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de santé publique

The purpose of this survey was to estimate the prevalence of nutritional risk among a group of co... more The purpose of this survey was to estimate the prevalence of nutritional risk among a group of community-dwelling older persons on Prince Edward Island, aged 70 years and over, and to examine the relationships between health-related factors and nutritional risk. Subjects (n = 215) were interviewed as part of the 1996 Canadian Study of Health and Aging. The prevalence of nutritional risk, as measured by the DETERMINE checklist, in PEI seniors was 37.1% (95% CI = 36.3, 37.9). The prevalence was estimated at 47% after adjusting for the sensitivity and specificity of the checklist. Only pain was a significant predictor of the presence or absence of nutritional risk (logistic regression, p = 0.05). The only predictor to discriminate between the three categories of no nutritional risk, moderate risk, and high risk was depression (Kruskal-Wallis, p = 0.035). Several limitations were identified with the use of the DETERMINE checklist.

Research paper thumbnail of What Do Adults in Prince Edward Island : Know About Nutrition?

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2007

Purpose: To assess adults’ knowledge of dietary recommendations, food sources of key nutrients, f... more Purpose: To assess adults’ knowledge of dietary recommendations, food sources of key nutrients, food choices, and diet-disease relationships. Methods: A previously validated survey, designed to assess nutrition knowledge, was adapted for use in Prince Edward Island and mailed to a random sample of 3,500 adults (aged 18 to 74). Dillman's Total Design Method was followed and a response rate of 26.4% achieved. Mean scores and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the overall survey and for each section. Demographic variations were assessed by univariate analysis. Results: Of an overall possible score of 110 points, the mean score with 95% CI was 71.0 (70.1, 71.9). Respondents scored higher on the sections on dietary recommendations, food sources, and food choices than diet-disease relationships. Demographic differences existed in gender, age, education, and income. Findings suggest that adults have good general knowledge of dietary recommendations, but lack knowledge a...

Research paper thumbnail of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption: Benefits and Barriers

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2004

Few people on Prince Edward Island meet the goal of consuming five or more servings of vegetables... more Few people on Prince Edward Island meet the goal of consuming five or more servings of vegetables and fruit a day. The main objective of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of the nutritional benefits and barriers to vegetable and fruit intake among adult women in Prince Edward Island. Participants were 40 women aged 20-49, with or without children at home, who were or were not currently meeting the objective of eating five or more fruit and vegetable servings a day. In-home, one-on-one interviews were used for data collection. Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed interviews. Data were examined for trustworthiness in the context of credibility, transferability, and dependability. Most participants identified one or more benefits of eating fruit and vegetables; however, comments tended to be non-specific. The main barriers that participants identified were effort, lack of knowledge, sociopsychological and socioenvironmental factors, and availability. I...

Research paper thumbnail of Professional socialization in dietetics: A review of the literature

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2011