Pediatric sleep deficits represent a prevalent, albeit remediable, problem for school-age individuals (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Estimates of pediatric sleep deficits are variable, however the proportion of individuals exhibiting and reporting these deficits have shown an upward trajectory over the past 20 years, ranging…

The field investigating the relationship between physical activity and cognition has considerably evolved in recent years. This has led to an increasingly differentiated view on this phenomenon, challenging the notion of overall cognitive and academic benefits of regular physical activity for school-aged children, with renewed questioning of…

Goals: This study examined: (a) crystallized/fluid intelligence trajectories of adolescents and adults with Down syndrome; and (b) the contribution of endogenous (health, activities of daily living--ADL) and exogenous (cognitively stimulating leisure activities) factors on adults' intelligence with age. Method: Four cohorts (N = 80) with Down…

The importance of an integrated health promotion program has been proposed in recent years. However, the traditional program with lectures might decrease the effectiveness of learning. A game-based learning program provides a supportive social environment and further increases the quality of life and positive emotions. The present study evaluates…

An individual's identity related to health is critically important in terms of the adoption and maintenance of health behaviors, and guides approaches to health change across the lifespan. This article presents a review of the literature and proposes a health socialization and health identity framework, which may be used to clarify challenges in…

Early adolescence is a time of rapid cognitive, psychosocial, and physical development, and an array of contextual factors, such as systemic racism, exert significant influence. Universal behavioral health screening data of 4,234 middle school students were examined to explore the influence of demographic (e.g. ethnicity, race) and contextual…

Objective: Participation in recreational sport clubs on campus is a popular student activity nationwide. These sport-based organizations provide a host of benefits within recognized dimensions of health and wellness. Understanding participants' motives for engaging in these types of activities can provide insight in design and delivery and enhance…

Children in the 21st century are avid users of technology--more so than generations past. This rise in use has led to much attention on the consequences of technology use, and how this impacts children's brains and their socio-emotional, cognitive and physical development. Much of the research in these fields, especially brain-based research, is…

This review examines the psychological benefits exercise is connected to in healthy children and adolescents. Studies on the effect of exercise on academic performance, self-esteem, emotions, and mood were examined. Academic performance is found to be maintained when normal academic classes are reduced and replaced by an increase in exercise,…

This research sought to explore nutrition and related health issues of 151 households with children who participated in a survey addressing food access, food security, nutrition, health, food provisioning strategies, and barriers to optimal food consumption. This study explored the potential use of community food security strategies as a tool to…

Elevated levels of risky behavior in adolescence may signal developmental change in unconscious appraisal of risk. Yet, prior research examining adolescent risk judgment has used tasks that elicit conscious deliberation. The present study, in contrast, attempts to characterize age differences in (less conscious) intuitive impressions of risk.…

The period from adolescence through young adulthood is one of great promise and vulnerability. As teenagers approach maturity, they must develop and apply the skills and habits necessary to navigate adulthood and compete in an ever more technological and globalized world. But as parents and researchers have long known, there is a crucial dichotomy…

This article offers a brief and personal account of the historical background, implementation and principal findings from the Trois-Rivieres regional project, a large-scale quasi-experimental intervention that tested the impact of providing a daily hour of specialist-taught quality physical education upon the physical and mental development of…

An important developmental task during adolescence is learning to make decisions, experiencing the related positive and negative consequences, and learning from these outcomes. However, a youth's ability to make competent decisions is sometimes called into question because adolescence is also often a time of engagement in risky behaviors. This…

Despite the potential impact nutrition may have on learning, there have been surprisingly few papers published directed towards the educational research community. In contrast, omega-3 supplementation studies are being frequently cited in the media, leading to parents asking for advice and guidance. The purpose of this article is to review the…