CATCH in Canada

by James Mandigo, PhD, Nancy Francis, PhD, and Ken Lodewyk, PhD

Department of Physical Education and Kinesiology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada

The introduction of the Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) to Canada could not have come at a better time. Much like many countries around the world, Canada is facing an obesity crisis due mainly to physical inactivity and poor nutritional choices. Currently, 56% of Canadian adults are considered inactive with only 20% classified as being active (Craig & Cameron, 2004). This has led to our health care system being overburdened and left the taxpayers with a large bill to pay. In 2001, the economic burden of illnesses or injuries associated with physical inactivity was $5.3 billion ($1.6 billion in direct costs, $3.7 billion in indirect costs). This represented 2.6% of all health care costs in Canada that year (Katzmarzyk & Janssen, 2004). The concerns surrounding these alarming expenditures are enhanced given the current physical inactivity rates of Canadian children and youth.

In 2000, 57% of Canadian children and youth aged five to seventeen years were not sufficiently active to meet international guidelines for optimal growth and development (Craig, Cameron, Storm, Russell, & Beaulieu, 2001). For adolescents, this number increased from 64% in 2000 (Craig et al., 2001) to 82% in 2002 (Craig & Cameron, 2004). Girls in particular appear to be most at risk. In 2000, only 30% of girls and 40% of boys were considered active enough (Craig et al., 2001). By 2002, this number had decreased to a distressing rate of 12% for girls and 24% for boys (Craig & Cameron, 2004). Given the evidence from previous research that physical inactivity during childhood and adolescence is associated with physical inactivity throughout adulthood (Armstrong, 2001; Malina, 1994; Telama, Yang, Laakso, & Viikari, 1997), the economic costs and the burden placed on our health care system are only expected to rise accordingly as this inactive population ages.

To address the concerns noted above, schools have been identified as the most important venue to provide children with the attitudes, skills, and knowledge to lead active healthy lifestyles (e.g., Alberta Learning, 2000). However, concerns have risen surrounding the quality of these programs given the lack of government funding and support for physical education in Canada (Hardman & Marshall, 2000; Tremblay, Pella, & Taylor, 1996). This is where CATCH can provide an important contribution to the health and well-being of children and youth across Canada .

As has been previously demonstrated, (e.g., Luepker et al., 1996; Nader et al., 1999; Osganian, Parcel, & Stone, 2003 ) students who take part in CATCH programs have healthier body weights, make better nutritional choices, are more physically activity during physical education and outside of scheduled instructional time, and often perform better academically. It is because of this evidence that Brock University has supported the initial implementation of CATCH within Canada .

The Beginning of CATCH in Canada

In April of 2006, Peter Cribb was invited as the keynote speaker at the inaugural Brock Active Living Conference. This conference was the culminating project for 4 th year undergraduate students specializing in Physical Education. In addition to planning, organizing, and administering the conference, students were required to develop a new active living program for a particular population to demonstrate the benefits of active living. Some students designed a new physical literacy program that integrates other subject areas into the elementary physical education programs. Others designed leadership programs for secondary students or focused on non-school aged participants by developing activities for the workplace and physical activities for seniors that matched Canada 's Fitness Guide. However, it was the keynote address by Peter that set the tone for the conference. You see, CATCH started out much like the programs that the students developed and were presenting during that conference. Peter challenged students to implement evidence-based programs throughout their careers and to ensure that programs are implemented based on best practices.

After planting the seed for future development, researchers at Brock University secured a provincial grant from the Ministry of Health Promotion that facilitated the implementation of CATCH into local schools. A training session led by Peter Cribb and Joey Walker that brought potential CATCH practioners from across Canada together for three days of intense, yet stimulating professional development through CATCH. Researchers at Brock University have recently created “movement teams” of undergraduate students in the Department of Physical Education and Kinesiology who are working with local schools to implement and pilot the first CATCH programs in Canada . These pilot sites are taking place in aboriginal schools and local public schools to help raise awareness of how to successfully implement CATCH in local schools. Results of the pilot project are expected by next summer (2007).

As we move forward with our friends and partners from CATCH, we are excited to learn from the great success of the program in the United States over the past 15 years, but also to put a uniquely Canadian spin on the program and hopefully help create new and innovative ideas that we can all learn from. Hang on to your hats and get ready to CATCH the Canadian wave!

Direct costs were defined as: “… the values of goods and services for which payment was made and resources were used in treatment, care, and rehabilitation related to illness or injury” (Katzmarzyk & Janssen, 2004, p. 100).

Indirect costs were defined as: “… the value of economic output lost because of illness, injury-related work disability, or premature death” (Katzmarzyk & Janssen, 2004, p. 100).

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