The Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) is joining forces with award winning health and fitness organisation The Forum, managed by Newcastle University Sport (NUsport), to improve the health of currentand future generations.
HMRI and The Forum will launch a new research partnership to investigate ways ofincreasing children?s interest in sport, physical activity and long-term participation in sport.
The study, to be conducted by researchers Dr Christine Paul and Dr Erica James, is funded by The Forum andwas announced today as part of the organisation?s further commitment to reducing childhood obesity in theHunter.
The HMRI and The Forum research partnership was established to identify the proportion of children whoincrease their sporting activity following attendance at The Forum Holiday Camps.
The study will begin during the winter school holidays and will continue for approximately six months. Duringthis time children, with the assistance of their parents, will participate in a series of questionnaires.
?The rate of childhood obesity has risen greatly in many nations in the past 20 years. Physical activity plays animportant role in preventing or reducing the severity of the condition but little is known about how to increaseand maintain children?s involvement in organised sporting activity,? said Dr Christine Paul from the Centre forHealth Research and Psycho-oncology (CHeRP)* and the University of Newcastle.
?This research will involve children aged between 5 and 12 and will help us identify whether involvement inThe Forum Holiday Camp itself increases children?s interest in particular sports and whether that interesttranslates into increased long-term activity.?
The Forum General Manager, Samantha Martin-Williams, said that the partnership was built upon strong linksbetween HMRI and the Hunter?s health and fitness sector.
?Our relationship with the University of Newcastle and our partnerships with organisations like HMRI provideus with the unique opportunity to use sound knowledge and research to develop programs for the widercommunity,? she said.
?Through this partnership study we hope to assist our industry and the wider community to improve our kids?physical activity and their health.
?We hope that this HMRI partnership will help us understand ways that we can tackle one of this region?sgreatest health issues ? reducing the incidence of childhood obesity.?