Dr Anna Timperio gives a seminar on home and family determinants of overweight in children

Yesterday, Dr. Anna Timperio, of the Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research of Deakin University gave a seminar on her work on home and family environment determinants of physical activity, eating behaviors, sedentary activities and overweight in children. In her seminar she presented an overview of results of the CLAN and HEAPS studies, two longitudinal studies aiming to unravel why children become overweight or not. Her work shows that family environmental factors, such as example behavior of parents, doing physical acyivities together, and the availability of physical activity equipement in the home, appear to be more important than neighbourhood factors, for children's physical activity.