[Fourth-year undergraduate student] Aidan Moir is one of the research assistants working on the with Professor Anne MacLennan [Communications Studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies].

"The objective of the Remembering Radio project is to record and save early memories of radio in the lives of everyday Canadians," Moir said. "The hope is to discover more about the role of radio in the homes and lives of ordinary Canadians from its inception."

The phase of the project involving local seniors is centred on listeners’ memories from the 1930s, he added, noting that studies of radio audience, their opinions, likes and dislikes, program preferences, and the role of Canadian radio, are rare.

"The information that the listeners from that time period have to share is very valuable to this project," she said.

The study is Canada-wide, but is weak in a number of areas, especially in British Columbia, Moir said.

She assured that no one interviewed for the study will incur cost.

Those taking part in the Remembering Radio will become part of history as the project will be folded into a book.

This research has been awarded a grant to interview Canadian listeners.  Email amaclenn@yorku.ca for the quickest response.  You can also leave messages at 416-736-2100 extension 33857.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile – 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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Are obese girls overweight because they eat poorly and don't get enough exercise or because their bodies don't burn off fat properly? asked :

Seems no one knows. But researchers at 91��ɫ want to find out.

They are conducting the first study in the world that looks at how girls burn fat, according to Professor Michael Riddell [School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health], who leads pioneering work on diabetes.

While there have been some studies done on how boys burn fat, with conflicting results, no one has looked at how girls burn fat, particularly during puberty, he said. "It's amazing there's so little done on females," Riddell said. "We're doing cutting-edge research. We're trying to identify why some girls are overweight or obese."

The study is part of a larger [project] funded by the federal government's being run by the .

To conduct their study, the 91��ɫ researchers need to look at the diets and exercise levels of girls between the ages of eight and 16. While they haven't had trouble finding lean girls to participate, recruiting overweight and obese girls has been a struggle.

With the body image problems girls face today, that isn't surprising, Riddell said.

But the girls' identities and all the information researchers gather about them is kept confidential, said graduate student Lisa Chu, who is running the project at 91��ɫ.

Girls who participate in the study will visit the university twice.

During the first visit, they will complete a questionnaire about their exercise and diet habits on week days and weekends and take part in an eight- to- 10-minute cycling test that gets progressively more difficult. The second visit involves a longer but less intense cycling evaluation.

Chu is hoping girls interested in participating may take advantage of March Break next week to volunteer.

The incentive to participate in the study is receiving a custom-made fitness regimen, hopefully something the girls can rely on to lead healthier lives for years to come, Riddell said.

"Having a custom exercise evaluation is something only the very rich can (usually) afford," he said.

Participants will also receive a $20 iTunes voucher.

To volunteer for the study, email Lisa Chu at lisachu@yorku.ca or call Michael Riddell 416-736-2100, ext. 40493.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile – 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

The post Research Volunteer Call: Overweight girls needed for pioneering 91��ɫ U research study appeared first on Research & Innovation.

The survey in 2006, asked students what they knew about climate change and resulted in more environmentally friendly course kits (see YFile, April 2, 2008); the assessed the value of urban forest on Keele campus; and the surveyed students about their food choices and needs.

This year's survey looks at volunteerism and engagement on campus. The theme arose following an open space event held during Earth Hour 2010, where community members expressed a desire to explore campus volunteerism and engagement as a means to improve campus sustainability. IRIS researchers felt that people would engage in initiatives that they care about, and by exploring the community’s values, interests and current involvement, a better sense could be achieved on how to structure and focus University initiatives.

91��ɫ students, staff, librarians and faculty will have an opportunity to voice their opinions on volunteerism and engagement via the IRIS survey. To participate, look for IRIS survey stations at the Keele and Glendon campuses, pick up the link from posters around campus, or visit the website. The survey closes Friday, Jan. 21.

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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She accepted the Institute of Aging at the annual conference of the Canadian Association on Gerontology in Montreal. The prize, which augments major scholarship funding she has already received, included the money, an invitation to the conference and, best of all, a chance to adjudicate research posters.

“It’s perfect timing for me,” says the first-year doctoral student in the Faculty of Health's School of Kinesiology & Health Science. “I’ll be able to see what’s going on in my field. Winning this award has been very motivating."

Hawkins started work this fall developing and evaluating a clinical assessment tool to measure visuomotor integration (hand-eye coordination) that could lead to early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. For this, CIHR is funding her research to the tune of $35,000 a year – $30,000 in salary plus $5,000 research allowance – for each of the next three years. It’s the biggest scholarship Hawkins has ever received.

Left: Kara Hawkins

Sit down with Hawkins at her corner desk in the office she shares with other graduate students and you’ll notice only one image taped to the wall next to her computer. “That’s my brain,” says the 27-year-old of the vertical MRI scan taken this fall in 91��ɫ’s new Neuroimaging Laboratory, located in the Sherman Health Science Research Centre.

The brain. Hawkins became fascinated with it early in her undergraduate years. "You can't understand behaviour without understanding the brain. That's what interested me most." She started studying psychology then branched into kinesiology. It was a natural detour. “I’m an athlete,” says the former varsity goalie who now plays forward for the Aurora Panthers and for the Ice-O-Topes, an intramural team at 91��ɫ. “I wanted to learn how the brain controls movement.”

After graduating in 2006, she jumped at an offer to work as a neuropsychology assistant at Baycrest, a centre specializing in geriatric research and care. “I’ve always been interested in clinical applications,” says Hawkins. Baycrest sparked an interest in aging and two years later she returned to 91��ɫ to pursue a master’s degree and neuroscience graduate diploma, delving deeper into the neurophysiology of complex motor control. She won three scholarships to do it and graduated last spring.

Now a doctoral student, she’s back in a clinical setting. At 91��ɫ Central Hospital, she is collaborating with the geriatric physician to diagnose aging patients who show signs of mental deterioration. Currently, doctors use language, cognition, memory and attention tests to score patients’ mental status out of 30. It’s an imprecise science, and Hawkins has developed and is testing a new measurement tool that could be more precise.

The tool looks like a laptop. There are two touch-sensitive screens, one vertical and the other horizontal (where the keyboard would normally be). The patient is instructed to reach for a target that appears on the vertical screen, at first directly with her hand and then more indirectly using the horizontal touch screen to manipulate a cursor. The test is not educationally or language biased, and Hawkins can determine which part of the brain the patient is using and the level of dysfunction based by the accuracy and speed of the response.

The brain is a complex network of communicating parts. When someone has dementia, the lines of communication deteriorate and misfire. Hawkins’ test aims to detect the breakdown in the visual-motor and cognitive-motor communication lines. “These touch-screen tracking tests tap into that.”

Hawkins is currently trying to recruit 60 to 90 patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and the same number who are aging normally. Over the next three years, she’ll test her diagnostic tool. She is particularly interested in finding out if it can detect early and more subtle stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Interested participants may contact her at karah@yorku.ca.

The earlier we can catch signs of mental deterioration, the more time there will be for intervention that could delay the onset, says Hawkins. Earlier and more precise diagnosis could lead to better education and better care for patients, she says.

Hawkins, now a member of the , is doing her research under the supervision of  Prof. Lauren Sergio, an expert in hand-eye coordination and director of 91��ɫ’s Sensorimotor Neuroscience Laboratory. When she’s finished her PhD, she hopes to continue exploring diseases associated with aging.

By Martha Tancock, YFile contributing writer

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A team of researchers from the Physical Activity & Chronic Disease Unit in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Health is working on a new research project investigating ways to prevent this disease and its complications from developing. The Pre-diabetes Detection & Physical Activity Intervention Delivery Project (PRE-PAID) is examining the effectiveness of community-based interventions on the prevention of Type 2 diabetes.

They are looking for Chinese, South Asian, African and African-Caribbean people who have pre-diabetes by screening members of these high-risk populations. 91��ɫ community members who are of these ethnicities are encouraged to take part in the project.

The project, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and the Ontario Trillium Foundation, is now working with the Black Creek Community Health Centre and other community organizations to recruit Chinese, South Asian, African and African-Caribbean people who are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes based on their age (40 to 64 years old), risk factors (family history and weight) and a lack of physical activity.

Half of these people will take part in a six-month, supervised exercise program (free of charge) that will include a variety of fun activities, including dance activities such as socacize, Bollywood, line dancing and other physical activities. The other half of the participants will take part in a six-week educational workshop that provides hands-on instruction for diabetes prevention, including information about diet and physical activity education.

The goal of the program is to prevent people who are pre-diabetic from developing Type 2 diabetes. Previous research has shown that regular exercise and diet are the most effective ways to reduce Type 2 diabetes risk.

If successful, this program will lead to many more similar programs in other communities and prove that community-based interventions are possible and effective in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes.

The PRE-PAID team will be hosting pre-diabetes screening sessions every Monday morning on the Keele campus, from 7:45 to 11am, in 120 Norman Bethune College. Screening sessions will take approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

If you fit the above risk profile and are interested in becoming a participant in the project, contact Chip Rowan, PRE-PAID project coordinator, at 647-378-6777 or stopdiab@yorku.ca.

For more information, please visit the Diabetes Prevention Program Web site.

The post 91��ɫ's Diabetes Prevention Program seeking volunteers for diabetes research study appeared first on Research & Innovation.

The study, funded by the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada, provides researchers with a unique opportunity to learn about Korean immigrant families in Canada.

Participants must have arrived in Canada between January 2000 and December 2009, and have been married with at least one school-aged child (five to 18 years) at the time of arrival. Participants will be asked to complete a confidential survey, which will take about 60 to 90 minutes to complete, and will be provided with a small honorarium.

To join the study or for more information, contact Young-Ah Kim, TKFS research coordinator, at ext. 22678 or tkfs@yorku.ca.

The post Call for Korean families to participate in SSHRC-funded survey appeared first on Research & Innovation.

That’s what several 91��ɫ researchers are hoping to find out. If successful, their Pre-Diabetes Detection and Physical Activity Intervention Delivery (PRE-PAID) Program could become the model for provincewide intervention.

91��ɫ Professors Michael Riddell, Norman Gledhill, Veronica Jamnik, Chris Ardern, Jennifer Kuk and Paul Ritvo in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science’s Physical Activity & Chronic Disease Unit in the Faculty of Health, along with 91��ɫ PhD candidate Chip Rowan, PRE-PAID project coordinator, are now deep into Phase 2 of their study and so far the results are promising. They have found there is an overwhelming need for programs such as PRE-PAID, as a high percentage of the participants tested already had pre-diabetes. In addition, there is a real lack of close and affordable fitness programs.

Right: From left, Michael Riddell, Veronica Jamnik, Chip Rowan and 91��ɫ students and certified exercise physiologists Ajay Rampersad and Thomas Bok

The researchers also found that to reach people in high-risk areas they need to tap into existing social networks and make community contacts, as traditional media campaigns are not that helpful. With community engagement, they were able to increase their visibility and build partnerships to fight diabetes.

The goal of the PRE-PAID program is to identify those individuals from the highest risk populations, including Chinese, South Asian, African and African-Caribbean, who have pre-diabetes, and to provide them with targeted, accessible and monitored fitness programs, and hopefully prevent them from developing Type 2 diabetes.

It could save lives and millions of health-care dollars. Health-care costs for the treatment of persons with diabetes in Canada amounts to $9 billion annually. In recognition of this burden, the Ontario Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care has made the treatment and management of diabetes a priority.

“The costs are anywhere between $2,000 and $15,000 a year per person with diabetes in direct and indirect costs, but if we can get that down to around $200 a year in investment for those with pre-diabetes to prevent the disease, that would save a lot. Not only that, but we can probably prevent six cases out of 10,” says Riddell. “We have to show this model will work and will save money in the long run over the health-care costs caused by the complications of diabetes. If we invest now in treating pre-diabetes, it will cost less in the future.”

Left: A participant undergoes a finger prick blood test to check sugar levels

The PRE-PAID Program has screened some 428 people, aged 35 to 64, from the communities of 91��ɫ, Jane and Finch, Malvern in Scarborough, and Agincourt for high risk, and are looking for more participants. A further 350 were given a finger-prick blood test, which measures the amount of sugar coating on red blood cells as a measure of average blood sugar control over the last three months. Of these, 238 were found to be pre-diabetic – all of whom were previously undiagnosed.

Right now, there is no outreach screening or treatment program in the province for people with pre-diabetes. This study, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and the Ontario Trillium Foundation, is an important step toward changing that, say Riddell and Rowan.

Through community partnerships, all of those screened through the PRE-PAID Program with pre-diabetes are being given educational training on diabetes prevention and are provided with accessible and culturally preferred exercise sessions for six months.

Right: PRE-PAID participants in a bollyfit class

“The advantage of having the study at 91��ɫ is they can use the students from the School of Kinesiology to hold the classes and many of them are of the same ethnicity as the participants, so we’re breaking down some of the cultural and language barriers,” says Rowan. “Because we are so multicultural here, that really works.”

So instead of expecting study participants to join a gym and run on the treadmill for half an hour a day, the project offers things like bollyfit, socasize, reggaerobics, line dancing and tai chi in easily accessible community centres with certified exercise physiologists, for free. The participants are also asked to incorporate walking into their weekly routine.

Through the PRE-PAID Program, participants who have been identified as pre-diabetic are “provided with the opportunity and the encouragement. Then we track them to see how they comply,” says Rowan. “If it’s going to be sustainable, they really have to make that decision and that commitment.” The participants are assessed at the beginning, at three months and again at six months.

Some of the factors that stand in the way of participating in fitness programs are cost, time and priorities. “People are busy and have other pressing priorities, priorities we can’t even imagine,” says Riddell. “We’re trying to alleviate some of these barriers.”

By looking at studies done in the United States, India and China, “we know that by doing 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week, about 30 minutes a day, five days a week, we can lower the risk of developing diabetes from a state of pre-diabetes by about 50 per cent,” says Riddell. “What is novel about this approach is we want to give them physical exercise that taps into culturally preferred activities. This is the first study I’m aware of that has done that.”

The incidence of pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes continues to rise in Canada. It is estimated that about seven per cent (two million) of Canadians have diabetes with about half of them undiagnosed, while another five to seven per cent have pre-diabetes.

“All the research has shown that exercise is the most effective preventative tool, even independent of dietary change,” says Riddell. So it makes sense that people at the highest risk of becoming pre-diabetic would be caught early on.

The researchers are currently seeking funding for Phase 3 of the project. In Phase 3, the team will recruit an additional 500 to 1,000 subjects and will extend the eligible age range to 18 to 64, as recent findings have shown there is an increasing incidence of diabetes in young people.

The group is presenting some of their preliminary results at the International Congress on Physical Activity & Public Health, May 5 to 8 in Toronto.

For more information, visit the Diabetes Prevention Program Web site or contact Chip Rowan at 647-378-6777 or stopdiab@yorku.ca. For more information about diabetes, visit the Web site.

By Sandra McLean, YFile writer

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

The post New diabetes study on Type 2 diabetes, high-risk populations and fitness enters second phase appeared first on Research & Innovation.

In Canada, the Chinese, South Asian, African and African-Caribbean populations have a very high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a leading cause of heart disease, stroke, blindness, leg amputation and kidney failure in Canada.

A team of researchers from the Physical Activity & Chronic Disease Unit in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Health is working on a new research project investigating ways to prevent this disease and its complications from developing. The Pre-diabetes Detection & Physical Activity Intervention Delivery Project (PRE-PAID) is examining the effectiveness of community-based interventions on the prevention of Type 2 diabetes.

They are looking for Chinese, South Asian, African and African-Caribbean people who have pre-diabetes by screening members of these high-risk populations. 91��ɫ community members who are of these ethnicities are encouraged to take part in the project.

The project, funded by the and the , is now working with the and other community organizations to recruit Chinese, South Asian, African and African-Caribbean people who are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes based on their age (40 to 64 years old), risk factors (family history and weight) and a lack of physical activity.

Half of these people will take part in a six-month, supervised exercise program (free of charge) that will include a variety of fun activities, including dance activities such as socacize, Bollywood, line dancing and other physical activities. The other half of the participants will take part in a six-week educational workshop that provides hands-on instruction for diabetes prevention, including information about diet and physical activity education.

The goal of the program is to prevent people who are pre-diabetic from developing Type 2 diabetes. Previous research has shown that regular exercise and diet are the most effective ways to reduce Type 2 diabetes risk.

If successful, this program will lead to many more similar programs in other communities and prove that community-based interventions are possible and effective in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes.

The PRE-PAID team will be hosting pre-diabetes screening sessions every Monday morning on the Keele campus, from 7:45 to 11am, in 120 Norman Bethune College. Screening sessions will take approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

If you fit the above risk profile and are interested in becoming a participant in the project, contact Chip Rowan, PRE-PAID project coordinator, at 647-378-6777 or stopdiab@yorku.ca.

For more information, please visit the Diabetes Prevention Program Web site.

Republished with files courtesy of YFile – 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

The post 91��ɫ's Diabetes Prevention Program seeks volunteers for a new study appeared first on Research & Innovation.