Future, Volume 3, Issue 1 (March 2025) – 4 articles

Chronic health conditions including obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and depression are rising in Australia, and are often addressed reactively in adulthood rather than proactively during childhood. Evidence highlights the first 2000 days (from conception to five years of age) as a critical window for prevention, where movement, active play, proper nutrition, and adequate sleep are key to reducing chronic disease risk. Despite this, limited longitudinal data on children’s growth and development hinders effective intervention. Up to one in four Australian children are living with overweight or obesity, with poor movement behaviours, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, and inadequate sleep as primary contributors. Active play fosters motor skill development and lifelong health but faces barriers like overprotective caregiving and sedentary environments. Actionable strategies to enhance activity levels in this age group include providing educator training, developing online resources, fostering communities of practice, improving infrastructure, and advocating for policy changes. A coordinated effort by parents, caregivers, educators, and health professionals is essential to prioritise movement in early childhood, laying the foundation for healthier growth and reducing the burden of chronic diseases. Full article

Background: Child physical abuse is a significant contributor to overall pediatric mortality and morbidity and is associated with both short- and long-term effects on the physical, social and mental wellbeing of the child involved. Fractures are the second most common physical injury in children suffering from physical abuse and are present in up to 55% of cases of physically abused children. Specific fracture patterns may prompt suspicion for abuse, although none are specific. We aim to identify the incidence of fracture types associated with abuse in children under three years old presenting to the ED. Methods: This study was a retrospective descriptive study. The inclusion criteria consisted of (a) children less than three years of age, (b) presenting to the ED, (c) between 1 January 2020, and 31 December 2022, inclusive and (d) with a diagnosis consistent with a fracture type associated with abuse. Results: There were 214 patients diagnosed with fractures who were under 3 years of age. Of these, twenty-one patients fit the criteria for fracture suspcious for non-accidental injury (a rate of one per month if following a normal distribution). The diagnosis of NAI was considered in eight (38%) patients. NAI was not considered in 13 (62%) patients. A medical record review of these patients up to 12 months after initial ED presentation showed that five did not re-present to the ED, one was referred to CSS from outpatients and two re-presented within this period with minor head injuries. Conclusions: Presentations of fractures concerning NAI are rare but important not to miss. Automated systems and targeted education and action are critical to ensure that concerns for NAI are managed appropriately. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic and the confinement experience have significantly affected the relationship between young adults and their parents. The present study focuses on the design and validation of the Perceived Young Adult Lockdown Parental Relationship Scale (PYALPRS), a measure assessing two dimensions of the child–parent relationship associated with the COVID-19 lockdown period: Oppression-Conflict and Closeness-Support. After a phase of construct definition and item design and purification, 100 Italian young adults (M = 24; SD = 3.9) were recruited to explore the factor structure of the scale. Then, a sample of 259 Italian young adults (aged 18–35; M = 24; SD = 3.8) was used to demonstrate the psychometric validity of the scale. The results of our confirmatory factor analysis, which resulted in high goodness of fit scores, support two identifiable factors reflecting the theory-based constructs of the PYALPRS. Moreover, internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity analyses show that the PYALPRS can be considered a reliable and valid instrument. ANOVA demonstrated that there were significant differences between being a cohabitant or single as well as between different perceptions of the home space during lockdown on the Oppression-Conflict dimension, while a larger home space perception was associated with the Closeness-Support dimension. Full article

Physical activity (PA) decreases during summer months, potentially leading to accelerated weight gain and increased depressive symptoms in adolescents. Summer care programs offer opportunities for PA promotion but understanding how different groups (based on initial perceived and objectively measured PA) respond to these programs is crucial for developing focused interventions. Adolescents (n = 47; mean age = 11.0 years; 51.1% female) who participated in an 8-week summer program wore ActiGraph GT9X accelerometers to measure moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at the beginning and end of the program. Self-reported PA was assessed using the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children survey. Both measures were then transformed into respective z-scores. K-means cluster analysis was performed to identify distinct groups based on device-measured and perceived PA at the beginning of summer. Changes in MVPA were compared across clusters using one-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey’s HSD tests. Three clusters were identified: “High Accuracy Actives” (n = 17), “Underestimators” (n = 22), and “Overestimators” (n = 8). “Overestimators” showed the largest mean increase in MVPA (30.63 min/day), followed by “Underestimators” (17.76 min/day). “High Accuracy Actives” experienced a mean decrease in MVPA (−7.69 min/day). ANOVA revealed significant differences in MVPA change between clusters (F(2,44) = 4.93, p = 0.01). Summer care programs can positively impact adolescent PA, particularly for those who initially underestimate or overestimate their activity levels. However, strategies are needed to prevent declines among initially highly active participants. For example, adolescents who underestimate their activity levels may benefit from interventions focused on building self-efficacy and providing positive feedback, while those who overestimate might require educational components about PA guidelines and self-monitoring techniques. Full article