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Country:	AUSTRALIA 2003-2004
Study Title:	Parent Education and Support (PEAS) Kids Growth Study
Collector:	Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, the University of Melbourne
When Conducted:	First group - July 2003 to January 2004; Second group - July 2004 to December 2004
Sampling Method and Study Design:	The study examines physical activity and daily behaviour patterns among toddlers living in the state of Victoria in Australia. The study uses two separate samples of 5-year-olds, both recruited by Maternal Child Health Nurses from 3 local government areas (shires) in Victoria (1 inner urban, 1 suburban and 1 semi-rural). Maternal Child Health Nurses provide services to all children up to the age of 6 in Victoria. The first sample is one year older than the second, though the second sample was interviewed one year later than the first sample. The study collected 3 24-hour diaries (2 on weekdays and 1 on a weekend day) from all participating children (with the mother or main care-giver completing the diaries). The diaries covered 15 minute time slots, and diarists drew pencil lines across 26 precoded activities, 5 location codes, 7 who else was present codes, and a row for whether parents paid for their children to undertake the activity. The parents of children sampled for this study were informed at enrolment that the study examined lifestyle factors that affect children's growth patterns and body fat. The time-use component was added after other elements of the study began, and also after high profile media coverage highlighted the problem of obesity in children. Some parents of more overweight children expressed more reluctance about keeping the diaries
Sample Size:	339 children, 152 from the first sample, 187 from the second sample
Response Rate:	70% (families of 106 children) returned diaries for the first sample; the second sample has not yet been collected
Weighting Procedures:	Weights will balanace the distribution of the days of the week
Source of Information:	Dr Michelle Campbell, Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital
Available Documentation:	PEAS Diary

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