CAPL Project

A new program will see Lethbridge students and teachers working together to improve long-term health.

In 1978, Stats Canada found 15 per cent of children were overweight.  By 2012, that number jumped to almost 33 per cent.

Seven sites across Canada, including the University of Lethbridge, are taking part in the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy study.

It’s a two-year study meant to teach children what physical literacy is, and why it’s important.

“Physical literacy is the knowledge, the awareness, motivation, confidence and the physical competence to maintain a physically active lifestyle,” said Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Associate Professor of Kinesiology at the U of L.

Dr. Copeland is joined by co-investigator Dr. Luc Martin and graduate students to assess the physical literacy of 1,300 local kids aged 8-12.  The assessment will include basic fitness tests, obstacle courses and filling out questionnaires, which are all put together by the University and the government of Ontario.

Martin said, “We’re hopefully going to have this practical measurement protocol where teachers could implement it into their curriculum so they could actually assess the physical literacy of their students and it’s not just a physical competence component, that there’s more to it, which is very beneficial.”

Copeland adds “As we start to learn more about this concept and we’re able to measure it that we might be able to help people become more physically literate, which will then allow them to be physically active throughout their life.”

The CAPL project is partnering with The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institure and ParticipAction, and is being funded by the RBC Learn to Play Project.