News

Researchers in Waterloo’s faculty of applied health sciences have collaborated with RBC to design a new innovative planning tool to help Canadians assess the impact of caregiving for aging friends and relatives. “Your Caregiving Planner” has been developed by the RBC  Retirement Research Centre at the University of Waterloo as an interactive resource to help Canadians evaluate caregiving needs on an ongoing basis.

Read article in Canada Newswire

A new report from the Canadian Index of Wellbeing based in Waterloo’s faculty of applied health sciences investigates the state of the environment's effect on our nation's wellbeing.

"Canadians need to counter some serious environmental threats to the country and planet or there will be consequences for their wellbeing," says the Hon. Roy J. Romanow, chair of the advisory board of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing.

See article online

When B.C’s health minister sits down he wants to know how many calories he is eating, and so does a large portion of the public he claims.

Waterloo professor David Hammond says “existing research suggests that more and more of our calorie consumption is coming from food eaten outside the home and the nutritional quality of these foods is typically low: higher in fat, salt and calories. We also know that very few people have any idea about the calorie content of what they are eating; some studies have shown that even dietitians can't accurately predict what is in their food."

Banning smoking in front of buildings isn’t just a tactic to avoid second hand smoke. It encourages people to quit as well. Research from the Propel Centre for Population Health Impact at the University of Waterloo suggests that the 2008 bylaw may have helped up to one third of smokers cut back on cigarette consumption.

Read article in The Record

Current national estimates of smoking, and alcohol and illicit drug use among youth underestimate the prevalence of these behaviours among Aboriginal youth living off-reserve. Research by Waterloo’s Propel Centre for Population Health Impact highlights the need for culturally appropriate prevention and cessation policies and programs for this at-risk population.

See Canadian Medical Association Journal abstract.

The U.S. Navy is overhauling outdated physical readiness testing and cites the University of Waterloo’s Stuart McGill on why “sit ups” can be harmful and may soon be a thing of the past.

Read article in the Navy Times

Research by Waterloo professor David Hammond shows many smokers believe that some cigarettes are less harmful based on packaging and appearance.

Hammond says that the study provides evidence for further regulation. “The findings highlight the deceptive potential of ‘slim’ cigarette brands targeted primarily at young women. The findings also support the potential benefits of plain packaging regulations that will soon take effect in Australia, under which all cigarettes will be sold in packages with the same plain colour, without graphics or logos.”

The University of Waterloo, long known for innovation and as an international leader in health promotion, has been selected as the natural home of a comprehensive index that measures the wellbeing of Canadians.

Being a child your whole life doesn’t mean you can’t be successful. Take a glimpse into the life of Jack Pearse, an Ontario camp leader legend and cofounder of the department of recreation and leisure studies at the University of Waterloo.

Read article in The Star

In late March, people living with dementia from all over the world will gather in Toronto for a unique forum called “A Changing Melody.” A Changing Melody gives people with dementia a chance to share experiences and strategies regarding living with memory loss.

“Together we can join forces to amplify the voices of people with dementia and continue to change the perceptions and misunderstandings of living with the disease,” says Sherry Dupuis, Director of the Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program (MAREP) at the University of Waterloo.