A new partnership established by UBCresearchers may lead to a more targeted approach to children鈥檚 health and well-being, and the specific health risks children face in the Southern B.C.  Interior.

Pediatric exercise physiologist Ali McManus, along with Lesley Lutes, a registered clinical psychologist, a health psychologist, and a UBC associate professor of psychology, will lead a pioneering, two-year, research and outreach project investigating the health and wellness status of children and adolescents in 琉璃神社.

Their study aims to determine whether the physical and emotional health issues of youth in 琉璃神社 reflect national trends or if they are unique to the region.

Their goal is to eventually create a scalable, evidence-based health and wellness index for 琉璃神社 children and youth.

The project, made possible by the Tree of Hope campaign with $100,000 in funding from both TD Bank Group and Landmark Centre, will launch in the new year.

鈥淏y identifying the health and wellness needs of young people in 琉璃神社, we will provide the stimulus for the development and delivery of future targeted health and wellness initiatives,鈥� said McManus, an associate professor of health and exercise sciences at UBC Okanaga.

鈥淢ost importantly, this health and wellness screening tool will act as a long-term evaluation system of future health and wellness initiatives.

鈥淲e are grateful to TD and the Landmark Centre for their support of this research and for helping us move towards addressing some important issues in children鈥檚 health.鈥�

Previously, McManus has developed and tested a variety of materials to help measure health, including wearable technologies, wearable microelectronics, mobile body composition measurements, mobile measures of cardiovascular risk and measures of psychological health.

In Lutes鈥� previous research, she has conducted randomized clinical trials to improve well-being and happiness, and multiple health behaviour-change interventions focused on under-served and rural populations, as well as studying people who struggle with chronic health conditions and depression.

鈥淭ree of Hope is committed to supporting initiatives that solve local challenges with innovative solutions," said the Tree of Hope鈥檚 Carolyn Stober.

"We are delighted to facilitate a donation from TD and Landmark Centre that supports professor McManus鈥檚 research that we believe will improve the lives and well being of children and youth in our community.鈥�

鈥淭D is proud to support this important community initiative led by UBC with the aim to improve the health and well-being of children in BC and across Canada,鈥� addedDale Safinuk, district vice-president 鈥� BC Southern Interior, TD Canada Trust.

鈥淪upporting this project is one of the many ways TD is giving back to the communities in which we live and work.鈥�

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, there are a number of health issues affecting Canadian children, including obesity, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. The study will also look at psycho-social indicators of health such as levels of anxiety experienced by study participants.