Highland Student to Win Mountain Bike

SPORT/RECREATION COMMISSION--Highland Student to Win Mountain Bike

A lucky student who participated in a provincial study of youth physical activity will win a mountain bike on Saturday, Feb. 9.

Gerard MacIsaac, the Sport and Recreation Commission's representative in the Highland region, will draw the winning name during the Museum of Industry's Bike Yard Wars! The event takes place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. as part of the museum's feature exhibit Bikes: The Wheel Story. The Highland region includes Pictou, Antigonish and part of Guysborough counties.

"More than 300 Grade 7, 9 and 11 students from 10 randomly selected schools in the Highland region participated in the just- completed study," said Mr. MacIsaac. "Physical activity levels were measured for one week using an accelerometer -- an instrument measuring time, duration and intensity of physical activity." The results will help parents, school officials, recreation organizers, municipal and government officials determine when and where to create opportunities for young people to be physically active.

The provincewide study involves 1,800 students. It is the largest of its kind using an objective means to measure activity levels. Previous studies on physical activity were conducted using parent-proxy questionnaires. The accelerometer is a relatively new technology.

Similar draws will be held during February in each of the Sport and Recreation Commission's other five regions as data collection is completed in those areas. The Physically Active Children and Youth (PACY) Research committee, responsible for the research project, offered the mountain bike draw as an incentive for students to return accelerometers to research teams.

As part of the PACY initiative, the research study is funded by the government of Nova Scotia and Health Canada. It involves four universities: Dalhousie, University College of Cape Breton, Acadia, and St. Francis Xavier. Results of the study are expected to be released in early May. Information on the project is available on the Sport and Recreation Commission Web site, at www.gov.ns.ca/srcv .

For information on the Bike Yard Wars! contact the Museum of Industry at 902-755-5425.