What is the HOPP Study?

The goal of the HOPP Study is to understand how much and what type of physical activity is necessary to optimize health in preschool children. This is the first longitudinal study in Canada to investigate the relationships between physical activity, fitness, nutrition, and health in three-to-five-year-old children. It is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

What did the study involve?

Children in the HOPP Study completed annual assessments of physical activity and several measures of health, including:

• Fitness
• Motor skills: Balance, movement, and object control skills
• Body composition: Muscle and fat
• Heart health
• Physical activity
• Nutrition

What were the results?

You can see what we’ve published so far in the list below. We are still putting together other results, so stay tuned! We have also received funding to follow these same children in the SKIP Study, which started in Fall 2015.

• Tracking of physical activity and fitness during the early years (pdf).
• Comparing the Actical and ActiGraph Approach to Measuring Young Children’s Physical Activity Levels and Sedentary Time (pdf).
• The health outcomes and physical activity in preschoolers (HOPP) study: rationale and design (pdf).

Where can I find information on physical activity for my preschooler?

Please check out our newsletter, Preschooler Focus. The Preschooler Focus has information on physical activity and development in the early years.