The Children and Families Special Interest Group (CAF SIG) would like to wish everyone a happy new year! We hope 2026 is off to a good start for you all and we are looking forward to hearing about and sharing the amazing, groundbreaking and impactful research you are all doing in the space of Children and Family behavioural research in 2026.

2026 is already looking exciting with webinars, awards and an annual meeting in the beautiful city of Cádiz, Spain at the end of May. We look forward to connecting with as many of you as we can through these opportunities and events.

The Children and Families Special Interest Group (CAF SIG) is proud to support the annual Outstanding Research Awards. The CAF SIG aims to build a community of ISBNPA members who share an interest in conducting research with children aged 0-18 years and their families regarding nutrition behaviors, physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and sleep.

Visit the CAF SIG webpage for more information on the CAF SIG scope and goals https://isbnpa.org/portfolio/children-and-families/

There are two categories of awards, each with different criteria:

• CAF SIG Outstanding Research Award for Early Career Researchers
• CAF SIG Outstanding Research Award for Community Engagement

The award winners will:

• Receive the ISBNPA CAF SIG certificate of the award
• Be invited to contribute to the CAF SIG newsletter describing their contributions to the field

Deadline for award application: 9th March 2025, 20:00 UTC

Notification of results (by email): Early April

For more information on award criteria and to apply, visit the following links:

• CAF SIG Outstanding Research Award for Early Career Researchers 
• CAF SIG Outstanding Research Award for Community Engagement

We look forward to receiving your applications!

Join us on the 17th of March, 21:00 (UTC) for an engaging 1-hour webinar exploring the power of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) in advancing physical activity and nutrition research among children and families. EMA offers an innovative way to capture real-time behaviors, contexts, and experiences as they unfold in everyday life—providing deeper, more accurate insights than ever before. The session will begin with an introduction to EMA methodology by Dr. Abi Pickard, who will outline the foundations, strengths, and practical considerations of using EMA in behavioral research. Building on this overview, Dr. Cindy Forbes and Dr. Chelsea Kracht will showcase how EMA is being applied in cutting-edge studies, highlighting practical examples, lessons learned, and implications for future research. Whether you're new to EMA or looking to expand your methodological toolkit, this webinar will provide valuable insights and real-world applications you can take into your own work.

Click [HERE] to learn more and Register.

Late breaking abstracts are still open until March 4th to submit for ISBNPA 2026 in Cádiz, Spain. See abstract deadlines to submit your recent work in the children and families space: https://annualmeeting.isbnpa.org/abstracts/

Early Bird Registration is now open and will close on March 31st: https://annualmeeting.isbnpa.org/register/

Beets, M.W., Burkart, S., Pfledderer, C.D., Adams, E., et al., Impact of free summer day camp on physical activity behaviors and screentime of elementary-age children from low-income households: a randomized clinical trial. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 22, 159 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-025-01852-2

Li, M., Liu, Y., Gu, Y., & Sum, RKW. Physical activity interventions among children and adolescents in China: a scoping review through an equity lens. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-025-01866-w

Savidge, M.C., Burkart, S., Pfledderer, C.D., Adams, E.L., et al., Free summer programming on elementary-aged children's food and beverage consumption: a randomized clinical trial. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 22, 160 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-025-01861-1

Decraene, M., Miatke, A., Dumuid, D., Cardon, G., et al., Optimising 24-Hour movement behaviours in preschoolers through parenting practices: an evidence-based intervention study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-025-01863-z