“The generation being born today is the first generation in the history of mankind that is not predestined to outlive their ancestors.”
63% of Canadians are not active enough to achieve optimal health benefits, which leaves them at risk for premature death, chronic disease and disability, as noted by the public health agency of Canada.
Health risks of physical inactivity:
Long term activity limitations
Chronic health conditions
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Stroke
Depression
Cancer
Premature death
Heart disease
Osteoporosis.
The economic burden of physical inactivity in Canada
Peter T. Katzmarzyk*, Norman Gledhill* and Roy J. Shephard
From *the School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, North York, Ont., and the Faculty of Physical Education and Health and the Department of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
Background: About two-thirds of Canadians are physically inactive. As a risk factor for several chronic diseases, physical inactivity can potentially be a substantial public health burden. We estimated the direct health care costs attributable to physical inactivity in Canada, the number of lives lost prematurely each year that are attributable to a sedentary lifestyle and the effect that a reduction of 10% in inactivity levels (a Canadian objective for 2003) could have on reducing direct health care costs.
Methods: We calculated summary relative risk (RR) estimates from prospective longitudinal studies of the effects of physical inactivity on coronary artery disease, stroke, colon cancer, breast cancer, type 2 diabetes mellitus and osteoporosis. We then computed the population-attributable fraction (PAF) for each illness from the summary RR and the prevalence of physical inactivity (i.e., 62%) and applied the PAF to the total direct health care expenditures for 1999 and to the number of deaths in 1995 associated with each disease to determine the health care costs and lives lost prematurely that were directly attributable to physical inactivity.
Results: About $2.1 billion, or 2.5% of the total direct health care costs in Canada, were attributable to physical inactivity in 1999. A sensitivity analysis (simultaneously varying each of the health care costs and PAF by ±20%) indicated that the costs could be as low as $1.4 billion and as high as $3.1 billion. About 21 000 lives were lost prematurely in 1995 because of inactivity. A 10% reduction in the prevalence of physical inactivity has the potential to reduce direct health care expenditures by $150 million a year.
Interpretation: Physical inactivity represents an important public health burden in Canada. Even modest reductions in inactivity levels could result in substantial cost savings.
As of recently Stats Canada states that about 50% of Canadians are still inactive. We still have a long way to go to be able to declare Canada the healthiest country in the world. The question is where do we start, stop smoking, reduce alcohol, more sleep, manage stress, diet?
The answer is exercise: “The easiest way to preserve health and with the greater profit than all other measures put together is to exercise well” (Cristobal Mendez – 1553)
Exercise is and always will be the single greatest thing we can do to obtain better health and longevity. Once we start being physically active, other areas will start to improve. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion, objects at rest tend to stay at rest (Newton’s first law of motion – circa 17th century) Life is motion (Aristotle – circa 340 BCE ), meaning this. If I am active, I will remain active. If I am inactive, I will remain inactive. Which person will have a greater impact on the success of Canada’s productivity and growth, the active or inactive? If I am sedentary, I will become a burden on society.
It is time to get active and grow.
Physical activity offers a range of benefits for all ages and abilities. In short, physical activity helps prolong good health and independence.
The Federal Government of Canada must implement an ongoing aggressive marketing campaign highlighting Canada’s active living strategy.
The benefits to Canada of physical activity
- Healthy people are more productive. (Absenteeism costs are in excess of 15 billion dollars a year. – Buffet Taylor report 2003)
- Billions of dollars saved in health care.
- Global recognition as the Healthiest country in the world
- Tourist to Canada will increase.
What we propose
Make Canada the healthiest country in the world by the winter Olympics 2010.
We announce the goal to Canadians. Kick off the campaign with a ceremony honoring Hal Johnson and Joanne Macleod with the Order of Canada. This all happens on the 20th anniversary party for Body Break. (June 8th, 2008) Give Canadians the “Report Card” of health and fitness, where we are and where we’re going to be. This also coincides with the Beijing Olympics. We hold a giant endurance event with recognized athletes. The winner does a ceremonial lap handing a baton off to an individual who will embark on a run across the country. This will start the wave of “Perpetual Participation” here in Canada. The baton will never be at rest, ever. The baton will move back and forth across the country like a wave, using the Trans Canada Trail, highways, lake’s, rivers and streams, picking up people as it grows. Some will canoe across, other’s cycle, run, cross country ski, snowshoe, swim, rollerblade, skateboard and or a combination of all of the above. Events will be held all over this country encouraging Canadians to get active. Canadians that actively participate in the wave will get a tax credit for doing so. This will hopefully give Canadian’s immediate gratification and a sense of accomplishment which will aide them in beginning an active lifestyle. The baton will be a GPS device, allowing anyone in the world to go to a website and see where it is, and go to it to get involved. The goal is to encourage Canadians to join in the wave so that no individual will be moving across the country alone. We will be in motion together, working as one, to make Canada the healthiest country in the world.
Through clever commercial spots we will make being healthy and fit more attractive to Canadians. We will use these commercials to educate people (most importantly children) on the benefits of being active and healthy. Being active should not be a chore, it must be play.
Canadian’s will be able to go to their family doctor and have yearly physicals where if they meet a set standard of health, they receive another tax credit. (BMI, Cholesterol, heart rate Blood pressure etc…) This will be somewhat similar to the David Suzuki model of the kilowatt challenge. Challenge Canadians to get active and save our children from our short sightedness. We have to set the example and teach our young that we are responsible for our health. We can save ourselves from premature death and disease through preventative maintenance, so we may be allowed to flourish and grow to our full potential.
Our mission
To create an environment which encourages Canadians to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine and which values active living as an essential part of well-being.
“We shape our buildings (environment), and afterwards they shape us.” Winston Churchill.
Here’s a funny quote to make you smile
Oops. My brain just hit a bad sector.