The Issue

Research shows that "among children and adolescents age two to seventeen, 26% are overweight and another 8% are obese." The New England Journal of Medicine reported that "our children's lifespan could be 2-5 years less than our own." Furthermore, the economic burden of physical inactivity is estimated at $5.3 billion and the burden to the healthcare system is estimated at $2.1 billion. Canada is facing an inactivity and obesity crisis whose impact on the cost of future chronic disease management is almost unimaginable.

A potential solution is regular physical activity, which is associated with as much as a 30% reduction in all causes of mortality rates. With its partners, ParticipACTION wants to be part of the solution.

Our Children

1. •Childhood obesity has tripled from 5 - 15% over the past three decades
   

             (Source: Dieticians of Canada, 2005)

1. •Only 9% of Canadian children and youth (aged 5 to 19) meet the recommended guidelines in Canada's Physical Activity Guides for Children and Youth.
   

             (Source: Canadian Physical Activity Levels Among Youth (CANPLAY) Study 2005-2006)

Canadian Adults

1. •Today, one in two Canadian adults is overweight (48%), with one in seven adults being obese (15%).
   

              (Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2000/01, Statistics Canada)

1. •Epidemiological data have established that physical inactivity increases the incidence of at least 17 unhealthy conditions, almost all of which are chronic diseases or considered risk factors for chronic diseases and premature death.
   (Source: Booth FW, Gordon SE, Carlson CJ, Hamilton MT. Waging war on modern chronic diseases:primary prevention through exercise biology. J Appl Physiol. 88:774-787, 2000)
   

2. •More than half of Canadians are considered inactive.
   (Source: Physical Activity Monitor. Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute. 2004)
   

3. •People who are overweight or obese face a higher risk of developing a number of specific health diseases and problems, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, liver disease, depression, infertility, and birth defects such as spina bifida. While other factors affect incidence of these diseases and conditions, excess body weight alone increases risk.
   

4. •There is an increased risk of various types of cancer associated with obesity and the risk increases incrementally with weight.
   (Source: Overweight, Obesity and Mortality from Cancer in a Prospectively Studies Cohort of US Adult, New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 348, No. 17, 2003)
   

5. •Physical inactivity threatens to reduce the decades-long progress that has been made in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with many chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease.
   (Source: US Department of Health and Human Services. Physical activity and health: a report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 1996)
   

6. •Regular physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, some types of cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, depression, stress and anxiety.
   (Source: Warburton DER, Nicol CW, Bredin SSD. Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. Canadian Medical Association Journal 2006; 174 (6): 801-9)
   

7. •Regular physical activity could provide as much as a 30% reduction in the mortality rates for both older and younger adults.
   

The Impact on Economy

1. •The major burden to our healthcare systems is estimated at $2.1 billion
   (Source: Katzmarzyk P, Gledhill N, and Shepard R: The economic burden of physical inactivity in Canada. CMAJ 2000; 163(11):1435-40)
   

2. •The economic costs of obesity are significant; direct and indirect costs associated with obesity/physical inactivity have been estimated at $5.3 billion in 2001.
   (Source: Katzmarzyk PT, Janssen I. The economic costs associated with physical inactivity and obesity in Canada: an update. Can J Appl Physiol. 2004 Feb 29(1):90-115)
   

 

The Impact on Society

1. 1. ◦Inactivity has an impact on social cohesion, productivity, and overall economic prosperity.
      

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   4. go to Participaction website here
      

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