Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living, released yesterday in Fredericton, N.B, will help Islanders understand the many health benefits associated with physical activity and create healthier communities says the Honourable Chester Gillan, Minister responsible for sport and recreation.
"Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living serves as a wake-up call for all Canadians," said Minister Gillan. "It also reinforces the idea that a physically active lifestyle is beneficial to the overall health and well-being of Islanders," says Minister Gillan.
Canada's Physical Activity Guide provides simple guidelines on how to achieve health benefits by integrating physical activity into one's daily routine. It also gives suggestions and examples on the frequency, intensity and time an individual should allocate for daily physical activity.
The guide was prepared in response to overwhelming statistics revealed in a 1997 federal report, Physical Activity Benchmarks. This report indicated approximately 65 per cent of Canadians were physically inactive and 68 per cent of Prince Edward Islanders fell below health-sustaining activity levels. The report also showed that physically inactive people tend to have a greater chance of developing coronary heart disease, adult-onset diabetes, colon cancer, osteoporosis, and depression.
Last spring, Minister Gillan responded to the 1997 report by declaring a goal that Prince Edward would become the most physically active province in Canada. At the national launch yesterday, Marcelle Mersereau, NB Minister responsible for Municipalities, Culture and Housing, announced her intention for New Brunswick to be the most active province.
The Department of Education, in partnership with the PEI Active Living Alliance, has already taken several steps towards achieving this ambitious goal. Summer Active '98, a series of sport/activity camps were offered in communities across the province. Over 1,500 Island youth took part in the camps which promoted fun ways to incorporate physical activity into a daily lifestyle. In addition, the PEI Active Living Alliance is devising a communications strategy which will increase awareness about the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle.
"This guide gives Islanders the information they need to live healthy and fulfilling lives," says Minister Gillan. "Making physical activity a priority in our lives is a step in the right direction towards becoming Canada's most active province."
The publication of Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living was a collaborative effort between Health Canada and the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. It also involved partners at all government levels, non-profit and community organizations, and scientific experts. Free copies of the guide are available by calling 1-888-334-9769, or visiting the Canada's Physical Activity Guide web site at www.paguide.com.