WE ALL NEED TO GET MOVINGSourcesDr. Mark Tremblay – Childhood Physical Activity: Important initiatives, insights and issues

Heart and Stroke Foundation: International Conference on Physical Activity and Obesity in ChildrenCaitlin Mason, Presenter

“for the ordinary Canadian child … physical fitness … seems to be a decreasing function of age from the time we put him behind a desk in our schools.”

Bailey, 1974

Some Statistics

• From 1979 to 2009, the obesity rate tripled from 3%-9%

• 28% of Ontario’s children are either overweight or obese-3 decades ago, it was 12%

• Using BMI as an indicator, 60% of Canadian adults are overweight or obese

• 91% of children are not meeting the guidelines which recommend 90 minutes of moderate-vigorous activity (16 500 steps)

A Cause for Concern...

63% of youngsters not active enough for optimal growth and development

A decline in activity with age and gender

Girls are less involved in intense physical activity

Physical Activity Monitor CFLRI, 1999Physical Activity Monitor CFLRI, 1999

40% of Canadian children have 40% of Canadian children have one major risk factor for CVD:one major risk factor for CVD:

a sedentary lifestylea sedentary lifestyle

““Unless effective interventions to Unless effective interventions to reduce obesity are developed, the reduce obesity are developed, the

steady rise in life expectancy steady rise in life expectancy observed in the modern era may observed in the modern era may

soon come to an end and the youth soon come to an end and the youth of today may live shorter lives than of today may live shorter lives than

their parents.”their parents.”

N Engl J Med N Engl J Med 2005 Mar;352(11):1138-11452005 Mar;352(11):1138-1145

Some statistics

• Even though we, as a society are eating less, we are getting fatter. There is a disconnect here. Why? We have poorer eating habits

• Our physical activity is decreasing and our rates of diabetes and high blood pressure is increasing

A New Evolutionary Development ?A New Evolutionary Development ?

Our genes have not changed in theOur genes have not changed in the last generation but our society haslast generation but our society has

“For the majority in our society, a sedentary lifestyle and increasing obesity constitute a major health risk…and will be the source of an almost incalculable burden on our health and social systems in the

future.”

"Can Johnny come out and eat?""Can Johnny come out and eat?"

The Data

• There are discrepancies in the reporting of physical activity

• There are discrepancies in the reporting of obesity and being overweight

(written-phone interview-personal interview with weigh scale- actual body measurements)

The data can be taken and manipulated to “make it work”

Some Initiatives

• Children’s Fitness Tax Credit (up to $500.00 per child)

• PARTICIPACTION is back

www.participaction.com

• A government report entitled “Healthy Weight for Healthy Kids” has gone to the Standing Committee of Health

Annual Report on Public Schools-2009Healthy Schools• By the time a student graduates from secondary school, they will have

watched 15000 hours of television and participated in 500 hours of physical education

• 41% of elementary schools have a ft/pt physical education teacher (Only schools that are above the Ontario average size will have a ft physical education teacher

• The overall number of minutes of physical education has dropped by 6%- Average number of minutes per week is 106.

• When the regular classroom teacher teaches physical education, the number of classes decreases. This often occurs due to lack of expertise and a fear of the gymnasium

• Regular physical education is essential for healthy growth and development. Benefits include lower anxiety/depression and maintaining a healthy body weight.

Annual Report on Public Schools-2009Healthy SchoolsWe need to remember that physical education classes

follow the proscribed curriculum in each grade. Physical activity is one piece of a complete, quality health and physical education program that all children need.

Daily Physical Activity (DPA) was designed to add 20 minutes of activity per day for students in elementary school. It was not meant to replace the regular physical education class. DPA still poses a challenge for teachers – WHY?

WE NEED TO INSPECT RATHER THAN EXPECT!!

Some Studies1951 – FranceThe school day was divided into the following:2/3 class time1/3 physical educationNo homeworkThis same study was replicated with slight permutations in Alberta

and the findings were the same: THIS TYPE OF SCHOOL DAY MAXIMIZES LEARNING.

This does not mean that physical activity does not make the students smarter but it make them less agitated, less stressed and in a better condition to learn

Some Studies

The Amish have no physical education, no institutionalized sport and often have a lower SES. Yet, 1% are obese and 7% are overweight, compared to 25% of North American children

Many Scandinavian countries have lower rates as well. Often, the reason is ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION.

91% of Canadian children have

bicycles…

5% ride them to school !

Active TransportationActive Transportation

• 48% in 1969

• 16% in 2001

JPAH 2006;3(Suppl 1):S129-S138

Distance to school is inversely Distance to school is inversely associated with physical activity.associated with physical activity.

Active commuting to school

European Charter on Counteracting Obesity

November 2006: health ministers

from 53 countries approved world’s

first charter to fight obesity

European Charter on Counteracting Obesity

Encourage children to Encourage children to walk to schoolwalk to school

Establish priority Establish priority bicycle routesbicycle routes

Improve availability & affordability of healthy foods

Limit marketing of fatty, sugary foods to children

Reduce fat, sugar & salt in manufactured products

European Charter on Counteracting Obesity

European Charter on Counteracting Obesity

Promote cycling & walking by better Promote cycling & walking by better urban design & transport policiesurban design & transport policies

European Charter on Counteracting Obesity

“The vision is to shape societies where healthy lifestyles related to diet and physical activity are

the norm . . . where healthy choices are made

easy for individuals.”

Urban Planning

The Fate of the Commuter

A commuter who spends 2 hours each day

commuting…will spend the equivalent of 11, 40 - hour weeks sitting in their car

each year!

The “engineering out” of physical activity

“The health consensus that dominated

thinking about urban development for decades – namely that low-density

suburban development is an inherently healthy way to build communities – is

showing signs of unraveling.”

A Leadership Role for Teachers

Teachers have played a central role in providing Physical Activity for youth.

What about you??

WHAT CAN WE DO?

1. Think about physical activity over the whole day rather than sport/exercise/recreation

2. Reduce auto dependency

3. Reduce financial dependency

4. Reduce reward dependency

5. Reduce nature deficit disorder

6. Reduce screen time

What Can We Do?

One final thought:

“ Encourage people to add a touch of Amish and a dash of inconvenience to their lifestyle” (Dr. Mark Tremblay, 2007).