Introduction -- Active Living Key to Longer Life, Better Health

Active Living is a key determinant of health and well-being. As such, it is an important component of Health Canada's population health and disease prevention strategies.

The most recent data on physical activity in Canada (source: Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute) tell us that two-thirds of Canadians are not active enough to attain optimal health benefits.

Increasing physical activity levels in Canada will not only improve the health and well-being of Canadians, but also has the potential to produce large health-care cost savings.

In 1997, Federal, Provincial and Territorial ministers responsible for physical activity, sport and recreation, recognized physical inactivity as a serious health issue and set a target to reduce inactivity by 10% between 1998 and 2003.

The Business Case for Active Living at Work is the third major initiative undertaken by Health Canada to improve the physical activity levels of Canadians since 1998. The first two initiatives were the launch in 1998 of Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy, Active Living followed by Canada's Physical Activity Guide for Older Adults in 1999.

The Business Case for Active Living at Work has been developed in partnership with the Canadian Council for Health and Active Living at Work (CCHALW).

This Business Case for Active Living at Work suggests the benefits of being active in the workplace, summarizes the research that has been done, provides some information about what works and how to get started, and provides a template for practitioners to use in developing a business case for active living in their own organizations.

It also points to what we do not know and provides the foundation for further research.

The Business Case for Active Living at Work is one component of Health Canada's workplace wellness strategies. Other components include:

1. Network development - the Canadian Council for Health and Active Living at Work (CCHALW);
2. Knowledge development - the Health, Work and Wellness Institute and the Health Work and Wellness Conference (click on "HWW Conference"); and
3. Awareness, recognition and education - the Healthy Workplace Award program in partnership with the National Quality Institute.

Background

In 1998, Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living was released. It was well-received by health, physical fitness and active living professionals, as well as the public.

In 1999, Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living for Older Adults was introduced to help older Canadians improve their physical activity levels.

Future plans include a Guide targeted to children and youth.

Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living for Children and Youth (to be released in Fall 2001).

Health Canada's goal is to help Canadians maintain and improve their health. Increasing the number of Canadians who build physical activity into their daily lives for their health and well-being is one strategy being used to achieve this goal.

The mission of the Healthy Living Unit within the Public Health Agency of Canada is to help Canadians improve their health and well-being through regular physical activity.

This is accomplished by influencing individual and societal change through:

1. Knowledge development and synthesis;
2. National policy and program leadership;
3. Partnership and network development; and
4. Promotion and communication

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