News Release
2003-28
May 9, 2003
For immediate release
Minister of Health announces launch of SummerActive campaign
OTTAWA - Canadians are being encouraged to get active, eat well and
live tobacco-free through SummerActive, a community-based campaign that runs between May
9 and June 21. The Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Health, today announced the launch
of the campaign, which is organized by Health Canada and delivered through a partnership
with provincial and territorial governments.
"SummerActive 2003 emphasizes the substantial health and economic benefits associated
with regular physical activity, healthy eating, and tobacco-free living," said Minister
McLellan. "This initiative is an excellent example of federal, provincial and territorial
governments working in partnership with each other and with communities and organizations
to promote and provide opportunities for healthy living in Canada."
SummerActive is an annual, national community-based campaign that supports the efforts
of provincial/territorial governments, national organizations and community agencies in
their efforts to increase public awareness about the benefits of adopting an active, healthy
lifestyle. Last year hundreds of events and programs organized under SummerActive helped
thousands of Canadians to take the first steps towards adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Provinces and territories have distributed resource kits produced by Health Canada to leaders
in communities and organizations across the country. Resources are also available to view
or download from the SummerActive Web site, hosted by Canadian On-line Explorer (canoe.ca)
at  www.summeractive.canoe.ca. The resource kits
include self-help tools, tip sheets and other materials that help leaders promote existing
or new healthy living programs and events that are organized locally under the umbrella
of this national campaign.
Daily and weekly prize draws provide incentive for participants to register their physical
activity on-line during SummerActive, and for leaders to register information about their
planned events, which browsers can view on-line. Canada's Physical Activity Guides (for
children, youth, adults and older adults) are also made available to Canadians through
SummerActive and can be ordered free of charge by calling 1-888-334-9769.
Today's launch will help call attention to the first Annual Global Move for Health Day,
an initiative proposed by Canada and approved at the 2002 World Health Assembly as part
of a resolution to develop a Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. On
February 17, 2003, the World Health Organization launched this annual global initiative
to promote physical activity as essential for health and well-being.
Move for Health is strongly backed by findings of the 2002 World Health Report, which
lists physical inactivity among the main risks contributing to global chronic disease,
along with unhealthy diet and tobacco use. Such largely preventable chronic diseases as
cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers and respiratory diseases as well
as complications from obesity are now the major causes of death and disability worldwide.
Health Canada is also currently working with the provinces and territories and representatives
of various sectors on the development of an Integrated Pan-Canadian Healthy Living Strategy
to improve the health of Canadians, reduce health disparities and reduce the burden of
preventable chronic diseases on the health care system. Federal, provincial and territorial
Ministers of Health will soon host a symposium in Toronto to seek agreement on the Strategy.
The symposium will include participants from all levels of government, health sector organizations,
non-governmental organizations and national voluntary organizations, Aboriginal Peoples,
the private sector, academia, consumer organizations and other relevant groups. Dates of
the symposium will be confirmed shortly.
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Media Inquiries:
Farah Mohamed
Office of Anne McLellan
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-1694
Emmanuel Chabot
Health Canada
(613) 957-1803
Public Inquiries:
(613) 957-2991
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