Physical Activity Guides

• The Physical Activity Guides outline how much activity is enough for health benefits.
• The Guides have been developed by Health Canada and the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology to help Canadians of all ages make wise choices about physical activity.
• Inactivity is a serious threat to the health of adults and children.
• The Physical Activity Guides outline how much activity you should strive for with information targeted to all age groups.
• For easy ways to get started and a variety of ideas to help you build physical activity into your day go to Canada’s Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living.  The guide will help you with ways to become more active at home, school, work and play!

Children and Youth

Recent studies have shown that greater than 50% of Canadian youth are not active enough for optimal growth and development.

Since 1981 the number of children that are overweight has doubled, and the number that are obese has tripled.

The Physical Activity Guide for Children and Youth offers parents and their children resources and ideas to help encourage increased physical activity.

Adding more physical activity to everyone’s day equals better health, strength and well-being!

To access this guide, go to:

Canada’s Physical Activity Guides for Children and Youth

Adults

This guide will help you make wise choices on how to build physical activity into your life.

Increasing daily physical activity will help you improve your health, prevent disease and get more out of life.

Experts have found that in order to keep our bodies healthy we need three types of activities – those that promote strength, flexibility and endurance.

The Physical Activity Guide for Adults offers a rainbow of activities to choose from.

Remember, start slowly and build up – get active your way, every day…for life!

To access this guide, go to:

Canada’s Physical Activity Guide

Older Adults

It’s never too late to start!

Physical activity helps to maintain your physical and mental health.

Starting slowly and keeping moving on a regular basis will help you to maintain your independence.  Reaching, bending, lifting and carrying are all activities that will help keep your muscles, bones, heart and lungs strong.

The Physical Activity Guide for Older Adults gives you tips and ideas on easy ways to increase physical activity so you can enjoy good health and improved quality of living well into your later years!

To access this guide, go to:

Canada’s Physical Activity Guide for Older Adults

Resources:

Active 2010

Canada’s Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living

HealthyOntario.com