Almost two-thirds of Canadians are putting themselves at unnecessary risk of early death, heart disease, adult-onset diabetes, colon cancer and other medical conditions because they are not active enough.

In August 1997, the federal-provincial/territorial Ministers responsible for fitness, active living, recreation and sport set as a joint target a 10% reduction in the proportion of inactive Canadians over the five-year period from 1998 to 2003.

In 1995, the Ministers had already recognized that "physical inactivity represented a major health risk and that physically inactive Canadians were a priority for government action." In 1997, they approved and endorsed Physical Inactivity: A Framework for Action,a framework detailing the following health, social and economic aims and specific objectives to guide joint actions to reduce physical inactivity.

Health aims

1. To reduce the avoidable burden of chronic disease and premature death associated with physical inactivity in the Canadian population.
2. To reduce the burden of unnecessary activity limitation and dependence in activities of daily living, associated with aging, due to physical inactivity in the Canadian population.
3. To engage people in lifelong physical activity which promotes and supports individual health and a commitment to community health and wellness.

Social aims

1. To realize the potential of physical activity, in concert with other comprehensive strategies, to contribute to the resolution of serious social issues such as substance abuse, crime, alienation and delinquency of youth at risk.
2. To provide a support system for healthy social interaction at the family, neighbourhood and community levels through opportunities for physical activity.
3. To help build healthy communities which improve our individual and collective quality of life.

Economic aims

1. To lower health care system costs by reducing unnecessary hospitalizations, visits to the doctor, drug use and sick days resulting from preventable sickness or disorder caused by physical inactivity.
2. To help reduce the costs of anti-social and socially dysfunctional behaviours such as substance abuse, violence, criminal activity and vandalism.
3. To increase the productivity of Canadians in the workplace through improved employee health.

In partnership with the federal-provincial/territorial governments, the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute launched a benchmark program to track changes in physical activity levels. The program will guide the development of government strategies to achieve the targeted 10% reduction in physical inactivity rates.

The Institute gratefully acknowledges the financial contribution of the Fitness/Active Living Unit of Health Canada toward the Lifestyle Tips series.