e-Bulletins

Quick Facts: 

Canada’s Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living recommends at least 30 - 60 minutes of moderate intensity activity a day for adults (Health Canada, 1999). 

An international review panel recently concluded that being physically active has many important health benefits (Warburton et al, 2010), including lowering risks for:
•                   Premature death
•                   Heart disease
•                   Stroke
•                   High blood pressure
•                   Colon cancer
•                   Breast cancer
•                   Type 2 diabetes

 In fact, the economic burden of physical inactivity in Canada was $5.3 billion in 2001 (Katzmarzyk & Janssen, 2004). While $1.6 billion was spent on direct health care costs (including costs associated with hospital, drug and physician care), the remaining $3.7 billion went to indirect costs. These indirect costs included lost productivity due to premature death and lost activity days due to short-term and long-term disability. It is these indirect costs that are often absorbed by businesses through: absenteeism, injuries, staff turnover, disability compensation, extended health-care costs, life insurance costs, and decreased work productivity.

 Supporting and encouraging your employees to be physically active throughout the workday as well as in their leisure time, is not just good for your employees, it is also good for your business.

 Resources:

Public Health Agency of Canada
Active Living at Work
Resources for workplaces including the business case for supporting physical activity at work, best practices, recommendations, and much more.

Canada’s Physical Activity Guidelines
A central location to find current information about the amount and types of physical activity recommended for Canadians.

Stairway to Health
A program to encourage employees to be more active by using the stairs instead of the elevator.

Alberta Centre for Active Living
A website that offers a step-by-step planning guide, success stories and many practical ideas.

York Region Public Health
Physical Activity in the Workplace
A website that provides information and resources about the four areas for promoting and supporting employees to be physically active: Awareness, Education, Environment, Policy.

Huron-Perth Health Unit
in motion workplaces
Scroll down to the bottom of this website for a workplace walking program including a Coordinator’s and Participant’s Guide

Region of Waterloo
Travel Wise Program 
This Region of Waterloo website provides valuable information on walking, cycling and transit options. It has links to cycling, transit, trail and walking maps in addition to information on carpooling.

Physical Activity Resource Centre (PARC)
Walk-This-Way
A workplace walking program that includes a set of self-help program materials intended to assist adults 20 - 64+ years of age in beginning and adhering to a walking regimen to increase their physical activity. This program is specifically designed for those individuals in contemplation and preparation stages.

Physical Activity, Pregnancy & Postpartum Inventory of Resources
Physical Activity Resource Centre (PARC)
This is an inventory of national, provincial, American organizations and resources, plus pre and post natal certification courses, articles, research specialists, tracking sheets, books and physical activity samples.

Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) This site contains forms and information to be used by the individual and the health care provider to assess readiness for exercise programs for people with special considerations. 

Healthy U Alberta
Physical Activity for People with Mobility Issues or Disability
Benefits of Physical Activity During and After Pregnancy

Women's College Hospital
Support CARE - Exercise and Pregnancy Helpline 
This is a free service offering information to any pregnant or pre-pregnant woman who has questions related to exercise during pregnancy.  This includes athletes, active women and those who want to begin an exercise routine during pregnancy.

Mark Your Calendars – Upcoming Events

August
World Breastfeeding Week – August 1-7, 2010
This week is celebrated every year from August 1st to 7th, in more than 120 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is six months old, and continued breastfeeding with the addition of nutritious complementary foods for up to two years or beyond.

September
Project Health Networking Session. Active Employees, Active Workplaces: Promoting and Supporting Physical Activity at Work
September 9, 2010, 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Register at http://www.projecthealth.ca/network-sessions to learn why active employees are good for your business; discover tools and resources to help support your employees to be active (including those who may be pregnant or work shifts etc.); see how “Stairway to Health” and other workplace supports can be implemented; and receive a copy of our new toolkit “Active Employees, Active Workplaces”.

World Car Free Day - September 22, 2010
An annual event to encourage people to leave their cars at home and use public transit or active ways to get to and from work.

October
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Early detection through regular mammograms is important. This is the most reliable way to catch breast cancer early when it’s most treatable. This October, the Canadian Cancer Society is encouraging all women of average risk who are 50 - 69 years of age to get a mammogram every two years – it could save their life.

Cervical Cancer  Awareness Week - October 24 – 30, 2010
The Canadian Cancer Society encourages women to help prevent cervical cancer by having regular pap tests.

Healthy Workplace Month – October 4 – 31, 2010
Canada’s Healthy Workplace Week (CHWW) was introduced in 2001 and has grown into a designated month. This web-based initiative provides an avenue to help increase awareness of the importance of workplace health for the short and long term success of organizations and for the well being of their employees.

Prenatal Health Fair, Region of Waterloo Public Health
October 27, 2010   5 – 8 pm
A free event for those planning a pregnancy and who are pregnant.
Cambridge Newfoundland Club, 1500 Dunbar Road, Cambridge

November
Cancer Prevention Week – Nov 9 – 13, 2010
At least half of all cancers can be prevented through healthy living. This year the Canadian Cancer Society will highlight colorectal cancer with a focus on how to prevent the disease.