This National Health and Fitness Day we invite everyone to join in on making physical activity part of their daily routines to help lead healthier and happier lives!
Being physically active is key to preventing chronic disease and improving overall physical and mental well-being. Regular active movement helps people live longer, healthier and happier lives. However, physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour levels remain high with only 49.2% of adults and 43.9% of children and youth meeting physical activity recommendations in Canada.
The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, in collaboration with experts and with support from the Government of Canada, has developed the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines. These guidelines advise on optimal amount of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep-and the best combination of these behaviours-for people of all ages.
The Government of Canada is committed to supporting initiatives like the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines to get everyone in Canada get moving. The goal is to help Canadians continue to be active throughout their lives by promoting physical activity, sport and recreation.
We are working with provinces, territories, Indigenous communities and the not-for-profit and private sectors, to support physical activity initiatives across the country. For example, the Government of Canada is making important investments through the Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund, to support projects that focus on addressing the risk factors for chronic disease, including physical inactivity.
The Government of Canada is also investing in research related to physical activity to better understand how we can build communities that support active living and supporting studies that examine the links between physical activity, fitness and health outcomes.
Being active can be a satisfying and socially fulfilling part of everyday life and there are many ways to build it into daily routines, such as choosing to walk more or making time for a bike ride. Regular physical activity lowers stress, makes us stronger, supports positive mental health and promotes healthy growth and development.
Join us as we encourage all Canadians to explore the opportunities that get them excited to move and promote physical activities that meet the different needs of communities from across the country. Together, on this National Health and Fitness Day, let us all take steps towards healthier and more active lifestyles.
The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, P.C., M.P.
The Honourable Mark Holland, P.C., M.P.
