The Current Situation

• Sedentary Living and Physical Inactivity is a serious health concern, in Canada, Ontario, and communities throughout the Province.
• We are facing a problem of near epidemic proportions.
• Currently only 38% of Ontario’s adult population are active enough to benefit their health. The other 62% ARE AT SOME FORM OF HEALTH RISK?

The Problem is not limited to Adults

• Only 43% of Girls, and 54% of Boys, between ages 5-12 are considered active enough for optimal growth and development. 
• For Adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 only 32% of Girls, and 50% of Boys, meet requirements for optimal growth and development.
• One Quarter of all Canadian children do not meet the minimum requirement for healthy growth and development – If today’s children become tomorrows adults these figures do not bode well for the health of our communities.

Trails Provide a Means to Facilitate Active Living.

• Disease prevention is one of the greatest investments that we can make in our communities. Trails can play a key role because they provide the infrastructure that supports safe affordable active living opportunities for individuals and their families.
• One of the major reasons physical inactivity in the population has reached the troubling levels it has, is that active pursuits are in direct competition with more sedentary forms of leisure.
• We now have 900 digital choice TV channels competing for our time. We can surf the net for hours on end without moving from our seat. We commute large distances and have become heavily dependant on cars for transportation.
• While these developing and new technologies can defiantly make our lives easier, they also make our lives much more sedentary.
   
  Multi use trails provide individuals which may have a variety of different interests, the opportunity to adopt and maintain a healthy active lifestyle. Promoting trails not only increases awareness of the environment, and local heritage and cultural sites, but also increases awareness of the local opportunities available for healthy lifestyle and leisure choices.
• Trails provide active living opportunities to Families.  They promote family unity as well as strengthen friendships and neighbor relations. They are places where entire families, friends and neighbors can gather and recreate together safely.
• When trails are accessible, and are made visible to individuals, they serve as a psychological cue to act, a reminder that it is fun and rewarding to participate in outdoor activities.
• A recent survey by the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute found nearly 50% of adults strongly agree that if their community maintained a well-linked network of trails and paths, it would help them to become more active (Physical Activity Monitor 1999).
• Anyone with shared recreational interests, either motorized or non-motorized, can share quality time on a trail.

Health Risks Associated with Inactivity

• Physical Inactivity increases the risk of a number of preventable chronic disease conditions, including:
  1. Coronary Heart Disease – Sedentary individuals have nearly 2X’s the risk of suffering from coronary heart disease, the main cause of death in Ontario. According to the US Surgeon General, this risk is similar to that of Cigarette Smoking. CHD accounts for 1 in 4 deaths in the province of Ontario.
  2. Hypertension - People who are inactive have higher blood pressure and thus are more likely to suffer from hypertension
  3. Cancer - Sedentary individuals have a higher risk of developing certain forms of cancer then active individuals. These include, colon cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer. Sedentary individuals have a 1.2 to 3.6 times greater risk of developing colon cancer then active people. Cancer accounts for 27% of all deaths in Ontario.
  4. Type 2 Diabetes - Regular physical activity can reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes by as much as 50%. Type 2 diabetes is preventable, and is significantly influenced by lifestyle factors. Nevertheless the incidence of type 2 diabetes is on the rise. While Type 2 Diabetes was previously thought of as an adult condition we are now seeing it in increasingly numbers in youth.
  5. Osteoporosis – Inactivity can result in low bone density, which can lead to fractures. Seven out of every ten fractures in individuals over age 45 are attributed to reduced bone density and osteoporosis.
  6. Obesity  - Over half of the population in Ontario carries some extra weight. According to the 1999 Canada Physical Activity Monitor, produced by the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, 26% of Canadian adults over 18 are at increased risk of developing health problems because of excess weight. Obesity increases the risk for CHD, Arthritis, some forms of cancer, type 2 diabetes and back problems.
     • The incidence of obesity has increased by 50% over the past 15 years in children aged 6-11, and 40% in children aged 12-17 in Canada
     • The proportion of overweight Canadians Adults increases with age and is highest among Adults aged 45 to 64.

Health Benefits of Active Living

• Health related benefits from active living are not solely physical, there are also emotional, and social benefits.
• Active Living has positive effects on mental health, proving to be an effective coping strategy for stress. It also increases self-efficacy and self esteem and can be used to prevent and manage depression.
• While Physical Activity may not guarantee a longer life it will prevent premature death from preventable diseases, and by doing so can add up to 2 years to average life expectancy.
• People who are physically active are less likely to participate in high risk activities such as smoking, substance abuse, delinquency and criminal behavior.
• Older Adults who stay physically active can function more effectively and preserve their ability to live independently by maintaining muscular strength and mobility.

How Much Physical Activity is Enough?

• According to Canada’s Physical Activity Guide, people need to accumulate 30 – 60 minutes of light to moderate activity most days of the week to benefit there health. The 30 to 60 minutes need not be accumulated all at once but can be accumulated in periods lasting 10 minutes.
• Light activity can be defined by activity that increases breathing rate.

What are the Best Approaches to Increase Physical Activity?

• According to the Center for Disease Control – Guide to Community Preventive Services, evidence based best practices strongly support Environmental and Policy Approaches to increasing physical activity.
• Creation and or Enhanced access to places for physical activity combined with informational outreach activities is highly recommended as a best practice. Trail building and promotion falls within this category.
• Factors that have a strong influence on individual’s choice to be active on trails include: Awareness, Accessibility, Safety, and Trail Maintenance. Policy development should strongly consider these factors when building and promoting trails in order to increase trail usership by the general public.