|
Couch
potatoes are costing the country's economy more than $2 billion a year,
Health Minister Allan Rock said Friday. "The level of inactivity in Canada
is dangerously high," said Rock after opening Can-Fit-Pro Fitness Rocks
2000. "Inactivity is about the same risk factor as smoking in terms of
health."
Studies
and surveys have consistently shown as many as two-thirds of Canadians
don't exercise enough to derive any health benefits -- although the numbers
have been improving in recent years.
A
federal report in January indicated 57 per cent of those surveyed in an
assessment of 20,725 households weren't regularly active -- exercising
at least three times a week for at least 20 minutes. Given the direct
link to health problems such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and mental
health, inactivity is taking its toll on the economy, Rock said.
Government
figures suggest time off work due to stress or illness because of sedentary
living is taking more than $2 billion out of the economy each year.
"Today,
we formally launched the business case for active living," he said. "This
is not only a health issue, it's also an economic issue."
With
13 million Canadians spending half their waking lives at work, Ottawa
says it's vital to find ways of increasing physical activity at and around
the workplace.
Evidence
suggests active living can cut short- and long-term disability, improve
job satisfaction and morale, and enhance productivity, Health Canada says.
"There's
a real business case to be made for more activity in the workplace, for
employers working with their workforce to make sure they have a chance
to build healthy living and activity into their work days," said Rock.
In
1997, the country's health ministers set a target of 2003 for reducing
inactivity by a modest 10 per cent. Figures suggest there has been some
improvement and that public awareness campaigns are helping.
But
more needs to be done, Rock said. "We have to renew our efforts (but)
government can't do it alone," he said. "It means a real change in the
lifestyles of a lot of Canadians."
|
