National Kinesiology Week: According to a Recent Poll, Half of Canadians Do Not Meet the Minimum Recommended Level of Physical Activity

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Nov. 18, 2015) - Although the World Health Organisation states that physical inactivity is the fourth risk factor for mortality worldwide, just after hypertension, smoking and high levels of glucose in the blood¹, the message does not appear to pass within the population. According to a recent Leger poll, 54% of Canadians report not practicing any form of physical activity or practicing 90 minutes or less a week. As part of the National Kinesiology Week, which runs from November 16 to 22, the Canadian Kinesiology Alliance (CKA) wants to remind people of the importance of moving at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week and to look for a professional who can help maximize your results.

KINESIOLOGISTS: PROFESSIONALS WORTH KNOWING

The survey also found that a quarter (25%) of Canadians have worked with a kinesiologist or are currently doing so. Even though many could benefit from their valuable advice, more than a third of the population has never even heard of that profession. Indeed, for various reasons such as lack of time or lack of knowledge, many find it difficult to integrate physical activity on a regular basis. If the adoption of an active lifestyle seems obvious, only one in two actually succeed in doing so². That is why working with a trained kinesiologist ensures professional monitoring and can increase motivation level and success.

As part of the medical team, the kinesiologist is also the best resource for those who are struggling with health problems such as diabetes, back pain or problems with blood pressure (over half of respondents said having a chronic medical condition). Together, they can determine the best strategy to increase physical activity and improve their health.

For those who would like to benefits even more on the health level, several studies even recommend increasing the duration of moderate intensity endurance activity to reach 300 minutes per week, or doing 150 minutes a week of sustained intensity activity (or an equivalent combination). This recommendation may seem difficult to follow for many, so this is why asking support from a kinesiologist can help achieve a more active lifestyle adapted to their reality.

OTHER INFORMATION FROM THE SURVEY

• Active people are fewer in proportion to suffer from a chronic disease (44% versus 60%).
• 62% of kinesiologists' customers mentioned suffering from a health problem.
• Men are more likely than women to be very active (34% versus 23%).
• People with university degrees are more likely in proportion to do frequent (4-7 times a week ) physical activities (50% versus 40% for people with a high school diploma or less).
• Having children has no influence on the frequency of physical activity.
• It is in British Columbia that people are active the most frequently (57% practice a form of physical activity 4 to 7 times a week) and it is in Quebec that they are the least likely to practice physical activity on such a frequent basis (39%).

METHODOLOGY

The Web survey was conducted by Leger from November 2 to 4, 2015 among a representative sample of 1,555 adult Canadians. A random sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of ± 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

ABOUT THE CANADIAN KINESIOLOGY ALLIANCE

The CKA is a non-profit organization that promotes the advancement and defense of the profession of kinesiology in Canada. The Alliance regroups over 4,000 members across the country. Kinesiologists are human movement specialists. They work at different levels such as health promotion, athletic training, rehabilitation, workplace health and safety, ergonomics, disability management, research and sports medicine.

Website: www.ack.ca

Twitter: @CdnKinesiology

Facebook: facebook.com/CanadianKinesiologyAlliance

¹ WHO, Global Health Recommendations on Physical Activity, 2010.

² Nino, G., Psychological benefits of adapted physical activity in chronic diseases. Science & Sports, 2013. 28 : p. 1-10.