Is one national day for health and fitness enough?
June 6 is National Health and Fitness Day and it is a good idea, considering about 39 per cent of Canadian adults are self-reportedly obese. But it is not like Canadians don’t want to be active. Many just do not have the time.
While one day may be enough to lure the sedentary off their couches and onto treadmills, will it really change what is at the heart of Canada’s obesity epidemic—the demands put on time by work, family and the rising cost of living?
In Powell River many lead by example, biking to work, running or finding other ways of keeping active. But grafting physical exercise onto an otherwise sweat-free day does not get to the root of the problem of how little time everyone has to exercise.
MP John Weston believes getting people active will save Canadians money in healthcare costs in the long-term. If saving money is one of the goals of National Health and Fitness Day, more than one day a year may be required.
If Canadians want to truly make a dent in healthcare costs, lifestyles need a good overhaul and employers need to make time and provide the ability for employees to be active.
Currently the burden is on individuals to find the time to exercise. A typical family’s working day does not contain extra time.
Weston put the legislation forward to make Canada the fittest nation on earth. But how fit can Canadians be if most sit at a desk all day long?
According to government statistics, only 45 per cent of Canadians over 12 report some level of physical fitness. The numbers are worse for children.
More time is needed: time to be active, time to be with family and time to make money to live.
Employers could be giving employees the time and support needed to make exercise something that happens every day.
Exercise increases productivity, so exercising on the clock would possibly be a boon to the economy and reduce sick and mental health days.
It is not that employers do not want to encourage healthy lifestyles—there just is not enough incentive to make the changes needed. Perhaps tax breaks for companies offering an hour of on-the-job gym time would help.
National Health and Fitness Day gives Canadians the gift of time, but one day just is not enough.
