Participation in physical recreation is essential to building healthy, active individuals from infancy to older adulthood.
A solid evidence base supports the positive relationship between regular physical activity and healthy aging. For older people, participation in active recreation adds vitality and quality to life. It positively affects functional capacity, mental health, fitness levels, the prevention and management of chronic diseases and disability, and overall wellbeing. Engaging in physical activity with others can help older adults build social networks that promote overall health.33
While unstructured play is important for all ages, the evidence suggests it is particularly critical for children in today’s society. Over the last few decades, children‘s lives have become increasingly structured and media oriented, reducing their time in active unstructured play. This shift has contributed to increasing levels of physical inactivity, sedentary behaviour and excess weight in children and youth. 34, 35,36,37 There is a particular concern for the missed opportunity of outdoor play, which has been shown to increase a child‘s capacity for creativity, problem-solving, and emotional and intellectual development.38
The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines provide recommendations about the amount of physical activity required for health benefits for older adults, adults, and youth and children, including preschoolers, toddlers and infants. These are complemented by the Canadian Guidelines for Sedentary Behaviour, which encourage children and youth to enjoy incidental movement, active play, active transportation and time outdoors, and discourage prolonged periods of sitting. For health benefits, this is good advice for all ages.39
Individuals and families choose active living over sedentary behaviours when the “active choices are the easy choices.” This requires the creation and maintenance of supportive environments for physically active recreation in the everyday settings where people live, work, play and learn. See Goal 4 for more discussion and priorities related to this.
Active Living Foster active living through physical recreation.
The Economic Impact of Increased Physical Activity and Reductions in Sedentary Living40
According to an analysis by the Conference Board of Canada (October 2014), small changes in
physical activity and sedentary living can have substantial benefits. By getting 10% of Canadians
with suboptimal levels of physical activity to be more active and less sedentary, the incidence
of chronic conditions would be substantially reduced. With Canadians living healthier, more
productive lives, GDP could increase by a cumulative $7.5 billion between 2015 and 2040.
In addition, health care spending on hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and cancer would
potentially be reduced by $2.6 billion within this same timeframe.
Source: Conference Board of Canada, 2014
Part II: A Framework for Recreation in Canada 2015
Priorities
1.1 Enable participation in physically active recreational experiences throughout the lifecourse, continuing to focus on children and youth but expanding to meet the needs and foster the participation of the growing number of older people in Canada.
1.2 Incorporate physical literacy in active recreation programs for people of all ages and abilities. Physical literacy is recognized as a precondition for lifelong participation in and enjoyment of sport in the Canadian Sport Policy 2012.41
1.3 Support the child’s right to play, and to participate freely and fully in “age-appropriate recreational experiences, cultural life, and artistic and leisure activities”, as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.42 Enhance opportunities for children and youth to play outdoors and interact in nature in school, community and neighbourhood settings. Engage parents and provide safe, welcoming, low- or no-cost opportunities for families and multiple generations to experience the joy of spontaneous active play together.
1.4 Inform recreation leaders about the importance of reducing sedentary behaviours, and enable them to explore and implement strategies and interventions that address this important public health issue.
After-School Recreation Programs
Ontario’s After School Program is an example of how recreation and community partners are
working to enhance wellbeing among young people at risk. It provides programming for 21,000
children and youth, at low or no cost, who participate in fun, safe, supervised activities that focus
on physical activity (including both recreation and sport), healthy eating/nutrition, personal
health and wellness, and activities that address cultural identity and local needs. More than 130
not-for-profit recreational organizations, local governments and First Nations groups deliver
programming in over 400 sites to at-risk children and youth (grades 1-12) during the hours of 3:00
p.m. – 6:00 p.m. throughout the school year. (2014).
For more information, visit www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/sport/afterschool/after_school.shtml
Report Card on Kids Physical Activity
The Leisure Information Network database has 4800 references to Active Living.
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