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At a time when a global pandemic is limiting options for exercise, University of Windsor kinesiology professor Chad Sutherland is part of a national research team looking to make physical activity more inclusive and equitable for all Canadians.
David Patchell-Evans, CEO and founder of GoodLife Fitness, tapped Sutherland and a diverse group of individuals from health care, business, academia, sports and fitness for the “Change for Good Health” project.
Other participants include Patchell-Evans’ wife, Olympian Silken Laumann, noted University of Toronto professor Bruce Kidd and Paralympian Joel Dembe, along with representatives from Diabetes Canada, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada and the Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health.
A philanthropist and author of several books on healthy living, Patchell-Evans grew concerned when the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the options for being active and increased the inactivity level among Canadians.
Sutherland was recruited for his expertise in the area of adapted physical exercise. He’s been running an adapted exercise program for adults with autism and intellectual disabilities at the university for more than 10 years.
The group started meeting virtually at the beginning of the year to identify barriers all Canadians face to being physically active. Their findings and recommendations were released this week.
“It’s really an action paper,” Sutherland said. “We know exercise is truly not optional for good health. It’s a requirement and we have to have equitable access.”
Sutherland said the goal is to have Canadians prioritize physical activity at the same level as health care and education.
The group’s paper calls inactivity the silent pandemic that increases the risk for chronic disease and mental health issues.
It says only 16 per cent of Canadians meet the recommended guidelines for 150 minutes per week of physical activity and that the cost of inactivity to Canada’s economy is an estimated $6.8 billion per year.
Children with disabilities, Indigenous, racialized and low-income communities all face added barriers to being physically active.
“Cost is a big one,” Sutherland said. “They can’t afford a lot of the physical activity programming. Transportation can be an issue or the design of the facility is not inclusive.”
Sutherland said families he’s worked with through adapted exercise programs have shared the negative impact of losing programs during the pandemic. Participants said they spend more time on sedentary behaviours, often inside and in front of a screen, leading to poorer physical and mental health.
The group’s next steps are to share its findings and foster collaborations that can lead to the creation of safe, inclusive, equitable opportunities for physical activity.
