THE PHYSICAL INACTIVITY EPIDEMIC: JUST THE FACTS Inactivity, Obesity, and Diabetes Dr. Mark Tremblay, Ph.D., FACSM College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan

Recent Research 2/3 of Canadian children are not sufficiently active for optimal growth and development (CFLRI, 1998) Canadian children are becoming progressively fatter, weaker, and less flexible (CFLRI, 1998) average Canadian child is sedentary for 3-5 hrs/day in front of TV alone (CMAJ, 1998) in the past 15 years, the prevalence of obesity has tripled in Canadian children aged 7-13 (Tremblay and Willms, 2000)

Trends in the Health of Canadian Youth. Ottawa: Ministry of Public Works and Government Services. Health Canada, Proportion of students in grades 6, 8, and 10 who exercise >1x/wk outside of school is declining ( ) Proportion of students in grades 6, 8, and 10 who watch TV >4 hrs/day is increasing Proportion of students in grades 6, 8, and 10 who play video games >4 hrs/wk is increasing (mostly males) Time spent playing video games by Canadian children among highest in the world (HBSC)

“obesity is an unintentional consequence of societal progress” “it results from a mismatch between our physiology and environment” Dr. James Hill, ACSM 2000

LOTS OF NUMBERS METHODPrevalence 1996 Change Percent Increase Percentile Girls Boys 14.6% 16.6% +9.6% +11.6% +192% +232% Cole et al Girls Boys 8.9% 10.2% +7.2% +8.2% +424% +510%

PROVINCIAL VARIATION IN BMI BMI UNITS

NIDDM Secular increases in prevalence of NIDDM in adolescents (Pinhas-Hamiel et al. J. Pediatrics, 1996; Scott et al. Pediatrics, 1997)

Source: Mokdad et al., Diabetes Care 2000;23: %4-6%6% n/a Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Trends Among Adults in the U.S., BRFSS 1990

Source: Mokdad et al., Diabetes Care 2000;23: %4-6%6% n/a Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Trends Among Adults in the U.S., BRFSS

Source: Mokdad et al., Diabetes Care 2000;23: %4-6%6% n/a Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Trends Among Adults in the U.S., BRFSS

Source: Mokdad et al., Diabetes Care 2000;23: %4-6%6% n/a Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Trends Among Adults in the U.S., BRFSS 1995

Source: Mokdad et al., Diabetes Care 2000;23: %4-6%6% n/a Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Trends Among Adults in the U.S., BRFSS

Source: Mokdad et al., Diabetes Care 2001;24:2 4%4-6%6% n/a Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Trends Among Adults in the U.S., BRFSS 1999

NIDDM Second generation consequences: offspring of parents with NIDDM show multiple abnormalities in glucose homeostasis early in life as well as high risk measures of body fatness Srinivasan et al. Metabolism 47: , 1998.

“At our student-parent advisory committee last night, despite the money that we raise for one, we can no longer have a phys ed specialist, because other schools can’t afford one as well.”

“What ever happened to pick-up games and parents playing baseball with their kids?”

“Does anyone have any power to change this?”