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, 2000.
• Proportion of students in grades 6, 8, and 10 who
exercise >1x/wk outside of school is declining
(1990-1998)
• 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
erweight Males
CFS, 1981
NLSCY, 1996
9
11
10
Age
12
13
ALL
LOTS OF NUMBERS
METHOD
Percentile
Girls
Boys
Cole et al. 2000
Girls
Boys
Prevalence
1996
Change
1981-1996
Percent
Increase
14.6%
16.6%
+9.6%
+11.6%
+192%
+232%
8.9%
10.2%
+7.2%
+8.2%
+424%
+510%
PROVINCIAL VARIATION IN
BMI
2.5
2
1.5
BMI
UNITS
1
0.5
0
B.C. AB
SK
MN
ON
QC
NB
NS
PEI
NF
NIDDM
• Secular increases in prevalence of NIDDM
in adolescents (Pinhas-Hamiel et al. J. Pediatrics, 1996; Scott
et al. Pediatrics, 1997)
Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Trends Among
Adults in the U.S., BRFSS 1990
4%
4-6%
6%
n/a
Source: Mokdad et al., Diabetes Care 2000;23:1278-83
Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Trends Among
Adults in the U.S., BRFSS 1991-92
4%
4-6%
6%
n/a
Source: Mokdad et al., Diabetes Care 2000;23:1278-83
Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Trends Among
Adults in the U.S., BRFSS 1993-94
4%
4-6%
6%
n/a
Source: Mokdad et al., Diabetes Care 2000;23:1278-83
Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Trends Among
Adults in the U.S., BRFSS 1995
4%
4-6%
6%
n/a
Source: Mokdad et al., Diabetes Care 2000;23:1278-83
Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Trends Among
Adults in the U.S., BRFSS 1997-98
4%
4-6%
6%
n/a
Source: Mokdad et al., Diabetes Care 2000;23:1278-83
Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Trends Among
Adults in the U.S., BRFSS 1999
4%
4-6%
6%
Source: Mokdad et al., Diabetes Care 2001;24:2
n/a
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 47:998-1004, 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?”