Physical Activity Data in Canada:
Why so many numbers?
What do they mean?
Peter T. Katzmarzyk, PhD, FACSM
Queen’s University
Kingston, ON CANADA
Questions
“Definitions” of physical activity – what do they really represent?
What is the “at risk” population?
Why so many numbers?
Definitions of Physical Activity
Thresholds of Leisure-time Physical Activity
<1.5 kcal.kg-1.day-1
1.5–2.9 kcal.kg-1.day-1
≥ 3.0 kcal.kg-1.day-1
≥ 6.0 kcal.kg-1.day-1
≥ 8.0 kcal.kg-1.day-1
Definitions of Physical Activity
What are the labels associated with these thresholds?
<1.5 kcal.kg-1.day-1
1.5–2.9 kcal.kg-1.day-1
“Inactive”
“Moderately
Active”
≥ 3.0 kcal.kg-1.day-1
“Active”
≥ 6.0 kcal.kg-1.day-1
“Active –
Children”
≥ 8.0 kcal.kg-1.day-1
“Active –
Children”
Definitions of Physical Activity
What do these thresholds represent?
<1.5 kcal.kg-1.day-1
1.5–2.9 kcal.kg-1.day-1
“Inactive”
Walk < 30 minutes
“Moderately
Active”
Walk 30-59 minutes
≥ 3.0 kcal.kg-1.day-1
“Active”
≥ 6.0 kcal.kg-1.day-1
“Active –
Children”
≥ 8.0 kcal.kg-1.day-1
“Active –
Children”
Walk ≥ 1 hour
? Walk ≥ 2 hours
? Walk < 2.5 hours
Physical Inactivity Prevalence
90
85
Prevalence of Physical Inactivity (%)
NPHS/CCHS, < 3 KKD
80
75
70
65
Physical Activity Monitor, < 3 KKD
60
55
NPHS/CCHS, < 1.5 KKD
50
45
40
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Year of Survey
1999
2000
2001
2002
What is the “at risk” Population?
There have been shifts in the way “physical activity” levels
have been reported over the years.
Prevalence of “Physical Activity” versus “Physical Inactivity”
Changing Thresholds
Prevalence of “Physical Activity”
versus “Physical Inactivity”
1981 CFS – “The Physically Active Population”
1988 CSWB – “The Active Population”
1995 PAM – “Level of Physical Inactivity”
1997 PAM – “Trends in Physical Inactivity”
1998 PAM – “Trends in Physical Inactivity”
1999 PAM – “Physical Inactivity of Canadians”
2000 PAM – “Physical Activity Levels”
1994- 2003 CCHS – “Physical Activity Trends”
2005 CCHS – “Leisure-time Physical Activity”
Changing Thresholds
1981 CFS – “The Physically Active Population” Average 3+ h/week for 9+ mo/year
1988 CSWB – “The Active Population” 3+ kcal/kg/day
1995 PAM – “Level of Physical Inactivity” < 3 kcal/kg/day
1997 PAM – “Trends in Physical Inactivity” < 3 kcal/kg/day
1998 PAM – “Trends in Physical Inactivity” < 3 kcal/kg/day
1999 PAM – “Physical Inactivity of Canadians” < 3 kcal/kg/day
2000 PAM – “Physical Activity Levels” Various thresholds
1994- 2003 CCHS – “Physical Activity Trends” Inactive < 1.5 kcal/kg/day
Mod. Active 1.5 – 3.0 kcal/kg/day
Active 3+ kcal/kg/day
2005 CCHS – “Leisure-time Physical Activity” Inactive < 1.5 kcal/kg/day
Active or Mod. Active 1.5 + kcal/kg/day
Prevalence of “Physical Activity”
versus “Physical Inactivity”
Moving Targets
1997 - Federal, provincial and territorial
Ministers responsible for sport,
recreation and fitness set a goal to
decrease the proportion of Canadians who
are physically inactive by 10% by 2003.
Québec City, April 30, 2004 - Federal, provincial and territorial Ministers
responsible for sport, recreation and fitness today adopted the new
Canadian Policy Against Doping in Sport. Goals and objectives have been
identified to increase physical activity levels by 10 percentage points
in provinces and territories by the year 2010.
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Summary
THE END
Definitions of Physical Activity
What do the Thresholds Represent?
Please note a classification of active represents an average daily energy expenditure of at least 3 kilocalories per
kilogram (KKD) of body weight during the previous 12 months. Moderately active represents average energyexpenditure values that are greater than 1.5 and less than 3.0 KKD. Inactive corresponds to average energyexpenditure values of less than or equal to 1.5. For the purposes of goal reporting, physical activity combines
moderately and active categories (1.5 KKD or greater).
Active, if they walked at least 1 hour every day (3.0+ KKD);
Moderately active, if they walked 1/2 hour every day (1.5–2.9 KKD); and,
Inactive, if they walked no more than 1/4 hour every day (<1.5 KKD).
www.cflri.ca
Physical Activity Prevalence
Leisure-time physical activity
Definition:
Respondents are classified as active, moderately active or inactive based on an
index of average daily physical activity over the past 3 months. For each leisure time
physical activity engaged in by the respondent, an average daily energy expenditure
is calculated by multiplying the number of times the activity was performed by the
average duration of the activity by the energy cost (kilocalories per kilogram of body
weight per hour) of the activity. The index is calculated as the sum of the average
daily energy expenditures of all activities. Respondents are classified as follows: 3.0
kcal/kg/day or more = physically active; 1.5 - 2.9 kcal/kg/day = moderately active;
less than 1.5 kcal per day = inactive