By Lisa Schick

Health guidelines even more important for Prince Albert

Jan 29, 2011 | 6:22 AM

It seems health talk is everywhere lately.

Most recently the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) released their latest guidelines for physical activity.

“They’re necessary and it’s a great guideline for people to follow,” said Trina Bell, recreation programmer at the Alfred Jenkins Field House.

“I think that’s a minimum standard and definitely if you can get more in that’s going to be beneficial for you.”

The new guidelines have expanded the age ranges to be able to include more Canadians. They also specify an amount of time and intensity for the activities.

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This is part of an ongoing trend to help address Canada’s increasing obesity epidemic that is also affecting large parts of the western world.

There are television shows like The Biggest Loser, Village on a Diet and I Used to be Fat ruling the airwaves.

Diets like Atkins and Nutri-system continue to pop up. Even fast food chains have added so-called healthy choices to their menus.

Due to both an increasingly sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet, Canadians are getting bigger and unhealthier. The new activity guidelines will “help Canadians move towards healthier lifestyles” according to Health Canada.

For children, five to 11 years old, and youth, 12 to 17 years old, the guidelines recommend 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily.

For adults, 18 to 64 years old, as well as older adults, 65 and older, the guidelines recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous activity – this translates into twenty minutes daily.

They also suggest muscle building and bone-strengthening exercises.

Mike Strype, a personal trainer at California Fitness, in Prince Albert said the changes in the guidelines are for the better.

“They do specify moderate to vigorous, which the old ones didn’t do, and as far as I’m concerned that is the most important aspect … moving around, sweating,” he said.

The CSEP revised the old guidelines so they would reflect the newest research, be in line with international guidelines, and also because there is an inactivity crisis in Canada.

This crisis is especially dire in Saskatchewan and doubly so in Prince Albert.

The June 2010 stats from Statistics Canada show that 65 per cent of residents in the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region are considered overweight or obese, as opposed to the 58.6 per cent in Saskatchewan and 37 per cent (from 2009 statistics) in Canada.

Obesity is the leading chronic condition in the region, causing other health problems.

Prince Albert schools are already on the right track.

Principal of Arthur Pechey School, Ken Belyea, said students are already.

“We’ve kind of been way ahead of the game here — we are currently and have been way beyond the guidelines already,” said Belyea.

Prince Albert students have 200 minutes a week in physical education classes, regular fitness testing, and also have access to all sorts of extra-curricular intramurals and sports teams.

The guidelines are a great start to addressing some current concerns about children’s health, Belyea said.

“They’re starting to address some of the social issues out there, they’ve mentioned overweight and obesity, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, those sorts of things which are creeping down into society’s youth right now.”

Slow steps to get healthy

To be able to get healthy again Scott Ward, CEP Certified Exercise Physiologist, recommends Prince Albert residents start strengthening themselves slowly.

“What I would stress the most … is people need more functional movement where they’re actually doing activities that improve their function,” said Ward.

“For example, instead of hopping on a leg extension machine, I would recommend maybe doing some squatting … because it’s more functional, it would help them at work, it would help them in their everyday activities

Strype says getting out, getting moving and getting the heart-rate up is key, and the best way to start doing that is with small steps such as parking further away from the mall, taking the stairs, or walking the dog.

“You get out there a few times and it gets easier every time and you get to the point where you’re actually enjoying getting out there and getting some exercise and you’ve actually probably lost weight and you don’t even realize it,” said Strype.

Health Canada, CSEP and their partners hope the new guidelines will give Canadians motivation to get healthy.

news@panow.com