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Physical activity

Domain

Health

Subdomain

Healthy people

Indicator

Physical activity

Definition

Proportion of the population meeting the physical activity recommendations within the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines.

Measurement

Developed by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines outline age-specific durations of moderate to vigorous physical activity that are recommended to be met weekly.

A person has met their physical activity recommendations if they have accumulated the following duration in the last 7 days:

  • Adults (18 and older): at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activities.
  • Children and youth (5 to 17 years old): at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activities.
  • Preschoolers (3 to 4 years old): at least 180 minutes spent in a variety of physical activities spread throughout the day, of which at least 60 minutes is energetic play.
  • Toddlers (1 to 2 years old): At least 180 minutes spent in a variety of physical activities at any intensity, including energetic play.

This indicator is measured in the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) and the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY).

The CHMS measures the indicator for individuals aged 3 to 79 years, the CCHS for individuals aged 12 years and older, and the CHSCY for individuals aged 1 to 17 years. Results are presented by age group. While the CHMS measures physical activity of 3- and 4-year olds, results for this group are not currently reported. For methodological reasons, the most appropriate way to report whether children under 4 meet the Guidelines is under review.

The CHMS collects physical activity data through both self-reported (survey questions) and direct (a physical activity monitor worn by survey respondents aged 6 years and up) measures. The CCHS and CHSCY only use self-reported measures whereby respondents self-report their physical activity through survey questions.

In the CHMS and CCHS, respondents are asked the following survey questions:

In the last 7 days, that is from last [day of the week 7 days ago] to yesterday, did you use active ways like walking or cycling to get to places such as work, school, the bus stop, the shopping centre or to visit friends?

  • Yes
  • No

In the last 7 days, on which days did you do these activities?

  • Monday
  • Tuesday
  • Wednesday
  • Thursday
  • Friday
  • Saturday
  • Sunday

How much time in total, in the last 7 days, did you spend doing these activities?

  • (Number of minutes)

Not including activities you just reported, in the last 7 days, did you do sports, fitness or recreational physical activities, organized or non-organized, that lasted a minimum of 10 continuous minutes? Examples are walking, home or gym exercise, swimming, cycling, running, skiing, dancing and all team sports.

  • Yes
  • No

Did any of these recreational physical activities make you sweat at least a little and breathe harder?

  • Yes
  • No

In the last 7 days, on which days did you do these recreational activities that made you sweat at least a little and breathe harder?

  • Monday
  • Tuesday
  • Wednesday
  • Thursday
  • Friday
  • Saturday
  • Sunday

In the last 7 days, how much time in total did you spend doing these activities that made you sweat at least a little and breathe harder?

  • (Number of minutes)

In the last 7 days, did you do any other physical activities while at work, in or around your home or while volunteering? Examples are carrying heavy loads, shoveling, and household chores such as vacuuming or washing windows.

  • Yes
  • No

Did any of these other physical activities make you sweat at least a little and breathe harder?

  • Yes
  • No

In the last 7 days, on which days did you do these other activities that made you sweat at least a little and breathe harder?

  • Monday
  • Tuesday
  • Wednesday
  • Thursday
  • Friday
  • Saturday
  • Sunday

In the last 7 days, how much time in total did you spend doing these activities that made you sweat at least a little and breathe harder?

  • (Number of minutes)

The CHMS also includes additional questions for children and youth:

Over the past 7 days, on how many days were you physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day?

  • (Number of days)

Over a typical or usual week, on how many days are you physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day?

  • (Number of days)

About how many hours a week do you usually take part in physical activity that makes you out of breath or warmer than usual:

In your free time at school, for example, at lunch? / in your class time at school? / outside of school while participating in lessons, leagues, or team sports? / outside of school while participating in unorganized activities?

  • Never
  • Less than 2 hours per week
  • 2 to less than 4 hours per week
  • 4 to less than 7 hours per week
  • 7 or more hours per week

In the CHSCY, the following questions are asked:

In the past 7 days, that is from last [day of the week 7 days ago] to yesterday, did you participate in any physical activities in which you were sweating at least a little or breathing harder? (Exclude physical activities that take place during the school day, for example, during physical education class, lunch or recess)

  • Yes
  • No

Did you participate in physical activities in which you were sweating at least a little or breathing harder on any of the following days?

(Asked for each day of the week)

  • Yes
  • No

On the days you participated in physical activities, for total activity time, indicate how long the activity lasted. For time sweating or breathing harder, indicate how much time you were actually sweating at least a little or breathing harder.

  • Total activity time (Response options range from no time to 7 hours or more, in 15-minute increments)
  • Time sweating or breathing harder (Response options range from no time to 7 hours or more, in 15-minute increments)

Data sources

This indicator is measured through multiple Statistics Canada surveys. Estimates can vary between data sources due to differences in reference periods, targeted or sampled populations, data collection and other methodology.

Data analysis

Additional information

The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines include other physical activity recommendations; however, this indicator focuses on results associated with the recommendations for moderate to vigorous physical activity (results associated with the recommendations for muscle strengthening activities and light physical activities are not included).

These Guidelines are intended for the general population. The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology notes that they may not be appropriate for persons who are pregnant or living with a disability or a medical condition.

The physical activity recommendation was recently revised in the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults. The 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) went from requiring that MVPA be accrued in bouts of 10 minutes or more (bouted) to having no bout requirement (non-bouted). Using the CHMS, the following study compared adherence to the bouted and non-bouted recommendations, and assessed differences in sociodemographic, health and fitness measures:

Frameworks

This indicator aligns with the following framework:

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