Lowering the bar
Posted Jan 5, 2011 04:42:25 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – Canada is lowering the bar on its national physical activity guidelines.
Even though experts say more physical activity is better, they believe Canadians can get health benefits from softened fitness goals that few people are currently meeting.
Some hope easier goals will encourage more Canadians to be active.
“Participaction”, the Canadian agency created to inspire fitness, was consulted on the new guidelines, which will be released January 24th.
“Participaction” president Kelly Murumets says the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology will recommend the physical activity guidelines for children and adults be revised to match those set by the World Health Organization and other developed countries, like the U-S.
She says the Canadian fitness level is so low, even minimal amounts of physical activity will be beneficial.
Under the new the guidelines, children — who are currently advised to increase their daily activity to 90 minutes — will be told they need to be active for an hour.
The recommended amount of active time for adults will be cut from 60 minutes daily to 150 minutes weekly.
The new guidelines will also recommend the maximum of time people should be doing sedentary activities like watching T-V.
