A University of Alberta expert on physical activity has provided insights into incorporating more activity into daily routines, aligning with common New Year's resolutions. John C. Spence, a professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, emphasized that any form of activity contributes to overall health and that engagement in enjoyable activities promotes consistency.
Physical activity can extend beyond planned exercise, encompassing actions such as walking for transportation or participating in leisure activities with family and friends.
The 2025 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Adults, a comprehensive evaluation of Canadian adult physical activity, highlights the increasing significance of physical activity. The report estimates that physical inactivity results in an annual cost of $3.9 billion in avoidable health-care expenditures in Canada. A 15 percent relative increase in physical activity could potentially save nearly $1 billion annually by reducing chronic disease rates.
According to Spence, who serves as the chief scientific chair of the report, physical inactivity is associated with costs to the health-care system for conditions including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, dementia, and depression. Beyond health-care system benefits, increased physical activity is also linked to enhanced community connection and aligns with various United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, such as gender equality and climate action.
Recommendations for Daily Routines
The ParticipACTION report card identifies areas where Canadians can improve daily activity and offers specific recommendations:
- Step Count Enhancement: Only 32 percent of adults achieved at least 7,500 steps per day. The report advises adding an additional 500 steps daily, equivalent to approximately five extra minutes of walking.
- Strength and Balance: 35 percent of adults met recommendations for twice-weekly muscle-strengthening activities. Among individuals aged 65 and older, 31 percent reported performing exercises to strengthen core muscles essential for balance and posture. Maintaining strength and balance is important for movement and fall prevention, and muscle maintenance can support metabolism and mitigate the onset or effects of Type 2 diabetes. Resistance training, including weightlifting, sit-standing exercises, yoga, Pilates, balance ball use, or dancing, is suggested.
- Active Transportation: 46 percent of adults reported utilizing active transportation methods, such as biking or walking, for commuting. This practice contributes to increased step counts, improved cardiovascular health, and environmental benefits through reduced carbon emissions.
- Community Involvement: Volunteering with community sport and recreation organizations is presented as a method to increase physical activity. The ParticipACTION report noted that the sector operates with less than 45 percent of the required volunteers to adequately serve communities, particularly in rural and remote areas where volunteer support is critical for program operation. Involvement in local sports leagues or event organization can also provide physical activity opportunities.
Systemic Support for Physical Activity
The report also suggests that governments, national and provincial sports organizations, and employers can implement measures to support increased physical activity among citizens. Recommendations include:
- Providing standing desks in workplaces.
- Offering more flexible scheduling and drop-in opportunities for recreational leagues.
- Designing neighborhoods that are pedestrian and bike-friendly.
Coordination of policies across Canada's sport, recreation, and physical activity strategies is also emphasized. This includes integrating themes from the National Active Transportation Strategy, 'A Common Vision for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary living in Canada: Let’s Get Moving,' and the 'Framework for Recreation in Canada.' Such coordination aims to translate strategic objectives into concrete actions and generate significant impacts for individual Canadians.