News from ParticipACTION

Last week, I had the pleasure of witnessing firsthand some of Canada's finest young athletes in motion at the Canada Games in Halifax. These games are the country's largest multi-sport competition for our burgeoning Canadian athletes and bring together over 2,700 competitors from 800 communities. What made me proud was to see young people from the far corners of our nation unified through their shared passion and commitment to sport.

Perhaps for me, my appreciation of seeing our young athletes performing at the peak of their physical abilities was made even more pointed by the fact that, one week earlier, ParticipACTION helped launch Canada's first ever Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. Developed by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, and the first of their kind in the world, the Guidelines have specific recommendations to address our children's increasingly sedentary behaviour. Behaviour that may not be as harmless as we once thought.

Researchers have discovered that even when children are considered "active" - engaged in at least an hour of heart-pumping, physical activity each day - they can be at risk for certain chronic diseases and conditions if the rest of their time is spent in pursuits with very little movement. And the shocking truth is, our children are spending over eight hours a day of their waking time barely moving at all and six of those hours are spent planted in front of a screen.

So we are urging parents to get their kids to put down the remote. Log off the computer. Shelve the video games. Get up off the couch, and move a little bit more. These small changes can have a big impact on our children's futures. Who knows? Maybe one day, they too will be competing at the Canada Games.

Warmly,

Kelly

ParticipACTION Updates

Congratulations from ParticipACTION!

Congratulations to Andrea Grantham, Executive Director at Physical and Health Education Canada, and a member of the ParticipACTION Advisory Group, for being acknowledged as one of the Most Influential Women of 2010.

The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS) selected its list of the Most Influential Women (MIW) for 2010 to highlight the leadership, strength and accomplishments of Canadian women who made a significant impact in sport and physical activity in 2010. The objective of the MIW List is to inspire and motivate other women and girls to take leading roles in sport and physical activity - at the community, provincial, national or international level.

Congratulations from ParticipACTION! For a more information and a detailed look at the MIW list visit the CAAWS website.

ParticipACTION's Dare2Move Teen Challenge

Teens can win by spreading the word about youth inactivity

There is a youth inactivity crisis on our hands, and ParticipACTION has launched a contest, called Dare2Move ParticipACTION's Teen Challenge to try and bring light to the issue at hand.

Shockingly, teens are spending an average of 6 hours a day in front of screens which has severely cut into their more active time. Furthermore, only 7% of young people are hitting recommended daily physical activity levels and 1 in 5 fifteen year-olds has high blood pressure. Impelled by these appalling statistics, ParticipACTION, along with our partners, is challenging teens to raise awareness among their peers about the inactivity crisis, and to do it in a creative way.

Teens are asked to create a message using text, photography or video that encourages their generation to get moving. Entries can be wildly creative - flash mobs, raps, dances, or even physical activity challenges in their schools - anything that will inspire teens to understand that there is a physical inactivity crisis in Canada and to care about it.

Submissions must be made between January 31 and March 21, 2011. Two winners from both English and French categories will be chosen. All of the Dare2Move participants are eligible to win some pretty great prizes including an active-gaming console.

For more information, or to download the contest info kit or printable poster, click here.

Are you Living Right Now?

Live Right Now

If you haven't already registered to participate in CBC's Live Right Now it's not too late! This exciting six-month initiative is engaging Canadians of all ages and abilities... each of them making a commitment to getting healthier one challenge and one day at a time. Live Right Now is a national program supported across CBC Television, CBC Radio and cbc.ca. It's designed to ignite a movement of Canadians to make small, manageable changes that will have a large and lasting effect on their health.

Individuals, families, co-workers, community groups and schools are all stepping up to the plate in a quest for better health. Whether your goal is to be more active, get the whole family moving more, to make better food choices, or to kick a bad habit or two, Live Right Now is fun, engaging, inspiring and free!

Once you've set up your profile, create a group or join one of the many already set up. Our ParticipACTION group is open to all and we're ready to welcome you! What are you waiting for?!

For more information on CBC's Live Right Now, visit their website.

Sogo Active offers special funding to Sogo Community Hosts until April 1st

Sogo Active logo Sogo Active, the youth physical activity movement that engages teens to live more active lifestyle, is offering Community Hosts $10 in grant money for every new Sogo Active youth member that is recruited.

If you are currently a Sogo Active Community Host, just imagine an extra $200 dollars towards new volleyballs, basketballs, yoga mats, floor hockey sticks or even a ping-pong table. Signing up new youth members is all it takes to unlock the extra funding to enhance your youth-targeted, physical activity program. The more youth you register, the bigger the grant.

If you are part of a school or an organization that reaches youth and encourages them to become active, but are not currently registered as a Sogo Active Community Host, really, what are you waiting for? It takes only a few moments and allows access to free Sogo Active support materials, instructions on how to create a fun and motivational Sogo Active youth challenge, and opportunities to receive additional grant money of up to $500.

For more information on the Sogo Active youth recruitment grant, please visit the ParticipACTION

website.

The ParticipACTION Partner Network - Building Strength in Numbers

PPN logo Since the inception of the ParticipACTION Partner Network (PPN) in late 2009, a variety of not-for-profit and public-sector organizations have joined our ranks. The group shares a similar vision - to motivate and encourage Canadians to lead more active, healthy lives. With over 100 organizational members thus far, and with more and more organizations joining every week, the PPN is building strength in numbers.

The PPN is dedicated to those involved in the physical activity, recreation and sport participation sectors. ParticipACTION's belief is that the PPN will not only help support the work of individual member organizations, but will strengthen the physical activity and sport participation sector in Canada. Membership in the PPN is free and voluntary, and provides organizations with the following benefits:

Access to desirable and valuable sector information through Partner Forums and free, easy-to-use communications and resource distribution channels
Membership to the Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC)
Access to customizable ParticipACTION Tool Kit materials

For more information on the PPN and how the network can benefit you and your organization, visit the PPN webpage or contact Christa Costas-Bradstreet at ccbradsteet@participACTION.com

The ParticipACTION Tool Kit offers FREE communication and promotional materials

To help inspire and inform Canadians, we've developed the ParticipACTION Tool Kit, which contains free communications materials that organizations can use to promote physical activity and sport participation.

Many of the materials are available to all. And if you are a ParticipACTION Partner Network (PPN) member, you can also access customizable materials.

Feel free to view and download the available materials online at the ParticipACTION Tool Kit webpage.

Example: Downloadable pin up from the ParticipACTION "Think Again" campagin:

Think Again

Tips from ParticipACTION's Active Living Ambassador

Physical activity makes us healthier, faster, stronger, more flexible, smarter, and gives us more energy... and these are just some of the benefits! The key to finding time to exercise and making a commitment to it, is building it into your routine. But don't forget the "fun" factor: when something's fun, we want to do it again and again, right?

10 tips for an active day... every day

Jogging 1. FIND THE TIME... IT'S THERE! You may not think the time is there... but it is and it doesn't have to all be at once. Four 15-minute workouts, two half-hour blocks of time, six ten-minute get-moving periods... the choice is yours.

2. DAILY ROUTINES! Build physical activity into your daily routine. Instead of driving the kids to school, walk or wheel with them. Taking your son or daughter to hockey practice? Walk laps around the rink.

3. LEAVE THE CAR AT HOME: Active transportation is better for you and the environment. Walk, jog or bike your way to work or to run errands. Or, use public transportation and get off the bus or train a few stops ahead of your destination and walk the rest of the way.

4. TRY SOMETHING NEW: Each season, or at least twice a year, commit to trying a new activity or one you haven't done in some time. Roller-blading, snowshoeing, indoor climbing, Aqua-fit classes, are just some examples.

5. BUDDY UP! Find family members, colleagues, friends or neighbours who also want to become more physically active and schedule times to meet up for a fitness class, swim, game of tennis, or lunch hour walk.

6. MAKE ACTIVE PLANS! You'll be much more likely to commit to physical activity if it's in your planner or on the calendar. Make plans well ahead of time.

7. DON'T GET SIDELINED! Many parents log hours on the sidelines watching their children play soccer, baseball, or play hockey. Why not log some laps around the rink or soccer field while your child plays, walk your child to and from the game?

8. AFTER DINNER EVERY NIGHT: Leave the stresses of the day behind and find time every evening - even if just for 20 minutes - to do something active. Walk the dog, head to the park with the family, lift some weights, go for a swim, or crank up the tunes and vacuum the house!

9. DIY! Do your own lawn mowing, shrub pruning, leaf raking and snow shoveling as a means of being active.

10. TRACK IT! Buy yourself a pedometer (get one for each family member) and aim to get at least 10,000 steps a day - preferably more. By taking the stairs, walking to and from work (or even part of the way), or running errands on foot, you'll be well on your way!

For more tips and articles written by Catherine Cameron, Ambassador, Active Living, or to chat with her, visit the ParticipACTION Blog.

Physical Activity in the News

Canada releases the world's first evidence-based Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines

Children are urged to limit recreational screen time to no more than 2 hours a day

In recent times, the spotlight has been shining steadily on the need to increase the physical activity levels of Canadian children. But adding physical activity to a child's daily routine is only one part of the equation.

The reality for most Canadian children is that when they are not being active they are spending the lion's share of their leisure time barely moving at all, which is a health risk in itself. So parents who are diligently getting their kids to soccer practice three times a week, need to be just as vigilant about reducing the time their child is spent flopped on the couch or in front of a screen.

To tackle this issue head on, the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology has just released the world's first ever evidence-based Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. These Guidelines followed a rigorous scientific process not unlike that used recently to develop the newly revised Physical Activity Guidelines.

These Sedentary Guidelines were developed to address children's physical activity levels during the entire day, especially the time when they are not engaged in sports, or other higher-intensity physical activities.

So what exactly is sedentary behaviour? CSEP defines it as a distinct class of behaviours that is characterized by little physical movement and low energy expenditure. This includes some favourite kid activities like watching TV, playing on the computer, and playing passive video games. Also included is time spent being driven to and from school, and long stretches of time spent sitting.

What many people don't realize is that even those children who are physically active - those that are spending an hour or more per day participating in activities that get them breathing harder - can be exposed to health risks if the remainder of their time is spend in deeply sedentary activities. And recent studies revealed that on average, Canadian children and youth spend a whopping 8.6 hours of their day being sedentary, or 62% of their waking hours. On top of that, Canadian youth are spending most of this sedentary time glued to screens; an average of 6 hours a day on weekdays and even more on weekends. What makes this material to parents is that all this sitting around has been directly linked to decreased fitness, poor self-esteem, weak academic performance, and increased levels of obesity.

Before throwing up their hands in despair at the thought of trying to keep their kids on the run instead of on the computer, parents should take note. Sedentary behavior is at the very bottom of the "activity spectrum", where there is virtually no movement at all. Researchers are not suggesting that all time spent at sedentary activities be converted into high-performance sporting events, rather, they are urging that young people swap some of this sedentary behavior with "light" physical activities. Activities as simple as walking home from school, "playing" with screens turned off, going outside instead of staying indoors, and helping with chores like setting the table at dinner time.

The new Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines are meant to do just that - guide parents on ways to reduce the amount of their children's sedentary behaviour in order to live healthier, well-rounded, active lives. Although reducing recreational screen time may prove to take some extra effort by both parents and kids, our children will thank us in the long run.

Research Update

Health Implications of a Sedentary Lifestyle: Focusing on Children

New research indicates that decreasing sedentary behaviours, including screen time and motorized transportation, is an important contributor in improving the health, as well as the growth and development, of Canadian children.

Although, the science of measuring sedentary behavior is relatively new, there is substantial evidence linking sedentary activities with negative physiological and psychological outcomes. Some of these possible effects include impaired metabolic function, an increased risk of becoming overweight or obese, reduced ability to maintain focus and attention, increased chance of tobacco use, as well as lower self-esteem and increased aggression.

By reducing sedentary behaviour, there are clear links to health benefits, notes Dr. Mark Tremblay, Director, Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research (HALO) at the CHEO Research institute. "Lower levels of sedentary behaviour are consistently associated with improved body composition, cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness, academic achievement and even self-esteem."

More research is needed in this developing area of study to improve our understanding of the link between sedentary behaviors and definitive health risks, with the goal in mind of improving the lives of our future generations.

For more information, see our Research File.

For tips related to physical activity and exergaming, see our Lifestyle Tips.

Q & A

Q - My two children are very different when it comes to their interests, and I struggle with keeping them both entertained. How do I coordinate fun and active family outings and keep everyone happy?
- Karla

A - Being active as a family is a great way to keep everyone motivated and interested in staying physically active. When you have children whose interests vary, this can sometime pose a problem when planning family activities. With that said, it may be helpful to get each of your children's thoughts on the type of outings your family goes on, as well as get their ideas on different types of activities they would like to take part in. If you child feels like they have played a role in choosing the outing or activity they might be more inclined to get involved and have fun. All in all, it's great to let your children voice their opinions about these things. Once you understand what each child likes, you can then choose outings that incorporate a number of different activities that everyone enjoys.

Professional Development

The Red Deer Health & Wellness Show

April 9 &10, 2011

Red Deer, AB

The 2011 Red Deer Health & Wellness Show incorporates everything HEALTH related - heart, lungs, joints, back, feet, fitness, weight loss, Cancer, Arthritis, Liver Disease, Nutrition, Healthy Environment, etc. Take advantage of the free health testing offered including blood pressure assessment, and testing in the fields of diabetes, weight loss, stress and much more! Meet industry/sector experts, attend lectures, as well as fitness and dance demonstrations. The show offers great learning opportunities, along with a number of fun activities and demonstrations.

For more information about the Red Deer Heath & Wellness Show, visit the Alberta Heath Shows website.

Footprints Annual Forum
April 30
Kitchener, ON

Footprints is a symposium that looks at the value of sport in society. The discussion will be moderated by CBC Radio ONE host Paul Kennedy and footage from the day will be broadcast on IDEAS.

Special guest for 2011 will be Dr. Stuart Shanker of York University. Dr. Shanker is one of the world's leading researchers who studies the link between aerobic activity, self-regulation and the learning environment.

For more information or to register for the Forum visit the Run for Life website.

SPEA/SHEA
Kick off to Curriculum and & Wellness Conference
May 4 -6
Saskatoon, SK

The Saskatchewan Physical Education Association (SPEA) and the Saskatchewan Health Educators Association (SHEA), as professional, non-profit organizations and Special Subject Councils of the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF), have teamed up to bring you the SPEA/SHEA 2011 Conference. Each year they present the largest STF professional development conference attracting over 300 delegates. Involvement in this conference may include being a tradeshow displayer, providing inserts for delegate packages or taking part in sponsorship opportunities.

For more information on the SPEA/SHEA 2011 Conference, or to get involved, visit the SPEA website.

Alberta Center for Active Living
2011 Physical Activity Forum
May 10 -Edmonton, AB
& May 12 -Calgary, AB

This year, our annual Physical Activity Forum will provide insights to practitioners and professionals about major developments in the field of human motivation, as applied to physical activity behaviour.

Key focus points will include:

Defining human motivation and distinguishing between various forms of motivation.
Motivation as an important factor in promotion of physical activity.
How to distinguish between "optimal" vs. "troublesome" motives for physical activity.
Identifying key factors that permit motivation to flourish (or wither).
Strategies to enhance or sustain motivation towards physical activity.

For more information on, or to register for, the 2011 Physical Activity Forum visit the Alberta Center for Active Living website.

The Early Childhood Care and Education New Brunswick/

The Canadian Child Care Federation
Valuing Children: A Canadian Conversation National child care conference
May 26 - 28

Saint John, NB

The conference features an exciting pre-conference workshop on May 26, Integration of Early Learning and Child Care within Ministries of Education, featuring keynote speakers Martin Liberio, Deb Curtis, Christine MacLean and Pam Whitty.

In addition, the event offers a two-day reflective institute within the conference facilitated by Deb Curtis and Associates - Harvest Resources: Learning Together with Infants and Toddlers: Using reflective teaching practices to meet up with children's lively minds.

For more information on the conference, or to become a participant, visit the ECCENB website.

If you have an upcoming professional development opportunity that you would like featured, please contact info@participACTION.com.

Highlights and Events

International Women's Day / Care Canada's Walk in Her Shoes
March 8
National

On March 8th, International Women's Day, events will be held all across Canada and the world to both celebrate and inspire women. This day is important for recognizing the significant advancements that women have made and also for acknowledging the gender inequities that still exist. Globally, women still face stark inequality with regards to education, health and safety.

From March 2-8th Care Canada will be hosting an initiative called Walk in Her Shoes. This national initiative was developed to help break the cycle of poverty and in celebration of the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day (March 8, 2011). Care Canada believes the empowerment of women and girls is instrumental in the fight against poverty and to secure safe and healthy living circumstances. During the first week of March, Care Canada is challenging Canadians to either:

Walk 8,000 steps a day from March 2nd, finishing on International Women's Day, March 8th, or
Build their own Walk in Her Shoes challenge, setting their own step count and timeframe

Taking part is easy, you can register as an individual or as a team and get your group, school or workplace involved in this national challenge.

To find out more about the Walk in Her Shoes initiative, or to register, visit the Care Canada website.

For more details on the history of International Women's Day, and information on events taking place around the world visit the International Women's Day website.

Thunder Bay Goalball League

March 12

Thunder Bay, ON

The Thunder Bay Goalball League meets for monthly games at Ogden Community Centre. There are no fees to participate in the league and new participants are always welcome. Instruction and equipment included. All that is required are indoor sneakers and the willingness to try a new sport.

Goalball is played by two teams of three who are blindfolded, and shoot a ball with bells back and forth at each other. Shooting, saving, and passing are all done without being able to see anything. This is a game that will give you a great challenge, as well as a good workout.

For more information on Goalball, or to join the league, visit the following website, or email puppycat@tbaytel.net

Between Friends Club

Skate, Walk or Wheel a-Kid-to-Camp

March 12
Calgary, AB

Grant the wish of summer fun by participating in Skate, Walk or Wheel a-Kid-to-Camp! Funds from this fun skating relay support the fee subsidy program that ensures no youth misses out on summer camps. Teams of 4 - 8 skaters or walkers will try to outdo other teams by collecting the most pledges, winning the most laps, having the best team costume, or having the most fun. Participants enjoy generous prizes awarded, many entertaining activities, and the satisfaction of making a difference in the lives of youth with disabilities.

For more information on the Skate, Walk, or Wheel a Kid-to-Camp, or to register for the event, visit The Between Friends website.

Sport Newfoundland
Sportfest
March 12-14
Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Centre

Sportfest is your place to try team sports, individual sports, sports for every season and surface. There'll be interactive demos, special guests, even prizes! Whether you want to discover the different sports and activities available to you here in Newfoundland and Labrador, play your way to a healthier you, or simply learn more about your favourite sport, Sportfest is the place to be! Don't miss it!

Schools, non-profit organizations, teams, clubs and the general public are all welcome!

For more information on attending the event, visit the Sportfest website.

Steps For Life
May 1

Ottawa, ON

Families, friends, co-workers and employers are walking to raise awareness about the importance of injury prevention in the workplace and to raise funds for family support programs and services to help victims of workplace tragedy.

For more information, or to register for the walk, visit the Steps For Life website.

Success Stories

One Year of Walking

I walk quite a bit, but never knew how much. So, in 2010, I decided to use a pedometer and record the number of steps I took each day on a spread-sheet. I also, through observation, established my personal (approximate) step-count/per kilometer.

The results were somewhat surprising. For example, I learned quite a bit about the quality of various pedometers, and found that most over-recorded the number of steps. I tried several models before finding one that was accurate to +/-2%.

I also lost four pedometers during the year, so I missed counting several days. However, the purpose of my recording was to establish the range of activity, not to be completely accurate. So I did not distinguish between walking - about 1150 steps/km - and running - about 750/800.

My total step-count was 5,086,416, or 4,396km. That was a daily average of 13,935 steps. The highest daily amount was 55,313 on September 25 (hiking); the lowest was 573 on October 25 (sick).

I intend to continue recording my steps through 2011, with no particular goal in mind, other than to see if my step-count in 2010 was normal or exceptional.

Best of luck to everyone

Story Submitted by:
Michael Haynes

View other Success Stories or submit your own on the ParticipACTION website.

If you would like to submit articles, events/programs or news to our e-newsletter, or for more information on ParticipACTION, please feel free to contact us by email at info@participACTION.com or visit our website at www.participACTION.com