Canadians say they don't have enough time to exercise or to eat healthy foods, but a leading agency in the fight against cardiovascular disease says taking time now to live a healthy lifestyle can mean, plainly, more time to live.
"Eight out of 10 Canadians know that heart disease and stroke can be prevented, postponed or treated by making healthy lifestyle choices, but they are focusing on the barriers rather than the opportunities," David Sculthorpe, CEO of Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, said in statement accompanying results of a survey looking at why people are not active or eating enough health food.
Sculthorpe was addressing the result that 82 per cent of survey respondents know they can take action that can reduce their chances of suffering heart disease and stroke.
This includes getting 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous exercise, which the foundation said can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes by 30 per cent. On the other hand, inactivity can shave four years off a person's lifespan, it said.
The charitable organization also recommends eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by 20 per cent. Insufficient consumption of fruits and vegetable can reduce one's life by 1.3 years, the foundation said.
Forty-six per cent of those surveyed said they are not active enough due to long workdays and a lack of time. About one-third said time they would like to spend exercising is taken up by commutes to and from work.
A lack of time also was cited as a reason for not eating healthy foods. Forty-one per cent said healthy meals take too long to prepare, and 51 per cent said fast-food outlets in their neighbourhoods lack nutritious menu selections.
The foundation, however, argued that it is critical for people to find the time to make these healthy lifestyle choices, and that doing so might not be as difficult as some think.
"Eight out of 10 Canadians know that heart disease and stroke can be prevented, postponed or treated by making healthy lifestyle choices, but they are focusing on the barriers rather than the opportunities," David Sculthorpe, CEO of Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, said in statement accompanying results of a survey looking at why people are not active or eating enough health food.
Sculthorpe was addressing the result that 82 per cent of survey respondents know they can take action that can reduce their chances of suffering heart disease and stroke.
This includes getting 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous exercise, which the foundation said can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes by 30 per cent. On the other hand, inactivity can shave four years off a person's lifespan, it said.
The charitable organization also recommends eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by 20 per cent. Insufficient consumption of fruits and vegetable can reduce one's life by 1.3 years, the foundation said.
Forty-six per cent of those surveyed said they are not active enough due to long workdays and a lack of time. About one-third said time they would like to spend exercising is taken up by commutes to and from work.
A lack of time also was cited as a reason for not eating healthy foods. Forty-one per cent said healthy meals take too long to prepare, and 51 per cent said fast-food outlets in their neighbourhoods lack nutritious menu selections.
The foundation, however, argued that it is critical for people to find the time to make these healthy lifestyle choices, and that doing so might not be as difficult as some think.
Do you have tips for balancing a busy schedule with a healthy lifestyle? Share them on our Facebook page.
For instance, it cited data from Statistics Canada which suggests 29 per cent of Canadians aged 20 or older watch two or more hours of television, and 15 per cent spend at least 1 1/2 hours a day of their leisure time on a computer.
"Some of the time spent in sedentary leisure activities could easily be devoted to more active and healthy pursuits," said Dr. Beth Abramson, a cardiologist quoted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation in its release. "Those who say they have no time should take comfort in the knowledge that stints of 10 minutes (of exercise) are beneficial."
When it comes to healthy eating, the foundation recommends planning meals in advance, seeking healthy recipes and adhering to grocery lists filled with plenty of nutritious eating choices.
The data was based on online surveys taken of 2,160 Canadian adults in October by Environics Research Group. No margin of error was applicable, the foundation said.
For instance, it cited data from Statistics Canada which suggests 29 per cent of Canadians aged 20 or older watch two or more hours of television, and 15 per cent spend at least 1 1/2 hours a day of their leisure time on a computer.
"Some of the time spent in sedentary leisure activities could easily be devoted to more active and healthy pursuits," said Dr. Beth Abramson, a cardiologist quoted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation in its release. "Those who say they have no time should take comfort in the knowledge that stints of 10 minutes (of exercise) are beneficial."
When it comes to healthy eating, the foundation recommends planning meals in advance, seeking healthy recipes and adhering to grocery lists filled with plenty of nutritious eating choices.
The data was based on online surveys taken of 2,160 Canadian adults in October by Environics Research Group. No margin of error was applicable, the foundation said.
No comments:
Post a Comment