Health Reports: Ten-year trend in physical fitness among Canadian adults
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Released: 2021-11-17
The Canadian Health Measures Survey has now been collecting measured data on the fitness of Canadians for more than 10 years, allowing for new trends to be observed in the fitness of Canadians. The study "Trends in physical fitness among Canadian adults, 2007 to 2017," released today in Health Reports, shows that the fitness level of Canadian adults aged 20 to 69 years has stabilized over the past 10 years, albeit at low levels. This follows a decline in fitness levels from 1981—the last time measured fitness data had been available—to 2007.
The study observed few meaningful changes in the fitness levels (including aerobic fitness, muscular strength, and flexibility) of Canadian adults between 2007 and 2017. Some modest declines in aerobic fitness were observed among men and women. There was also a decline observed in flexibility among men.
Fitness reflects one's capacity to engage in physical activity. Aerobic fitness was better in those who were meeting the current Canadian physical activity recommendation (150 minutes per week). Measures of obesity were also better in those meeting the physical activity recommendation.
High physical fitness is associated with many health benefits and is a strong predictor of future morbidity and mortality. Given this link, the periodic assessment of fitness in Canadians provides important insights into overall population health. A similar paper published in 2019 titled "Trends in physical fitness among Canadian children and youth" focused on the trends in fitness among Canadian children and youth across the same time period.
Note to readers
The related publication Fitness of Canadian adults: Results from the 2007-2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey is also available.
Products
The article "Trends in physical fitness among Canadian adults, 2007 to 2017" is now available in the November 2021 online issue of Health Reports, Vol. 32, no. 11 (82-003-X).
This issue of Health Reports also contains the article, "The prevalence and correlates of workplace infection control practices in Canada between July and September 2020."
Contact information
To enquire about the article "Trends in physical fitness among Canadian adults, 2007 to 2017," contact Rachel Colley (rachel.colley@statcan.gc.ca), Health Analysis Division.
To enquire about the article "The prevalence and correlates of workplace infection control practices in Canada between July and September 2020," contact Cindy Moser (cmoser@iwh.on.ca), the Institute for Work & Health, Toronto, Ontario.
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).
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