Health Reports: Reallocating time between sleep, sedentary and active behaviours
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Released: 2018-04-18
Many studies have shown that exercise is better for a person's health than being sedentary. But is it worth losing sleep over? A new study released today in Health Reports addresses that question and how other ways Canadians spend their time may affect their weight, and their general and mental health.
A typical day consists of sleep, sedentary behaviour, light-intensity movement and more moderate-to-vigorous exercise. Because there are only 24 hours in a day, increasing any one of these means that something else has to decrease. This study looked at the impact of reallocating time between these various behaviours among adults aged 18 to 79 years.
The study clearly shows that increasing exercise is associated with lower measures of obesity and improved scores of perceived general health regardless of where the time comes from (sleep, sedentary behaviour, or light activity). Shifting time away from sedentary behaviour to either sleep or light-intensity movement was associated with better perceptions of general and mental health.
For adults who were overweight or obese, as well as for older adults (aged 50 to 79 years), shifting time from sedentary behaviour or sleep to light-intensity movement was associated with lower measures of obesity.
The findings of this study confirm that moderate-to-vigorous exercise is associated with improved health and adds to the growing body of literature suggesting that simply shifting time away from sedentary behaviour is beneficial for health.
Note to readers
The data were collected from 2007 through 2015 as part of the Canadian Health Measures Survey. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour were measured using Actical accelerometers. Obesity status was determined using measured height, weight and waist circumference. Sleep, general health and mental health were all self-reported.
Products
"Reallocating time between sleep, sedentary and active behaviours: Associations with obesity and health in Canadian adults" is now available in the April 2018 online issue of Health Reports, Vol. 29, no. 4 (82-003-X).
This issue of Health Reports also contains the article "Health-adjusted life expectancy in Canada."
Contact information
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).
To enquire about "Reallocating time between sleep, sedentary and active behaviours: Associations with obesity and health in Canadian adults," contact Rachel Colley (rachel.colley@canada.ca), Health Analysis Division.
To enquire about "Health-adjusted life expectancy in Canada," contact Tracey Bushnik (tracey.bushnik@canada.ca), Health Analysis Division.
For more information about Health Reports, contact Janice Felman (613-799-7746; janice.felman@canada.ca), Health Analysis Division.
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