Development of a population-based microsimulation mode of physical activity in Canada - ARCHIVED

A computer simulation model of physical activity was developed for the Canadian adult population using longitudinal data from the National Population Health Survey and cross-sectional data from the Canadian Community Health Survey. The model is based on the Population Health Model (POHEM) platform developed by Statistics Canada. This article presents an overview of POHEM and describes the additions that were made to create the physical activity module (POHEM-PA). These additions include changes in physical activity over time, and the relationship between physical activity levels and health-adjusted life expectancy, life expectancy and the onset of selected chronic conditions. Estimates from simulation projections are compared with nationally representative survey data to provide an indication of the validity of POHEM-PA.