Supporting Active,Healthy Community Design in [name of place]

[date, place of presentation]

Heart disease and stroke

• 1.5 million Canadians living with the effects

• Canada’s leading cause of death for both

men and women

• One death every seven minutes

• $22 billion annual in direct and indirect costs

Promoting Heart Health

• Up to 80% of premature heart disease

and stroke could be prevented by reducing

risk factors

• Physical inactivity is one of the most

common risk factors for heart disease

and stroke in Canada

How much physical activity do we need?

• Adults: 30 to 60 minutes a day*

• Children: 90 minutes per day*

*most days of the week

Physical Inactivity; Overweight/Obesity

• Percent not physically active enough:

– 51% of Canadian adults

– 91% of Canadian children and youth

• Percent overweight or obese:

– 60% of Canadian adults

– 26% of Canadian children and youth

Obesity Trends Among Canadian Adults – CCHS, 2004

Source: M Tjepkema & M Shields,

Statistics Canada. June 2005

Comparison of Adult Obesity in 21 Industrialized Countries

Prevalence of Overweight 10-16 Year Oldsfrom 34 Industrialized Countries

The role of the built environment

• Our local environment can encourage…

– Walking or cycling to school, work, shopping instead of driving

– Other active travel (e.g., skating)

– Playing outside (more active play, less screen time)

– Active forms of recreation

= “active, healthy living”

Active, Healthy Community Design

• Mixed land use

• Higher density

• Amenities close by

Active, Healthy Community Design

• Appealing

streetscapes

• Connectivity

(continuous and

direct routes)

• Streets designed for

walking and cycling

• Accessible, efficient

public transit

• Safe routes to school

Active, Healthy Community Design

• Outdoor play areas

• Recreational facilities

Benefits of Active, Healthy Community Design

• Community physical activity rates

• Obesity levels

• Improved air quality

• Quality of life

• Other benefits:

– mental health, social health, traffic safety, noise

levels, water quality, energy savings, cost

savings, community economic development

Growing recognition

• Public opinion

• Health organizations

• Health research

• Urban Planners

• Healthy built environment and active planning initiatives

• Innovative property developments emphasizing active, healthy design

Communities responding

• Improving connectivity of walking and cycling networks

• Active transportation strategies

• Public transit system improvements (e.g., light rail)

• Recreational infrastructure

• Active, healthy design into new developments

• Urban planning guidelines

Not yet the norm

• Only 12% of Canadians’ home-based trips (e.g., grocery store work or school) on foot or bicycle

• CMHC study showed suburban developments still generally car-oriented with poor walkability

• Many Canadians do not live within easy walking distance of a grocery store and other amenities –e.g., Waterloo study:– 71% of the urban population in the region do not live

within walking distance of a large grocery store

– 47% are not within walking distance of a large grocery store, retail food outlet or convenience store

Where will we go from here?

• Local decisions shape the environment…

– Official community plans

– Application for development, redevelopment, zoning

change, etc.

– Transportation planning

– Public transportation initiatives

– Active transportation infrastructure (sidewalks, trails,

bike paths)

– Parks and recreation budgets

The role of the public

• Explore the issues

• Try the active, healthy neighbourhood design checklist

• Write/speak to decision makers

• Respond to public consultations

• Attend meetings

• Talk with neighbours, community groups

• Volunteer on an advisory committee

Discussion

• How well does the built environment in [name of

community] support active, healthy living?

• What community planning initiatives are underway

or coming up? What active, healthy community

design issues are involved?

• How can we take action to support active, healthy

community design in [name of community]?