Inactivity levels are higher in older age groups, with two-thirds more Canadians over age 65 being inactive compared with those in their early twenties. Canadians in the Atlantic provinces and Quebec have lower levels of physical activity than those in other regions of Canada. Sufficient physical activity can decrease the number of deaths from heart disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among men and women. Twenty-five per cent of these deaths in both age groups were the direct result of sedentary living.
Physical inactivity is a serious burden on the health care system.
Regular physical activity reduces the incidence of heart disease, adult-onset diabetes, colon cancer, osteoporosis, hypertension, depression, as well as premature death and disability. Regular physical activity has a significant impact on quality of life, including functional ability, mental health, and independent living.