Next Older Canadians becoming less active Canadians over 65 are less active now than at the end of the eighties. The 1995 Physical Activity Monitor , conducted by the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, found a reduction in the activity levels of both older men and women since 1988.
Older women are the least active of all age and sex groups.
In fact, middle-aged men and women, along with men over 65, are twice as likely to be active as older women. Men and women in their early twenties are three times more likely to be active. The downward trend for women at retirement age is particularly troubling. After menopause, women face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. With lower levels of estrogen no longer offering adequate protection, physical activity would be of great benefit in offsetting the effects of these diseases.