Healthy Living Program

The Healthy Living Program was composed of the following four core components: the Healthy Living Fund; the Intersectoral Healthy Living Network; Knowledge Development and Exchange; and Social Marketing.

The Healthy Living Fund made strategic investments to address the conditions that lead to unhealthy eating, physical inactivity and unhealthy weights. Projects supported through the fund aimed to reduce health disparities by focusing on vulnerable populations and related settings for action.

The Healthy Living Fund supported time-limited activities that contributed to objectives within the policy framework of the Integrated Pan-Canadian Healthy Living Strategy. Contribution funding targeted Canadian voluntary, not-for-profit organizations that wanted to undertake national initiatives that directly supported the Agency’s mandate, goals and priorities in the area of physical activity, healthy eating and their relationship to healthy weights.

The Healthy Living Program is now part of the Multi-Sectoral Partnerships to Promote Healthy Living and Prevent Chronic Disease Program.

Healthy Living Fund List of National Projects for 2010-2014

Saint Elizabeth Health Care: The Benefits of Physical Activity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Canadians Sharing Knowledge and Community Leading Practices

Lead/recipient:

  Saint Elizabeth Health Care is a leading national health care organization known for its social innovation, strong financial performance and pioneering practices. This not-for-profit organization delivers more than five million health care visits annually and provides nursing, rehabilitation, personal support, research and consulting services.

Partners:

 Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs (MANA), the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS); and First Nations and Inuit Health Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative (FNIH-ADI).

Duration:

  September 2012 to September 2013

Objectives:

 To encourage the use of the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines in all First Nation, Inuit and Métis community-based physical activity and recreation programs.

Highlights:

 Physical activity guidelines provide advice on how much physical activity is generally recommended to realize health benefits. This project adapted the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines to include relevant and culturally appropriate, community-based activities that take into account the influence of geography and available infrastructure and resources in First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities. The result of the project was an innovative and interactive e-learning course that incorporates culturally relevant messages based on physical activity guidelines for use by First Nation, Inuit and Métis recreation and health workers. It also developed and implemented a webinar series consisting of over 25 synchronous (real-time) roundtables that involved and engaged First Nation, Inuit and Métis community intermediaries, Elders and youth involved in promoting and disseminating physical activity tools and resources. The e-course is available nationally for use by educators, recreation and health workers who want to integrate culturally relevant physical activity into their programming.

For more information please visit the Saint Elizabeth Health Care website.

The Canadian Parks and Recreation Association of First Nations, Inuit and Métis: Everybody Gets to Play Online Education and Support Project

Lead/recipient:

 The Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) is a national organization dedicated to realizing the full potential of parks and recreation as a major contributor to community health and vibrancy. Membership includes the 13 provincial and territorial parks and recreation associations and their extensive networks of service providers in over 90% of Canadian communities. CPRA collaborates with a host of other national organizations operating in the recreation, physical activity, environmental, facilities, sport, public health, crime prevention and social services arenas.

Partners:

 Lifestyle Information Network (LIN) and Native Way Training.

Duration:

  August 2012 to September 2013

Objectives:

 To provide a culturally relevant web site, resources and supporting educational webinars to Aboriginal Populations or individuals who work with these populations in order to help reinforce the purpose of the First Nations Inuit and Metis 'Everybody Gets to Play' Community Mobilization Toolkit.

Highlights:

 The Everybody Gets to Play Community Mobilization Tool Kit was developed as a part of the CPRA's national initiative to enhance the lives of Canadian children in low-income families through increased access to recreation. The First Nations Inuit and Métis Supplement to the Tool Kit was developed to provide specific information about First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples because of the unique history and circumstances faced by Aboriginal peoples in Canada. The Supplement provides tools and information needed to mobilize a community to reduce barriers to recreation participation for First Nations, Inuit and Métis families. In this project, CPRA took steps to promote the use of the Supplement through a series of educational webinars, a resource database and further online supports (e.g., network forums and blogs) that engaged and provided information to intermediaries working with First Nations, Inuit and Métis populations.  The results of the project include a re-developed web site with culturally appropriate content, a series of eight webinars in English and French to address topics that were known to be of interest to the target audiences and online community, and an e-newsletter.

For more information please visit the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association website.

Canadian Sport Centre Pacific Society/Canadian Sport for Life: Inuit Active for Life Project

Lead/recipient:

 The Canadian Sport Centre Pacific Society/Canadian Sport Centre for Life (CS4L) is a not-for profit organization that works towards improving the quality of sport and physical activity in Canada. The organization links sport, education, recreation and health and aligns community, provincial and national programming.

Partners:

 The Sport and Recreation Division and the Office of Languages Division from the Nunavut Department of Culture and Language, B2Ten (an Amateur Athletic Association), McAllister Media, Elders, Baker Lake Youth Athletics Association, and Arctic Bay Recreation Department.

Duration:

  August 2012 to September 2013

Objectives:

 To provide culturally relevant physical literacy resources to the Inuit population.

Highlights:

 The CS4L project enhanced and expanded the current project “Active for Life” by developing a culturally relevant version for the Inuit community in English, French and Inuktitut. The development of two Inuit specific Active for Life videos and revisions of existing tools and resources assisted Inuit intermediaries and families working with Inuit children to become more physically active and help reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases.

For more information please visit the Canadian Sport Centre Pacific Society website.

Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability: Helping Canadians with a Disability Get Physically Active

Lead/recipient:

 The Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability (ALACD) promotes, supports and enables Canadians with disabilities to lead active, healthy lives. They are an alliance of individuals, agencies and national associations that facilitates and coordinates partnerships among the members of its network.

Partners:

 The Learning Disability Association of Canada, the National Network for Mental Health, Ontario Blind Sports Association, Variety Village Access Program, Community Recreationists, Coaches and ALACD's Provincial and Territorial affiliates.

Duration:

  August 2012 to September 2013

Objectives:

 To equip health and education intermediaries with general knowledge and tools to direct Canadians with a disability towards increased physical activity participation, promoting enhanced physical literacy.

Highlights:

 Proportionately fewer Canadians with disabilities lead active lifestyles due to a variety of factors including economic disparity, lack of access to transportation, intimidation, and negative attitudes or lack of knowledge on the part of physical activity providers. Yet, for Canadians with a disability, regular physical activity may be even more important than it is for the rest of the population: an active lifestyle can open doors to increased health, social inclusion and self-empowerment. In this project, ALACD developed and disseminated disability related resources (tip sheets) to support health and education intermediaries, enabling a broad range of disabled individuals to participate in physical activity. The project included the involvement of several hundred health and education intermediaries through an environmental scan and the dissemination of tip sheets to approximately 5,000 individuals via ALACD’s 175 partner organizations and in printed copies at conferences and workshops.

For more information please visit the Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability website.

Active Living Coalition for Older Adults: Development, Testing and Dissemination of Knowledge Exchange Tools for Community Educators Promoting Active Healthy Aging

Lead/recipient:

  Active Living Coalition for Older Adults (ALCOA) is a partnership of organizations and individuals with an interest in the field of aging.  ACOA encourages older Canadians to maintain and enhance their well-being and independence through a lifestyle that embraces daily physical activity.

Partners:

 ALCOA Manitoba, the Older Adult Centre Association of Ontario and the Pictou County Council Seniors Outreach Centre.

Duration:

  August 2012 to September 2013

Objectives:

 To engage partners to develop and disseminate knowledge exchange templates and tools (Tool Kit) for community educators to use with older adults to motivate them to adopting a healthy lifestyle; and to increase awareness, endorsement, and use of the knowledge exchange tools and templates and Physical Activity Guidelines by community leaders and educators across Canada.

Highlights:

 Healthy active living is the cornerstone for optimal aging and the prevention of many chronic diseases.The Toolkit developed through this project includes background information, resources, handouts as well as six workshop modules focusing on getting started, motivating change, healthy eating, physical activity, mental-emotional health, and chronic disease. It increased awareness, endorsement, and use of knowledge exchange tools and templates and the Physical Activity Guidelines by community leaders and educators across Canada.  The project resulted in non-clinical community leaders and other health care professionals having the means to offer an evidence-based workshop on healthy living to older adults in their community.

For more information please visit the Active Living Coalition for Older Adults website.

Canadian Paediatric Society: Developing resources and education to improve physical activity promotion by health professionals serving children and youth

Lead/recipient:

 The Canadian Paediatric Society is the national association of paediatricians committed to working together to advance the health of children and youth by nurturing excellence in health care, advocacy, education, research and support of its membership. Its mandate is to promote the health of children and youth across Canada.

Partners:

 The Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine and the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Duration:

  August 2012 to September 2013

Objectives:

 To enhance the ability of paediatricians, family physicians and other primary care providers to help families prevent obesity among children and youth and to identify and manage children and youth at risk of overweight/obesity.

Highlights:

 Physical inactivity and obesity among children and youth are growing problems in Canada. A lack of regular physical activity and excessive sedentary behaviour are important determinants of obesity and related chronic disease risk. This project raised awareness among primary care providers about the new Physical Activity Guidelines and sedentary behaviour and provided improved access to credible, evidenced-based and up-to-date information about physical activity promotion by paediatricians, family physicians, parents and caregivers. The resources were made available in multiple platforms (print, web, email, video, social media), promoted via social media and print materials, and provided to parents via an email campaign. As a result of the project, the effectiveness of physical activity interventions in the primary care provider’s office was improved and the importance of physical activity counselling was made known to a whole new generation of physicians.

For more information please visit the Canadian Paediatric Society website.

Ontario Physical and Health Education Association: Ready, Set, Go!
Educators as Key Intermediaries to Support Successful Implementation of the Physical
Activity Guidelines amongst Children and Youth

Lead/recipient:

 The Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (Ophea) is a non-profit organization with a mandate to support healthy schools and healthy communities through quality programs, partnerships and advocacy.

Partners:

 ParticipACTION, Curriculum Services Canada and the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology.

Duration:

  September 2012 to September 2013

Objectives:

 To develop an interactive, bilingual website (PlaySport/RécréAgir) to help educators, recreation professionals and other physical activity leaders across Canada implement the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines.

Highlights:

 Schools can provide a unique opportunity to focus not just on literacy and numeracy but also to make broader connections to students’ health and wellness.  This project was designed to increase the capacity of Canadian educators to promote physical activity among children, youth and their parents through the development and dissemination of tools and resources that support the implementation of the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines.  The resulting resource, PlaySport/RécréAgir, is a free bilingual activity-based website that helps children and youth develop an understanding of and competency with skills and strategies associated with physical activities and a wide range of sports. The materials provide simplified, relevant information on the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines and other information to improve the knowledge of intermediaries to understand the importance of creating quality physical activity opportunities

For more information please visit the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association website.

Physical and Health Education Canada: Active Healthy Living After-school
A Pan Canadian After-school Framework to support Policy, Knowledge Exchange and Program Delivery

Lead/recipient:

  Physical and Health Education Canada advocates for and advances quality physical education and quality health education programs offered in Health Promoting Schools to enable students the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to lead physically active and healthy lives, now and in their future.

Partners:

 Active Healthy Kids Canada, Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability (ALACD), Active and Safe Routes to School (ASRTS), Boys and Girls Club of Canada (BGCC), Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS), Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute (CFLRI), Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA), and the YMCA.

Duration:

  November 2010 to March 2012

Objectives:

 The purpose of the project was to develop a made in Canada plan to increase activity levels of children and youth during the after-school time period.  It also had the goal of developing a two-year plan, with the intent of a longer term phased approach (until minimum 2015), to address the need to support equitable access by all children and youth in Canada to quality, active after school programs.

Highlights:

 The after school time period provides a prime opportunity to encourage increased healthy living (physical activity, healthy eating and sport participation) among children and youth and to reduce other unhealthy behaviour. The Canadian Active After School Partnership (CAASP) was created under the leadership of Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada) to develop a plan for physical activity in the after-school period. The project involved the creation of the Active After School hub, an online tool containing programs and resources for parents, caregivers, and anyone interested in healthy active living after school. The tool includes over 200 after school programs, resources for planning activities, and a section for parents and guardians.

For more information please visit the Physical and Health Education Canada website.

Physical and Health Education Canada: Canadian Active After School Partnership –PHASE II

Lead/recipient:

  Physical and Health Education Canada advocates for and advances quality physical education and quality health education programs offered in Health Promoting Schools to enable students the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to lead physically active and healthy lives, now and in their future.

Partners:

 Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability (ALACD), Boys and Girls Club of Canada (BGCC), Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS), Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA), and National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC).

Duration:

  September 2012 to March 2014

Objectives:

 To enhance the range, quality and availability of strategically targeted physical activity programming initiatives in the after-school time period in order to increase physical activity levels among Canada’s children and youth.

Highlights:

 In this second phase of the Canadian Active After School Partnership (CAASP) project, further work was undertaken to explore and establish strategies to address barriers to participation; build leadership capacity for quality program delivery; promote community mobilization through awareness, increased program opportunities, and broadened access; develop (or enhanced access to) knowledge and tools; raise awareness and build on best practices for program support and barrier interventions; and engage an extensive network of partners and collaborators (traditional and non-traditional).  Four primary initiatives were carried out: Engaging Home and Family to Enhance Access to After School Programs; Reducing Community Barriers to Active After School Programs; Supporting Mental Health Through Active After School Programs; and, Engaging Aboriginal Children and Youth in (Active) After School Programs (NAFC Lead). The project resulted in numerous resources including survey to educate parents/guardians about the value of after school initiatives in increasing physical activity and healthy eating; case studies highlighting the experience of an afterschool program (targeted for a particular population in a specific community) were created to share best practices; a practical checklist for after school program front-line staff and volunteers to help them reflect on and enhance their programs;  and materials such as videos, journal articles, media stories, web content, brochures, etc.

For more information please visit thePhysical and Health Education Canada website.

Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute: 2010-2011 Physical Activity & Sport Monitoring Program and CANPLAY

Lead/recipient:

 The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyles Research Institute (CFLRI) is a national research agency concerned with educating Canadians about the importance of leading healthy, active lifestyles.

Partners:

 Provincial and territorial government departments responsible for physical activity, sport and recreation, and Canadian Heritage (Sport Canada) at the federal level.

Duration:

  October 2010 to March 2011

Objectives:

 To measure the physical activity levels of children and youth using pedometers to measure daily steps.

Highlights:

 The project activities included the implementation of two surveys, the Physical Activity Monitor and the Canadian Physical Activity Levels Among Youth (CANPLAY) survey to examine physical activity levels of children and youth. The Survey provides an effective and objective means of studying current fitness and physical activity patterns of Canada's young people. CANPLAY was the first nation-wide study of its kind and included approximately 10,000 children and youth (approximately 6,000 families) randomly selected across Canada.  The survey found that Canadian children, aged 5 to 19, take approximately 11,600 daily steps on average, with boys taking more daily steps on average than girls and with younger children taking more steps per day than older teens. It also found that children who participate in organized physical activities and sport take on average 1,600 more daily steps than children who do not participate in these types of activities; and that there are very few significant differences between a child’s average daily steps and the household income or the education level of parents.

For more information please visit the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyles Research Institute website.

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Helpful definitions and links:

• Physical Activity
• Healthy Living

Other Key Links

• Child Fitness Tax Credit
• Canada's Food Guide