Two of the primary risk factors for the disease are obesity and lack of exercise
Diabetes is one of the leading health problems affecting North America today and is rapidly on the rise. It is also well known that this disease can cause serious health complications such as vision loss and amputation as well as life-threatening problems like stroke, heart disease and kidney failure. Indeed, diabetes, which affects the body’s…
It’s sad when adults choose to be inactive. It’s even sadder when we don’t provide our children the opportunity to establish physically-active lifestyles
Our children have never been more sedentary. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2016, only 21.6 per cent of children and adolescents in the United States aged six to 19 met the recommended 60 or more minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity at least five times a week. It’s a safe bet that…
Evidence in other countries shows that consumption taxes don't address the root targets in meaningful ways
By Ashley Stedman and Jake Fuss The Fraser Institute Policy-makers and pundits have mused recently about a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to fight obesity and other-health related issues in Canada. It’s a bad idea that should be abandoned. According to Mark Holland, Liberal MP for Ajax, Ont., a ‘soda tax’ will “push consumers away from…
The Senate has delayed for eight months its final vote on restrictions to food marketing to children
By Peter Mansbridge and Yves Savoie “Delay always breeds danger; and to protract a great design is often to ruin it.” Miguel de Cervantes put this astute observation in the mouth of his most famous literary character, Don Quixote. Though written more than 400 years ago, the lesson applies very well right now to the…
A bill that would protect children is languishing in the Senate. We need it to tackle childhood obesity and chronic diseases
If you’ve ever watched the hit TV series Mad Men, you’ll remember that everybody smoked. Everyone. Everywhere. It was a great show, in part, because it was like a trip back in time, showing us what life was like in the American advertising industry in the early 1960s. Smoking was just a part of normal…
Lack of energy, lack of motivation and sedating medications are all contributing factors
An unfortunate reality sometimes associated with mental illness and its treatment is unwanted weight gain. Some psychiatric illnesses such as mood disorders and anxiety disorders can cause changes in appetite and motivation that can lead to weight gain on their own. However, weight gain is also a fairly common side effect of some psychiatric medications.…
Leading a sedentary lifestyle is equivalent to having a major disease
The United States is considered a sports mad country. But the reality is that Americans enjoy watching sports, reading about them and talking about them. When it comes to the actual sweating part of sports – you know, participating – we’d rather sit on our couches, remote control in hand. As a whole, the United…
Health Canada's food labelling proposals should help Canadians deal with an epidemic of obesity and diet-related chronic diseases
Supermarkets are crowded with around 40,000 products, yet most shoppers spend fewer than 10 seconds selecting an item. That’s certainly not enough time to review current Canadian nutrition labels, which are on the back or side of packages and contain detailed information that’s often too complex for many consumers to understand. But nutrition labeling is…
But across Canada a system that can help ensure a healthy population is being denied funding and support
By Trevor Hancock and Art Eggleton Contributors Troy Media In 2010, Canada’s ministers of Health stated in a Declaration on Prevention and Promotion that “the promotion of health and the prevention of disease, disability and injury are a priority and necessary to the sustainability of the health system.” So you would think that public health…
The way our cities and towns have been built plays a large role in many of the health conditions that Canadians develop
By Kevin Lam and Jean Wang EvidenceNetwork.ca Since John Snow mapped out the large cholera outbreak in 1854 to where people lived in London, it’s been known that where we live, work and play strongly influences people’s health. The way our cities and towns have been built plays a large role in many of the health conditions that…