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The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), in partnership with Health Canada and others, released Canada’s first physical activity guide for adults in 1998, with specific versions for older adults in 1999 and for children and youth in 2002. Research in the physical activity sciences (e.g., basic science, behavioural assessment, dose-response relationships, epidemiology, health messaging, physical activity measurement) has advanced rapidly since these publications. A detailed review of relevant current research is thus required, to assess whether the existing guidelines and resulting guides need revision or renewal. This introductory paper provides a brief chronology of events leading to the preparation of this journal supplement, including a statement of purpose and an overview of organization and content. A brief discussion of the purpose of the physical activity guidelines and guides, intended biological, psychological, and behavioural outcomes, and the way in which guidelines relate to on-going measurement and surveillance is provided as a context for the papers that follow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This historical background paper chronicles the major events leading to the development of Canada’s physical activity guides (for children, youth, adults, and older adults). The paper outlines the process and the steps used, including information (where applicable) regarding national partners, project administration, Health Canada communications, product development, endorsement, distribution and implementation, collateral activities, media relations and evaluation framework. Brief summaries of the science that led to the recommended guidelines are included. The paper also summarizes the various physical activity guide assessment and evaluation projects and their findings, particularly as they relate to research carried out on Canada’s physical activity guides for children and youth (and the associated support resources). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a brief overview of the epidemiological data regarding Canadians with physical disabilities, with a particular emphasis on health status. A literature review is then presented, focusing on activity levels and the physiological and health-related quality of life benefits of activity for people with four different physical disabilities (arthritis, fibromyalgia, spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis). The unique physical activity barriers faced by people with physical disabilities are discussed. The paper concludes with recommendations for the development of a physical activity guide for Canadians with physical disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarizes the main findings from the papers included in this journal supplement. It consolidates the evidence currently available to inform and advance the development of physical activity guidelines for Canadians, and it highlights the specific needs of various population subgroups. The challenges of translating guideline information into effective and persuasive physical activity messages, of campaigns to disseminate messages and of related evaluations are underlined. Recommendations on how to proceed are based on the evidence base provided by this series of papers; the immediate next steps mandated by this initiative are outlined and priorities for future research are indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current low level of physical activity among Canadians is a dominant public health concern. Accordingly, a clear understanding of physical activity patterns and trends is of paramount importance. Irregularities in monitoring, analysis, and reporting procedures create potential confusion among researchers, policy-makers, and the public alike. The purpose of this paper is to consolidate reported findings and provide a critical assessment of the physical activity surveillance procedures, analytical practices, and reporting protocols currently employed in Canada to provide insights for accurate and consistent interpretation of data, as well as recommendations for future surveillance efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine the reach of different versions of Canada’s physical activity guide (CPAG) and their impacts, including immediate effects (awareness, knowledge, beliefs, future intention to be active, first steps towards behavioural change) and population levels of physical activity. The analysis is based on eligible adults aged 18 years and older (n = 8892) included in the 2003 Physical Activity Monitor (PAM) survey. The 2003 PAM was a cross-sectional, telephone interview of a representative population sample. Secular trends of Canadians aged 12 years and older were examined, using representative samples from the National Population Health and Canadian Community Health Surveys. Unprompted recall of any guidelines for physical activity was very low (4%), whereas prompted recall of the CPAG was higher (37%). Unprompted and prompted recall were higher among women and high-income earners, and increased with level of education. Behaviours associated with “seeking information” and “initiating action” were associated with unprompted and prompted recall. Beliefs about the benefits of physical activity and intention to be active were also associated with prompted recall. Unprompted CPAG recall, knowledge about the amount of activity required to meet the CPAG, intention to be active, “seeking information”, and “initiating action” were associated with being “sufficiently active”. The CPAG is an appropriate set of public health guidelines or recommendations around physical activity. The low unprompted recall rate points to the need for a coordinated, well-funded approach to communication of these guidelines, involving governmental and non-governmental partners and intermediaries in municipalities, schools, workplaces, and the recreational, public health, and health-care systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate measurement of habitual physical activity is fundamental to the study of the relationship between physical activity and health. However, many physical activity measurement techniques produce variables accurate to only the day level, such as total energy expenditure via self-report questionnaire, pedometer step counts, or accelerometer measurements of minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Monitoring technologies providing more detailed information on physical activity and inactivity behaviour can now be used to explore the relationships between health and movement frequency, intensity, and duration more comprehensively. This paper explores the activity-inactivity profile that can be acquired through objective monitoring, with a focus on accelerometry. Using previously collected objective data, a detailed physical activity profile is presented and case study examples of data utilization and interpretation are provided. The rich detail captured through comprehensive profiling creates new surveillance and study possibilities and could possibly inform new physical activity guidelines. Data are presented in various formats to demonstrate the dangers of misinterpretation when monitoring population adherence to Canada’s physical activity guidelines. Recommendations for physical activity-inactivity profiling are provided and future research needs identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]