Canada's new lowered exercise guidelines are only minimums for a sedentary population

The Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) says the new lowered exercise guidelines released today by the Public Health Agency of Canada represent minimums for a sedentary population, and will therefore not be applicable to all Canadians. Guidelines for exercise targets for Canadians should be based on health characteristics including health status and current activity levels.

Regular exercise is essential for Canadians to achieve and sustain health throughout the lifespan, and the CPA advocates for initiatives that promote increased physical activity, such as the expansion of the Children's Fitness Tax Credit to include all Canadians. "The need for pan-Canadian programs that support physical activity was made even more evident by the release of Statistics Canada figures last week, showing that only seven per cent of youth and fifteen per cent of adults meet the proposed new minimum guidelines," says CPA President Alice Aiken, PT, PhD.

Dr. Aiken encourages Canadians to seek out an individualized exercise plan, noting that, "Physiotherapists are primary health care professionals who are well suited to help Canadians develop therapeutic exercise plans that are matched to their personal health needs and goals for active and independent living." She concludes, "The CPA encourages all Canadians to aim high with their physical activity targets." 

The mission of the CPA is to advance the profession of physiotherapy in order to improve the health of Canadians.