Released on March 7, 2011
The Government of Saskatchewan is pleased to participate in a national endeavour to address childhood obesity. Governments across Canada today launched Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights as part of the Childhood Obesity Engagement Strategy. The Government of Saskatchewan has been actively involved in the development of this strategy and is taking steps to build on existing initiatives and identify areas for future action.
"Our province endorses the Declaration on Prevention and Promotion and the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Framework for Action to Promote Healthy Weights," Health Minister Don McMorris said. "To address this growing concern, the Ministry of Health is developing a Healthy Weights Framework for Saskatchewan."
The Healthy Weights Framework will explore the conditions that support healthy weights, the root causes of unhealthy weights, and suggest approaches and initiatives in the promotion of healthy weights.
Early this summer the Ministry of Health will be hosting a provincial roundtable on Healthy Weights that will bring together provincial stakeholders such as public, private, non-governmental organizations, community leaders and policy and decision-makers. The roundtable will explore both national and provincial perspectives and will draw from the Healthy Weights Framework and the Childhood Obesity Engagement Strategy to provide direction for future action to promote healthy weights in Saskatchewan.
The Ministry of Health has been working in partnership with the Ministries of Education and Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport, non profit organizations and regional health authorities on a number of programs and resources to promote physical activity and healthy eating for children and youth. These resources are meant to help children, youth and their families lead healthy, active lifestyles and take an active role in improving their own health.
"Research indicates that students who are physically active and properly nourished enjoy many benefits including higher academic performance," Education Minister Donna Harpauer said. "It is important that we work together to encourage schools, students and communities to engage in daily physical activity and to make healthier food choices. Initiatives such as the Healthy Kids School Challenge, allow us to increase awareness, and provide the support and encouragement necessary to build a healthier lifestyle for everyone."
"What we're really talking about here is the health and the long-term quality of life of our children," Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Bill Hutchinson said. "There is a lot of evidence, such as the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card, that tells us young people are not as active as they need to be. Saskatchewan is taking action now to address this challenge and is on-side with this national strategy to address childhood obesity."
Collaborative action is an important mechanism in addressing the root causes of preventable diseases and conditions, including childhood obesity.
"To be healthy and maintain a healthy weight, children and youth require a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity every day," Saskatchewan in motion Manager Cathie Kryzanowski said. "Less than 15 per cent of Saskatchewan kids meet that guideline. Saskatchewan in motion supports collaborative approaches to increasing physical activity at home, at school and in the community."
"In Canada, an alarming number of children and youth aged two to 17 years are overweight or obese - and this number is rising, putting Canada's children at risk for heart disease at an early age," Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan CEO Lucy Buller said. "It is a problem that will take action from many perspectives to solve: schools have a role in providing daily physical activity and healthy foods at an affordable cost; governments can shape environments that support physical activity and provide affordable access to healthy foods; and parents can set the stage by building family traditions out of healthy eating, lots of active play and limiting their children's screen time."
A number of useful resources promoting healthy choices, health and wellness for children and youth are currently available:
- Promoting Health for Children and Youth - http://www.health.gov.sk.ca/children-youth
- Healthy Kids School Challenge - https://challenge-edu.gov.sk.ca/
- Recreation and Sport - www.tpcs.gov.sk.ca
- Healthy Kids - www.heartandstroke.sk.ca
- Saskatchewan in motion ¬movement - www.saskatchewaninmotion.ca
- Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights website: www.ourhealthourfuture.gc.ca
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For more information, contact:
Tyler McMurchy
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Email: tyler.mcmurchy@gov.sk.ca