General
As many as 59% of Ontarians are insufficiently active for optimal health benefits
Physical inactivity declined significantly since the early 1980's, going from 80% in 1981 to 59% in 2000
Children
Parents in Ontario report that 54% of Ontario children and youth aged 5 to 17 are not active enough for optimal growth and development
80% of children aged 5 to 17 do some physical activity at home, 66% participate in physical education classes at school, 51% participate in other physical activities at school outside of physical education and 66% participate in physical activities elsewhere
| Most Popular Physical Activities for Children Aged 5 to 17 |
| Activity |
Percentage |
| Swimming |
89% |
| Walking |
89% |
| Bicycling |
88% |
| *Swings, slides, teeter-totters |
86% |
| Tobogganing, other winter activities |
73% |
| Skating |
65% |
| In-line skating |
62% |
| Running, jogging |
53% |
| Soccer |
53% |
| Basketball |
50% |
* Includes only children aged 5 to 12
Physical Activity in Schools
27% of Ontario children aged 5 to 17 receive physical education classes at school 1-2 days per week
27% participated 3-4 days a week and 34% received daily physical education
12% of children aged 5 to 17 receive no physical education at all
Only 57% of Ontario parents believe that their children receive enough physical activity through the physical education programs at school
68% of Ontario parents report that their children's school offers physical activity programs outside of physical education classes
Only 43% of parents believe that these programs meet their children's needs moderately well
32% of parents report that their children's needs are met only somewhat well or not at all
Physical Activity After School
74% of children usually do homework for part of the time between the end of classes and dinner
81% of children engage in other sedentary activities such as reading, watching television or playing computer or video games
26% of Ontario children are physically active in organized activities such as soccer practice or swimming classes between the time they finish classes and eat dinner
Physical Activity Profile - Ontario
General
61% of adults aged 18 and older are considered insufficiently active for optimal health benefits in 2000 compared to 79% in 1981
67% of women and 54% of men are inactive
Children
Over 50% of children and youth aged 5 to 17 are not active enough for optimal growth and development
38% of girls and 48% of boys are considered active enough for optimal health benefits
44% of girls aged 5 to 12 and 53% of boys aged 5 to 12 are considered active enough
At the same time, 30% of adolescent girls and 40% of adolescent boys are considered active enough
Children aged 1 to 4 spend an average of 29 hours in physically active play and 14 hours of quiet play (i.e. watching videos, colouring) each week
Children aged 5 to 12 spend an average of 16.5 hours of physical activity per week
85% of children aged 5 to 12 spend nearly 9.6 hours of physical activity and is consequently a common location for physical activity
78% of children aged 5 to 12 spend an average of two hours per week in physical education classes
Approximately 50% of children aged 5 to 12 do other physical activities at school for just under an average of 2 hours per week
70% of children aged 5 to 12 spend on average 3 hours per week in other physical activities outside of the home and school
Youth
Adolescents aged 13 to 17 spend an average of 14 hours a week being physically active
Adolescents aged 13 to 17 spend an average of 5 hours a week being physically active at home
65% of teenagers take physical education classes for an average of 2.5 hours per week
45% of teenagers are do other physical activities at school for an average of 2 hours per week
Approximately 50% of adolescents aged 13 to 17 are physically active outside of school but the median number of hours spent is only 2 hours per week
Only one in ten teenagers aged 13 to 17 spend one hour per week in physical activity at work
40% of teenage girls and 49% of teenage boys participate in physical activity at school other than in physical education classes
Top Physical Activities Among Preschoolers
95% of preschoolers play on swings, slides and teeter-totters and is consequently the most popular physical activity among children aged 1 to 4
Approximately 75% of preschoolers participate in swimming
Approximately 66% of preschoolers participate in running or kicking games and bicycling
60% of preschoolers toboggan or participate in other winter activities
39% of preschoolers participate in gymnastics of Kiddy gym
33% of preschoolers participate in skating
Top Physical Activities Among School-Age Children
Boys aged 5 to 12 are more likely than girls the same age to play golf, snowboard, skateboard, and participate in team sports such as soccer, football, hockey, basketball and baseball
Girls aged 5 to 12 are more likely than boys the same age to participate in social dancing, skating, gymnastics, ballet or other dance classes and play on swings, slides and teeter-totters
Top Physical Activities Among Teenagers
Teenage boys are more likely than teenage girls to participate in bicycling, golf, snowboarding, skateboarding, weight training and team sports such as baseball, basketball, hockey, football and soccer
Teenage girls are more likely than teenage boys to engage in social dancing, cross-country skiing, exercise classes or aerobics and ballet or other dance classes
Physical Activity in Schools
41% of children aged 5 and older receive physical education at school 1-2 days per week
27% of children aged 5 and older receive physical education at school 3-4 days per week
20% of children aged 5 and older receive physical education at school every day
10% of children aged 5 and older receive no physical education at school
Over 50% of Canadian parents believe that their children get enough physical activity through physical education at school
50% of Canadian children aged 5 to 12 receive physical education classes 1-2 days per week
29% of children aged 5 to 12 receive physical education classes 3-4 days per week
Approximately 20% of children aged 5 to 12 receive physical education classes daily
In comparison, 20% of adolescents aged 13 to 17 receive no physical education classes at all in school
29% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 receive physical education classes 1-2 days per week
26% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 receive physical education classes 3-4 days per week
25% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 receive physical education classes daily
However, 61% of parents of teenagers believe that their children receive enough physical activity through physical education at school compared to 53% of parents of younger children
Physical Activity After School
69% of children usually do homework for part of the time between the end of classes and dinner
76% participate in other sedentary activities such as reading, watching television, or playing computer or video games
For children aged 5 to 12, 72% of girls do homework after school and 66% of boys do homework after school
For children aged 13 to 17, 79% of girls do homework after school and 63% of boys do homework after school
For children aged 5 to 12, 78% of boys engage in sedentary activities such as watching television, reading or playing computer and video games and 72% of girls participate in the same activities
For children aged 13 to 17, 81% of boys engage in sedentary activities such as watching television, reading or playing computer and video games and 74% of girls participate in the same activities
[Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, 2000 Physical Activity Monitor.]
