Causes

The World Health Organization (WHO) identified five “probable” and “convincing” factors connected to the obesity epidemic [3]:

1. Sedentary lifestyles
2. High intake of energy-dense nutrient-poor foods
3. Heavy marketing of energy-dense foods and of fast-food outlets
4. High intake of soft drinks and sugar-sweetened fruit juices
5. Adverse socioeconomic conditions

According to the WHO, the fact that obesity has grown so rapidly and globally cannot be attributed solely to individual responsibility [4]. It is a societal problem that calls into play decision-makes from the spheres of both industry and politics.

[3] World Health Organization. (2003). Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases. Report of a joint WHO/FAO expert consultation, WHO Technical report series 916. http://www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/who_fao_expert_report.pdf

[4] World Health Organization. (2004). Global strategy on diet, physical activity and health, WHA57.17 http://www.who.int/entity/dietphysicalactivity/strategy/eb11344/strategy_english_web.pdf
 

• 47% of adults (12 years old or more) consume fewer than 5 fruits and vegetables a day [10].
• Half the adults consume food prepared outside the home, of which 18% in fast-food outlets [11].
• At least 34% of children 6 to 8 years old and 44% of youths 15 to 16 years old consume candy or soft drinks on a daily basis [12].
• Sugar-sweetened beverages have gradually replaced staples such as water and milk:
  • About 20% of Quebec 4-year-olds consume sugar-sweetened beverages on a daily basis [13].
  • About 20% of Quebec youths 15 to 17 years of age consume energy drinks on a weekly basis [14].

[10] Statistics Canada. Enquête sur la santé dans les collectivités canadiennes. Consulted on Éco-Santé Québe 2010: http://www.ecosante.fr

[11] Blanchet, C. & al. (2009). La consommation alimentaire et les apports nutritionnels des adultes québécois. Rapport de l’Enquête sur la santé dans les collectivités canadiennes (Cycle 2.2). Québec : Institut national de santé publique du Québec.

[12] Lavallée, C. (2004) Enquête sociale et de santé auprès des enfants et des adolescents québécois, Volet nutrition, Institut de la statistique du Québec.

[13] Desrosiers, H. & al. (2005). Enquête de nutrition auprès des enfants québécois de 4 ans, Québec, Institut de la statistique du Québec, collection Santé et Bien-être, 152 p.

[14] Alliance sherbrookoise pour des jeunes en santé (Avril 2010). Portrait des jeunes sherbrookois de 4 à 17 ans en matière d'alimentation et d'activité physique et sportive. p.30

• The eating habits of children, like those of adults, are influenced by all of the elements in the environment, including the availability of food inside and outside the home [15].
• Food choices have changed considerably in recent years, and this has had an undeniable effect on eating habits.
  • Quebecois more and more are eating pre-prepared foods purchased in supermarkets or food prepared in restaurants [16].
  • An alarming phenomenon: Health problems related to overconsumption of junk food are now appearing as of childhood [17].
• Busy work schedules and lifestyle often reduce the amount of time spent on grocery shopping and meal preparation [18, 19, 20].
• The higher frequency with which children eat outside the home and the abundance and availability of fast-food outlets have contributed to the increase in “junk food” consumption among young people.
  • Very often, kid’s menus are composed for the most part of hamburgers, fries and sugar-sweetened beverages, that is, foods high in calories and rich in sodium.
  • It is not surprising to find that the number of calories consumed is nearly twice as high for meals taken in restaurants as for meals taken at home.

[15] Mikkelsen, L., Chehimi, S. (2007). The links between the neighbourhood food environment and childhood nutrition. Prevention Institute, California, USA: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

[16] Blanchet C. & al. (2009). La consommation alimentaire et les apports nutritionnels des adultes québécois. Rapport de l’Enquête sur la santé dans les collectivités canadiennes (Cycle 2.2). Québec: Institut national de santé publique du Québec.

[17] Wootan, M.G., Batada, A., Marchlewicz, E. (2008) Kid’s meal : Obesity on the menu. Center for Science in the Public Interest. Washington.

[18] Blanchet C. & al. (2009). La consommation alimentaire et les apports nutritionnels des adultes québécois. Rapport de l’Enquête sur la santé dans les collectivités canadiennes (Cycle 2.2). Québec: Institut national de santé publique du Québec.

[19] Taylor, J.P., Evers, S., & McKenna, M.. (2005). Les déterminants de la saine alimentation chez les enfants et les jeunes. Revue canadienne de santé publique. 96 (Suppément 3): S22-S29.

[20] Pettinger, C, Holdsworth, M, & Gerber, M. (2006). Meal patterns and cooking practies in Southern France and Central England. Public Health Nutrition. 9(8) : 1020-1026.

In Canada

In 2007-2009

• Adults: only 15% of adult Canadians accumulate 150 minutes a week [23].
  • 17% of men
  • 14% of women
• Children: only 7% of young Canadians accumulate 60 minutes of physical activity a day [24].
  • 9% of boys
  • 4% of girls

Adults and youths are sedentary for most of their waking hours:

Waking hours spent in sedentary activities [25]

In Quebec

• Children 6 to 11 years old (2004):
  • 27% of boys engage in less than seven hours a week of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity during their leisure time [26].
  • 49% of girls engage in less than seven hours a week of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity during their leisure time [27].
• Children 12 to 17 years old (2007-2008):
  • 48% of boys engage in less than seven hours a week of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity during their leisure time [28].
  • 65% of girls engage in less than seven hours a week of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity during their leisure time [29].

[23, 24, 25] Colley, R.C., Garriguet, D., Janssen, I., Craig, C.L., Clarke, J., & Tremblay, M.S. (2011, January). Physical activity of Canadian adults: Accelerometer results from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey (Publication no 82-003-X). Ottawa: Statistics Canada.

[26, 27] Nolin, B. & Hamel, D. (2008). L’activité physique au Québec de 1995 à 2005 : gains pour tous… ou presque. Dans : L’état de Québec 2009 : tout ce qu’il faut savoir sur le Québec d’aujourd’hui, sous la direction de Fahmy M, Fides, Montréal, p.271-277.

[28, 29] Institut national de santé publique du Québec (2009). Santéscope : la santé au Québec, comparée, analysée et interprétée – Activité physique de loisirs.

• The popularity of the automobile as a means of transportation has largely surpassed that of walking and cycling [30].
  • In Quebec, 55% of adults walk less than one hour a week to get around [31].
  • In the past 30 years, while children have been walking less and less to get to school, weight problems and obesity rates have been increasing at an alarming rate.
    • In 1971, about 80% of Canadian children 7-8 years of age walked to school [32].
    • In 2008, only 30% of Quebec students walked to school [33].

• The suburbs are associated with a rather inactive lifestyle, air and noise pollution, and road accidents, as this type of urban development encourages intensive automobile use [34].
  • Urban sprawl, that is, development on the outskirts of large cities, fosters the prevalence of excess weight [35].
  • In addition to encouraging car dependency, urban sprawl and the construction of highways in urban settings are associated with a sedentary lifestyle [36, 37].

• Providing our cities with sidewalks and bike paths and implementing traffic-easing measures in order to make it easier and safer to get around on foot or bicycle are solutions to consider in the aim of integrating physical activity in daily life.
• The heavy presence of recreational and sports facilities such as parks, swimming pools, playgrounds, and sports clubs increases the practice of physical activity [38].
  • Children who live in neighbourhoods with a larger number of parks, green spaces, and recreational areas engage more in active transit [39].
  • There is a very strong link between walking and the number of open and recreational public spaces available nearby (parks, playgrounds, sports fields) [40].
  • Parks and green spaces must be functional and versatile for people of all ages and large enough to allow people to accelerate when running and playing.

The contribution of national, regional, and local decision-makers from the fields of health, transportation, environmental protection, sports, recreation, education and urban planning is needed to ensure that the choice to be physically active is an easy one to make and that such a choice is available to all.

In this regard, the Toronto Charter produced by the Global Advocacy Council of Physical Activity and the International Society for Physical Activity and Health is an interesting instrument for engaging decision-makers to take concrete steps to foster physical activity.

[30] Lapierre, L., Després, C., Lewis, P., Le May, D., & Morency, C. Atelier international sur le transport actif des enfants – Réflexions du Comité organisateur. Montréal : 24-25 septembre 2009.

[31] Nolin, B & Hamel, D. (2005). Les Québécois bougent plus mais pas encore assez. Dans Venne M. et A Robitaille (sous la direction), Annuaire du Québec 2006. Montréal : Fides, p.296-311.

[32] Association canadienne des loisirs et des parcs (1997). The Benefits Catalogue. Ottawa.

[33] Lewis, P. & al. Le transport actif et le système scolaire à Montréal et à Trois-Rivières – Analyse du système d’acteurs concernés par le transport actif des élèves des écoles primaires au Québec. Montréal : Groupe de recherche Ville et mobilité.

[34] Gagnon, F. (2010). Autorités de santé publique, politiques publiques et environnement bâti : cadre de référence. Centre de collaboration nationale sur les politiques publiques et la santé. Not published.

[35, 36] Bergeron, P. et S. Reyburn (2010). L’impact de l’environnement bâti sur l’activité physique, l’alimentation et le poids. Québec : Direction du développement des individus et des communautés - Institut national de santé publique du Québec.

[37] Paquin S. (2008, été). L’aménagement du milieu bâti et le mode de vie physiquement actif : notions de base et piste d’action, Communication présentée à l’École d’été de la Direction de la santé publique de Montréal : Montréal.

[38] Bergeron, P. et S. Reyburn (2010). L’impact de l’environnement bâti sur l’activité physique, l’alimentation et le poids. Québec : Direction du développement des individus et des communautés - Institut national de santé publique du Québec.

[39, 40] Barnett, T. (2009, March 12). Les enfants vivants à proximité d’espaces verts marchent davantage. Communiqué de l’Université de Montréal. Consulted at http://www.nouvelles.umontreal.ca/recherche/sciences-de-la-sante/les-enfants-vivant-a-proximite-despaces-verts-marchent-davantage.html