Why we need Good for Life

Heart disease and strokes

The bad news:

Heart disease and strokes are the leading cause of premature death, illness and disability in Ontario

Three in four Ontario adults have at least one risk factor for heart disease

Heart disease and strokes claim 26,000 lives annually in the province

Heart disease and strokes is the leading cause of death in Simcoe Muskoka. Each day, three of our residents die from heart disease or strokes

Hospitalization for cardiovascular diseases costs over $4 billion annually in Canada.

The good news:

The risk of heart disease and strokes and some cancers can be reduced by changing behaviours related to smoking, physical activity, unhealthy eating and stress

Chronic disease places a major demand on the health care system: total cost of illness, disability and death in Canada, due to chronic disease, is over $80 billion annually. Major chronic diseases in Canada share common causes (e.g., inactivity, poor diet and smoking). This represents a major opportunity for chronic disease prevention, health-care cost savings, improved quality of life and avoidance of unnecessary premature death.

Tobacco use and cancer

The bad news:

In 2005, an estimated 22,200 Canadians will be diagnosed with lung cancer.

Tobacco related disease kills 44 people a day in the province. Yearly it kills just over 16,000 people – equivalent to the entire population of Wasaga Beach

Cigarette smoking is the predominant cause of lung cancer, accounting for 80% of all new cases in women and 90% of those in men

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both Ontario men and women accounting for an estimated 3,500 deaths in 2005

Ontario spends at least $1.7 billion yearly treating diseases related to tobacco

Secondhand smoke contains more than 40 chemicals known to cause cancer and is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the province

The good news:

Tobacco use prevention, cessation, education and enforcement programs reduce tobacco-related deaths and could help save $3.5 billion a year in Canada in health care costs due to smoking related diseases

One year after becoming a non-smoker, the risk of heart disease will have decreased by 50%, relative to those who continue to smoke

Exercise and physical activity

The bad news:

Less than ¼ of all adults in Ontario report being physically active, while 50% report being physically inactive

In 2004, 26% of Canadian children and adolescents aged 2 to 17 were overweight or obese.

Less than 50% of all Ontario children ages 6 to 11 are physically active for 14 or more hours per week

The good news:

Significant health benefits result from even moderate physical activities that can be incorporated in daily living such as gardening, housework, dancing or walking

Ten minutes of activity three times a day is just as effective as a half-hour session

Long term structured physical activity programs can cut the risk of fatal heart attacks by 25% for people being treated for heart disease

A 1% decrease in the number of inactive Canadians can reduce health care costs for heart disease and strokes by $10 million annually

Data Sources:

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/pau-uap/paguide/child_youth/media/development.html

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/hpromo/hearthealth.html

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/updates/archives/hu_04/tobacco/tobacco_effect.html

http://www.cancer.ca/ccs/internet/standard/0,3182,3172_14459_371459_langId-en,00.html

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/updates/archives/hu_04/tobacco/tobacco_2hand.html

http://www.statcan.ca/english/research/82-620-MIE/2005001/highlights.htm

http://www.cvdinfobase.ca/cvdbook/CVD_En03.pdf