Research and Trends

This recent research indicates trends and interest areas in Saskatchewan and Canada in general. For additional information and resources, visit our library catalogue.

Time Crunch is Stealing Healthy Years from Canadians (Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Report on Canadians’ Health, November 2011)

Time is perceived to be a leading barrier to Canadians’ physical activity, this report has found.  Almost half of adult Canadians (46%) cite long work days, commuting, and family obligations as contributing to a lack of time for regular physical activity.  The study also found that eight out of ten Canadians know that heart disease and stroke can be prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle, but the majority are focusing on barriers than opportunities.  Whether real or perceived, barriers are the most important issue in preventing a healthier Canada.  The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s latest campaign (“Make Death Wait”) focuses on giving Canadians the ability and motivation to overcome these barriers.

In this study, Saskatchewan is grouped together with Alberta and Manitoba as the “Prairie Provinces,” wherein only 40% of adults reported being physically active.  78% of Prairie adults cited barriers as preventing them from leading a healthier lifestyle, while 52% stated outright that they lacked motivation.  (Our cold winters might be a significant factor, although this fact is neglected in the report.)

Getting 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes by 30%. Canadians can achieve this in bouts of 10 minutes or more. One also does not need to go to a facility for physical activity, although the report does admit that communities need to be planned with physical activity in mind, such as including walking paths and parks and ensuring that these are properly maintained.

This report also addresses the issue of healthy eating and barriers surrounding that, as well as offering solutions for lack of motivation and information about the Make Death Wait campaign.  For the full report, click here.

ACTIONS TAKEN AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS 2011 - Curbing Childhood Obesity: A Federal, Provincial and Territorial Framework for Action to Promote Healthy Weights
Following up to the framework developed in September 2010, the federal, provincial and territorial governments have released recommendations to help curb childhood obesity. Recreation and the after-school time period have been identified as part of the solution to promoting healthy weights among children. These recommendations include:

• Working  with colleagues in sport, physical activity, recreation and education, as well as other sectors, to explore ways to further support physical activity and healthy eating for children        
• Working  with colleagues in the education, sport, physical activity and recreation sectors to identify opportunities to enhance food skills and create supportive environments both at school and in the after-school time period

How are Canadians Really doing? : Highlights from the Institute of Wellbeing, 2011
Today, our country lacks a single, national instrument that shows whether our quality of life, in all of its dimensions, is getting better or worse. Over the years, the very high profile and oft-cited Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has emerged as a surrogate for wellbeing.When Canada’s GDP is growing rapidly,we are said to be “doing well”. When it is going down,we are said to be “doing poorly”. That’s a problem since the GDP was never intended or designed to be used for that purpose.

Research Education Adovcacy Project (2011)
Through the Research Education Advocacy Project (REAP), SPRA has invested over $15,000 to community-based recreation research which has led to:

• Seniors having improved access to information on services and activities available in their area
• Increased understanding of the factors motivating rural volunteers
• Data supporting the need to advocate for basic swimming skills to prevent drowning
• Strengthened support for the value of professionalization in the recreation field

REAP funding was available to SPRA members that completed a basic research methodology workshop, called Rec-opoly. Districts, Provincial Recreation Associations and community organizations took part in the training, which gave them the tools to understand basic research methods and conduct and evaluate research projects that support advocacy and the decision-making process.

Click a link below to access completed REAP projects,

• Prairie Central District for Sport, Culture and Recreation Volunteerism Survey
• Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism
• Saskatchewan Association of Recreation Professionals – Professional Designation Project
• Swim to Survive: Saskatchewan Lifesaving Society

The 2011 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth reports that during the after-school period, from approximately 3 to 6 p.m., Canadian children and youth are sitting idle indoors - getting a mere 14 minutes, out of a possible 180minutes, of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity.

Urban Aboriginal Peoples Study-Regina Report is a snapshot of Aboriginal people living in urban centres, like Regina. The study is an enquiry into the values, experiences, identities and aspirations of First Nations peoples, Metis, and Inuit.

Physical activity among First Nations people off reserve, Métis and Inuit released by  Statistics Canada identified that:

• First Nations people living off-reserve and Métis people were significantly more physically active in their leisure time than was the non-Aboriginal population. 
• Being male, younger age and higher educational attainment were associated with active leisure among First Nations people off reserve and Métis people
• Despite higher levels of physical activity, Aboriginal people tend to report poorer health

Canadian Health Measures Survey: Physical Activity of Youth and Adults released by Statistics Canada indicates Canadians of all ages are still not active enough. Highlights include:

• 15% of Canadian adults attain the new international and proposed Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines
• Adults spend about an average of 9.5 hours a day in sedentary pursuits
• 7% of young people meet the new international and proposed Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines
• Children and youth spend 8.6 hours a day in sedentary pursuits

SPRA Recreation Compensation Survey is a collection of credible, province-wide data that practitioners can apply as individuals and organizations. Use The Summary Report: How to Read the Research to guide your interpretation and application of the data to advocate for better compensation for recreation practitioners. 

Bridging the Gap - Enriching the Volunteer Experience to Build a Better Future For Our Communities is new pan-Canadian research from Volunteer Canada that captures what Canadians want in their volunteer experiences and in turn, how organizations can engage volunteers in a meaningful way.

Looking specifically at the following demographics: youth, families, baby boomers and employer-supporter volunteers, the research investigates the issues in finding satisfying volunteer roles and what organizations can do to enhance their volunteer base, achieve their missions and ultimately build stronger communities.

 Obesity and the Economics of Prevention: Fit not Fat
A recent report from the Organisation for Economic and Co-operation and Development (OECD), examines the obesity epidemic and outlines the costs and causes of the issue among OECD countries.

In Canada, obesity rates are high but when compared to other countries, they have not increased substantially in the last 15 years. Click here for more Canadian facts.

 Curbing Childhood Obesity: A Federal-Provincial-Territorial Framework for Action to Promote Healthy Weights was released by Canada's Ministers of Health to specifically address the high rates of childhood obesity, The framework outlined the following priorities:

• Making childhood overweight and obesity a collective priority for action
• Coordinating efforts on three key policy priorities: supportive environments, early action and nutritious foods
• Measuring and reporting on collective progress in reducing childhood overweight and obesity, learning from successful initiatives, and modifying approaches as appropriate

 Caught in the Time Crunch: Time Use, Leisure and Culture in Canada
According to research done by the Canadian Index of Wellbeing, recreation and leisure time are at a premium, as the demands of work and life are creating imbalance. The result of this "time crunch" impacts the recreation sector in a multitude of ways:

• Volunteering for culture and recreation organizations has dropped, especially among 25-34 year olds
• Participation in physical activity has leveled off
• Visits to National Parks and Historic Sites have dropped significantly

Read the executive summaries for Leisure and Culture and Time Use for more information. 

CSEP and ParticipACTION Propose New Physical Activity Guidelines
Recent research has CSEP and ParticipACTION recommending changes to the Physical Activity Guides for children, youth, adults and older adults. Funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, this research was published in the May 2010 edition of International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Public Health and is being utilized by the World Health Organization. 

 The Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth 2010
Only 13% of Saskatchewan children and youth get 90 minutes of daily activity which is barely higher than the Canadian average of 12%. The sixth annual report card looks at the factors impacting the poor levels of physical activity across this country while providing research to support effective policy and program implementation.

Pride of Saskatchewan: A Policy Where Culture, Community and Commerce Meet
The Government of Saskatchewan has released its first cultural policy in more than 25 years. It outlines the principles and priorities that will guide the development of the arts, culture and heritage sector here in Saskatchewan.

Participation in Sports and Cultural Activities Among Aboriginal Children and Youth
Recent studies show that participating in extracurricular activities can have many benefits for children, including positive academic achievement, improved psychological functioning, and good peer relationships.  Although less is known about Aboriginal children’s participation in extracurricular activities than is known about non-Aboriginal children, previous research has shown that Aboriginal children benefit from engaging in activities outside regular school hours.

Over three decades of reviews, surveys, needs assessments and advice formed the foundation of this cultural policy and have been summarized in Moving from Reflection to Action: Towards a Cultural Policy for Saskatchewan.  

Urban Aboriginal Peoples Study
Urban Aboriginal peoples are an increasingly significant social, political and economic presence in Canadian cities today. This research captures the values, experiences and aspirations of Aboriginal peoples living in major cities across Canada, including Saskatoon and Regina. These findings reveal what is happening in Aboriginal communities and how it relates to the development of positive outcomes in this growing population.

Mending Canada's Frayed Social Safety Net: The Role of Municipal Governments
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities latest report on the quality of life in Canadian communities investigates the increased need for affordable public services such as transit and recreation among vulnerable groups. The study looks at access to recreation facilities and programs in major urban centers across Canada and showcases successful community partnerships and subsidy programs that have made recreation programs more accessible to disadvantaged and low-income groups. 

Statistics Canada-Health Fact Sheets
Compiled from the Canadian Health Measures Survey 2007 to 2009, the Health Fact Sheets highlight findings relating to health determinants such as body mass index (BMI), musculoskeletal fitness, cardiovascular fitness and body composition. 

Canoeing and Kayaking in Saskatchewan Survey, 2010 
Over 650 canoe and kayak enthusiasts were surveyed to help better understand their experience within Lac La Ronge Provincial Park in Saskatchewan. These results have significant impact on the current and future of the park's recreational use, along with organizations and groups providing canoeing and kayak-related programs and services within ths province.

Living in Saskatchewan Communities: A Quality of Life Study, 2010
Commissioned by the Community Initiatives Fund, this study measures the perceptions of access to and use of programs and services in communities around the province. Measuring particpation in leisure and recreation activities, access and use of facilities and programs have a vital link to one's perception of quality of life, thus impacting the future decisions community stakeholders and organizations.

Canadian Health Measures Survey, 2010
Direct physical measurements of height, weight, blood pressure and physical fitness can be used to evaulate the overall health of Canadians, as well as their predisposition for certain diseases and health problems. Statistics Canada has gathered this information, which will serve as national baseline data and help organizational partners explore, identify and address public health issues.

Foresight: Acting on the Trends that Matter, 2009
This session, from the 2009 Alberta Recreation and Parks Association Annual Conference and Energize Workshop, reflects on "big picture" societal change, trends in leisure, participation and demand shifts, dynamics related to professional competencies, and what's next.

Unequal Opportunities, Unequal Outcomes: Physical Activity Beliefs and Behaviours in Low Socioeconomic Status (LSES) Mothers in Canada, 2009
A growing body of evidence indicates that socioeconomic status (e.g. income, education, occupation, family structure and social support) is a strong predictor of health, including overweight and obesity. Low socioeconomic status (not just low-income) mothers and their families are disadvantaged with respect to accessibility of physical activity opportunities.

How are Canadians Really doing? : The First Report of the Institute of Wellbeing, 2009
Today, our country lacks a single, national instrument that shows whether our quality of life, in all of its dimensions, is getting better or worse. Over the years, the very high profile and oft-cited Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has emerged as a surrogate for wellbeing.When Canada’s GDP is growing rapidly,we are said to be “doing well”. When it is going down,we are said to be “doing poorly”. That’s a problem since the GDP was never intended or designed to be used for that purpose.

Canada's Report Card on Physical Activity for Children & Youth, 2009
The 2009 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is the fifth annual reflection on the many issues impacting the physical activity levels of young people in this country. This year, we are highlighting the important role physical activity plays in facilitating learning and academic performance.

Saskatchewan Supplement-2009 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth