Addressing common risk factors for chronic disease will help improve health and quality of life
KINGSTON, ON, Nov. 24, 2022 /CNW/ - Physical activity, eating healthier, and tobacco cessation can help improve our health, well-being, and quality of life as well as reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. It is important that everyone living in Canada, especially those who are socially and economically marginalized have the support needed to adopt and maintain healthy behaviours.
Today, Mark Gerretsen, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced an investment of over $950,000 to support a project in Kingston, Ontario. The investment will focus on improving the health and well-being of low-income older Canadians living in Eastern Ontario.
The funding will be awarded to Technology Evaluation in the Elderly Network for their project "AVOID Frailty: Community Empowered Healthy Aging." The project aims to increase physical activity and improve nutrition among low-income older adults (65 years and older) residing in the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (KFLA) region. The goal of the intervention is to encourage positive health behaviour change using an interactive approach that includes education, a resource database, and self-monitoring. Older Canadians will be actively engaged to better understand their needs and identify the barriers and enablers of health behaviours to implement potential solutions to unhealthy eating and physical inactivity.
The Government of Canada will continue to work with community partners to ensure that everyone in Canada can lead a healthy life.
"Our government is committed to improve the health and quality of life of everyone living in Canada, including older adults. Through the Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund, we continue to support partners and stakeholders who work on reducing the risk of chronic diseases. The funding awarded to Technology Evaluation in the Elderly Network will help older Canadians living in Eastern Ontario lead healthier lives."
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health
“By connecting older adults with organizations that promote and assist with active and healthy lifestyles, the Canadian Frailty Network is working to ensure our communities in KFLA are connected and well taken care of. I am grateful for this intervention which will seek to reach the majority of the low income population of older adults living in the KFLA region as we aim to achieve better health outcomes for everyone living in Canada.”
Mark Gerretsen
Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands
Quick Facts
- Research shows that 44% of adults in Canada live with at least one chronic disease, such as heart disease, hypertension, cancer, or diabetes.
- Obesity rates have been slowly increasing over the last 20 years for both male and female youth, and physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption have been decreasing.
- Funding announced today is being distributed through the Public Health Agency of Canada's Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund (HCCF) which supports projects that aim to lower Canadians' risk of chronic disease by tackling common modifiable risk factors, namely unhealthy eating, smoking, and physical inactivity.
Associated Links
Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund
SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada
Guillaume Bertrand, Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, 613-957-0200; Public Inquiries: 613-957-2991, 1-866-225-0709; Media Relations, Public Health Agency of Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]
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