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Halton residents not physically active enough: report by Julia Le Oakville Beaver Staff 5 | Thursday, March 17, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Halton residents aren't getting enough physical activity, according to a Halton Region report. Some 39 per cent of Halton residents, aged 12 and older, were inactive during their leisure time in 2013/2014, states the Active Transportation Health report discussed at Halton Region's health and social services committee meeting recently. "While the percentage of residents that were inactive during their leisure time was slightly lower in Halton, compared to Ontario (46 per cent), there is still room for improvement," the report stated. It recommends using active transportation to improve health. Active transportation refers to any form of human-powered transportation, including: walking, cycling, inline skating, skateboarding or moving with mobility devices, according to the document. There are many ways people can engage in active transportation, including walking or cycling to work, to run errands or to visit friends and family. According to Canada's Physical Activity Guidelines, an adult, 18 years and older, needs approximately 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity a week --at least 10 minutes each session. A child, between five and 17 years, needs 60 Dr. Hamidah Meghani minutes a day. During discussion, Burlington Councillor Rick Craven weighed in on the "important work" Halton Region has been doing to support the use of active transportation. In Burlington's Aldershot community, he said regional staff helped educate residents when the area was undergoing intensification. The project engaged the community in discussions about the importance of a walkable community, he said. "They helped us produce a website to communicate the changes taking place along the Plains Road Corridor and how the changes would make a more walkable, pleasant community to live in," said Craven. Over the past couple of years, there have been crosswalks and wide sidewalks built and intersections have been upgraded with rest areas and better signs along the Plains Road corridor, he said. In the next year, there will be construction of wider and better bike lanes in the corridor's eastern portion, said the councillor. Halton Hills Councillor Jane Fogal said she's happy to see health benefits of active transportation highlighted in the report. "Active transportation is a way of reducing congestion and it's good for the environment and that sort of thing, but I really do feel the motivation of health behind it is really important," she said. The report states physical activity decreases risk of many chronic diseases, including circulatory system disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer (including colon and rectal cancer). "Physical activity can also help decrease the risk of falls and fall-related injuries by increasing bone density, balance, control, muscle strength, mobility and flexibility," the report stated. Fogal asked how the information is being communicated to parents, who may have concerns related to traffic, neighbourhood safety and strangers. Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton's Medical Officer of Health (MOH), said staff are promoting and implementing the Active and Safe Routes to School program, which encourages children to walk or bike to school so they can participate in physical activity -- an important component of battling childhood obesity. The MOH said a report due in late 2016/early 2017 will detail how the Region is encouraging more walking and cycling to school. It will include the Region's role in Metrolinx's Active and Sustainable School Travel Hub, which focuses on parents view of walking or using other active transportation to get to school. "Of course, we're in constant communication with our school boards, and the other piece that is very exciting, is we're going to look to Our Kids Network for some strong leadership in this area," she said. Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr said council has directed new roads should have multi-paths. "Any new resurfacing has bike lanes so as a result, we have hundreds of new kilometres," he said, noting Halton is building communities different from what is seen in other regions. Carr added local municipalities are building pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly communities. The Active Transportation Health report can be found by visiting halton.ca, clicking on the Regional Council & Administration tab and then clicking on the agendas, minutes and video link. 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