How healthy are Canadians? 5 findings from the wellness survey

Nearly 25% of Canadians say they’re not in good physical health

How would you rate your physical health?

Excellent: 10%
Very good: 32%
Good: 34%
Fair: 18%
Poor: 6%

Research shows that diet and exercise can have a significant impact on our health. Despite this, almost 30% of respondents indicated that they don’t exercise.

Of the remaining 71% who do exercise, 26% said that the cost requires some level of financial compromise.

Which of the following statements best corresponds to your situation with regard to the cost of physical activities?

The costs are easy to integrate into my budget: 68%
The costs entail making certain financial compromises: 21%
The costs represent a major challenge: 5%
Don’t know or prefer not to answer: 6%

Diet plays an important role

Nutritionists say that eating less processed food and portion control can help us stay healthy. Nevertheless, almost 20% of respondents admit they don't regularly eat fresh produce. Plus, nearly 30% don't pay attention to portion sizes and 23% admit that they frequently overeat to feel better.

Paying for groceries can be a struggle

Just like with exercise, the cost of food is also a concern for Canadians. In fact, 44% of respondents say that they make financial trade-offs to pay for their grocery bill.

Which of the following statements best corresponds to your situation with regard to the cost of your eating habits?

Costs are easy to integrate into my budget: 54%
Costs entail making certain financial compromises: 37%
Costs represent a major challenge: 7%
Don’t know or prefer not to answer: 2%

Support for 2 health and wellness champions

The Personal is partnering with the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society to help raise awareness of the importance of prevention and making healthy choices.

Over the next years, we’ll be donating over $1 million to the following programs:  

• The Heart and Stroke Foundation - Breakthrough Fund: For the first time in history, Heart & Stroke researchers are using regenerative medicine to test treatments that could reverse heart damage. The Breakthrough Fund was created to build a network of funders, and to increase national awareness of this ground-breaking research and its potential impact on the health of Canadians.   
• Canadian Cancer Society - It's My Life!: Research shows that about half of all cancers can be prevented. The Canadian Cancer Society is working to make that a reality for Canadians with It's My Life!, an interactive, evidence-based tool that teaches people about the things they can change to reduce their cancer risk by making simple changes.