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Physical Literacy for Healthy Active Children (Motion #29-22)

Moved by Thain – Tessier

Approved by Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts, October 20, 2022

WHEREAS being physically active every day helps children and youth perform better in school, learn new skills, build strong muscles, improve blood pressure and aerobic fitness, strengthen bones and reduce the risk of depression[i]; and

WHEREAS the implementation of stay-at-home orders, closures of schools, and indoor and outdoor spaces to mitigate the spread of COVID‑19 is the reduction of physical activity levels in all age groups;[ii] the percentage of youth meeting the Canadian physical activity recommendations for children and youth fell from 50.8% in 2018 to 37.2% in 2020.[iii]  and;

WHEREAS the Government of Canada’s national policy document Common Vision for Increasing Physical Activity and Reducing Sedentary Living in Canada: Let’s Get Moving identifies physical literacy as the foundation for an active lifestyle[iv]. Studies show that children who have high physical literacy scores are more likely to meet national physical activity or sedentary behaviour guidelines [v]; and

WHEREAS physically literate individuals have been shown to have the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engaging in physical activities for life[vi] and these skills help them make healthy, active choices that are both beneficial to and respectful of their whole self, others, and their environment [vii]; and

WHEREAS the school community offers one of the best opportunities to improve the quality of sport and physical activity participation for children and youth; and

WHEREAS the Ontario Public Health Standards require that: “community partners have the knowledge of and increased capacity to act on the factors associated with the prevention of chronic diseases and promotion of wellbeing, including healthy living behaviours, healthy public policy, and creating supportive environments.” [viii] This includes knowledge of the importance and impact of physical literacy on increasing physical activity participation thereby reducing the risk of chronic disease;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts encourage all area school boards, sport and recreation organizations, and early learning centres to work to improve physical activity levels among children and youth across Sudbury and districts, including through collaboration with Sport for Life Society, Active Sudbury and Public Health Sudbury & Districts, agencies that provide comprehensive physical literacy training to teachers, coaches, recreation providers and early childhood educators; and

FURTHER THAT a copy of this motion be shared with the Sport for Life Society, Active Sudbury, local members of Provincial Parliament, all Ontario Boards of Health, and area school boards, early learning centres and sport and recreation organizations.

CARRIED

 

[i] Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy Benefits of Physical Activity for Children (2021). Taken from: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/health-benefits-of-physical-activity-for-children.html

 

[ii] Science Table. The Impact of Physical Activity on mental Health Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic. (2022)  taken from : The Impact of Physical Activity on Mental Health Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic – Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table (covid19-sciencetable.ca)

 

[iii] Statistics Canada. The unequal impact of the CVID-19 pandemic on the physical activity habits of Canadians. (2022) Taken from: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2022005/article/00003-eng.htm

 

[iv] Government of Canada. A common Vision for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary living in Canada: Let’s Get Moving. ( 2018) Taken from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/lets-get-moving.html

 

[v] Tremblay MS, Longmuir PE, Barnes JD, Belanger K, Anderson KD, Bruner B, Copeland JL, Delisle Nyström C, Gregg MJ, Hall N, Kolen AM, Lane KN, Law B, MacDonald DJ, Martin LJ, Saunders TJ, Sheehan D, Stone MR, Woodruff SJ. Physical literacy levels of Canadian children aged 8-12 years: Descriptive and normative results from the RBC Learn to Play-CAPL project. BMC Public Health. 2018;18(Suppl 2):1036.

[vi] The International Physical Literacy Association, May 2014. Taken from : https://physicalliteracy.ca/physical-literacy/

[vii] Government of Ontario HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION, 2019 | The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8. 2019 taken from: https://preview-assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/fbd574c4-da36-0066-a0c5-849ffb2de96e/db4cea83-51a1-458d-838a-4c31be56bc35/2019-health-pysical-education-elem-PUBLIC.pdf

[viii] Government of Ontario. (June, 2021) Ontario Public Health Standards: requirements for Programs, Services and Accountability. Taken from: https://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/oph_standards/

This item was last modified on October 25, 2022