A coalition, notably bringing together Sports Québec, the Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie and FADOQ, is sounding the alarm: the state of health of Quebecers is “mediocre” and we must focus on physical activity to “turn the tide”. She warns the government that it will be necessary to invest in prevention to reduce the costs of the health system.
Published at 5:00 a.m.
Updated at 5:00 a.m.
What you need to know
- The Quebec government wants to implement a national prevention strategy in the spring.
- The national director of public health of Quebec, Dr Luc Boileau, will launch consultations in the coming months.
- A large coalition, which includes Sports Québec, the Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie and FADOQ, believes that physical activity must be at the heart of this strategy.
Quebec intends to implement a national prevention strategy next spring1. The Coalition for the Future of Sport and Physical Activity in Quebec (CASAPQ), made up of 10 organizations that get people of all ages moving, wants to be part of the solution.
“We’ve been saying for 16 years that we’re going to hit the wall,” says the apostle of physical activity Pierre Lavoie. We’re up against the wall. »
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Pierre Lavoie
The health budget exceeds $60 billion, up 50% over the past six years. A situation described as “untenable” by the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, during a conference held on 1is November at the University of Quebec in Montreal.
“It was written in the sky,” says Pierre Lavoie. You work to increase life expectancy, but you do not work to increase quality of life expectancy. »
CASAPQ believes that its members can help delay illness and the use of the health system by Quebecers. The group, which published a letter on Sunday in The Press2has just made public a memorandum of around forty pages presenting “alarming findings” on the state of health of Quebecers as well as possible solutions.
“We need organizations to be funded. We, the actors who move young people and society, are all in trouble,” points out Mr. Lavoie. Many volunteers left during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, we need to do much more than campaigns to promote healthy lifestyle habits, as the Minister of Health mentioned during the conference.
“If I were the government, I would invest massively in all inclusive sports, sports that even the poor can practice: swimming, athletics, soccer, volleyball, basketball, cross-country skiing, etc. », Lists Pierre Lavoie. Forget tennis, alpine skiing and hockey: “Sports for the rich!” »
Getting the little ones moving in CPE
CASAPQ argues that physical activity could be integrated into early childhood centers (CPE). Currently, preschool children “depend entirely,” in this regard, “on their parents or on the will of daycare educators.”
“In Finland, there are 120 mandatory minutes of physical activity per day in daycare centers and daycare centers,” says Marie-Eve Proulx, who coordinated the research and writing of the coalition’s brief.
Seniors must also engage in physical activity, argues CASAPQ. The FADOQ Network says it gets 70,000 people moving every week, notably thanks to the popular pickleball clubs. But the participants could be more numerous, according to him.
“If I am unable to afford a hearing aid, glasses, dentures, I am not going to socialize or do physical activity,” says its general director, Jacinthe Roy. If I don’t have access to transportation because I lost my driver’s license, my ability to participate in physical activity and socialize will be reduced. »
Like the Minister responsible for Seniors, Sonia Bélanger, the FADOQ Network believes that all ministries must be involved in prevention.
But Quebec will have to “untie the purse strings,” says its president, Gisèle Tassé-Goodman.
“There needs to be a deep reflection on the importance of reimbursing the costs of essential medical devices, especially for people living below the poverty line,” she thinks. Only one hearing aid is currently reimbursed.
$1 in prevention, $3.30 in savings on care
According to a report from the consulting firm McKinsey, each dollar invested in prevention generates a return of $3.30 in health care savings, reports CASAPQ in its brief.
The group – which also includes, among others, the Réseau Plein Air Québec, the Association québécoise du Loisir Municipale and the Fédération des Educators et Educatrice Physical Educators du Québec – argues that its members represent a “simple and accessible solution” and have expertise.
“They could broaden their offering to interest a wider section of the population and that would have a direct impact on the state of health of Quebecers,” says Marie-Eve Proulx.
Pierre Lavoie campaigns for audacity. “Audacity is not madness. It’s courage, with intelligence. The status quo is unacceptable. »
Judo to prevent falls among seniors
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Judo clubs, particularly in Montreal and Sherbrooke, give classes to seniors to teach them how to fall “properly”.
Judo clubs, particularly in Montreal and Sherbrooke, give classes to seniors to teach them how to fall “properly”. The objective? Avoid hip fractures and concussions, among others. The president of Judo Quebec, Patrick Kearney, believes that this initiative could be extended across the province. He also advocates for free lessons for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, as is the case in his club, located in Blainville.
Free sports equipment
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
The Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie distributed 3,000 pairs of cross-country skis to around sixty centers in Quebec to allow young people aged 12 and under to learn this sport.
The Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie distributed 3,000 pairs of cross-country skis to around sixty centers in Quebec to allow young people aged 12 and under to learn this sport. The “La Petite Expé” program allows children to have free access to the slopes and equipment. “Every year, we introduce 100,000 children to cross-country skiing in Quebec,” says Pierre Lavoie.
Hockey for son, gym for mom or dad
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Many parents are on their cell phones during their child’s hockey or figure skating practice. And why not make them move instead?
Many parents are on their cell phones during their child’s hockey or figure skating practice. And why not make them move instead? “We could think of sports equipment and activities to keep parents active,” says the president of Judo Québec, Patrick Kearney. A “small gym” could, for example, be set up for parents. A self-defense course could be given in an adjoining room.
Physical activity in figures
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
- 35% of the Quebec population is overweight and 23% is obese, according to the 2020-2021 Quebec Population Health Survey
- 29% of Canadians aged 5 to 17 meet the national physical activity guidelines of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day, says ParticipAction
- 16% of children aged 5 or 6 spend on average two hours or more per day using screens, according to the Quebec survey on the preschool career of children in kindergarten.
- 58.5% of Quebecers aged 65 and over are sedentary or not very active, according to the 2020-2021 Quebec Population Health Survey
1. Read the article “Spring prevention strategy: “We cannot approach the health system only through the Ministry of Health””
2. Read the letter “An essential solution for a healthy Quebec, sport and physical activity”
