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Healthy Schools
Implementing the Alberta Nutrition Guidelines in Your School Comprehensive School Health Physical Activity and the Junior High Teenager Calling All Teens – Are You ACTIVE Enough? Active, Paid Jobs for Youth and Children Active Team Building The Meaning of Physical Literacy Activity Breaks Get Active – For Life! Summary of 2010 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth Benefits of Outdoor Play Screen Busters! Activating Families! Increasing Classroom Physical Activity Assessing Healthy Schools Schools and Mental Health It’s up to You: The Role of Parents in School Communities Maximizing Indoor Play Spaces Stress Busters for Kids Managing Exam Time Physical Activity: Bridging the Gender Gap Not Your Ordinary Field Day! Feeling Connected at School Modelling Healthy Behaviour at Home and School School Fundraising the Healthy Way! Healthy Eating Heads to School: Packing Nutritious Lunches and Snacks Physical Activity and Physical Education: What’s the Difference? Daily Physical Activity in Schools: What It Means for Your Child What is a Healthy School? Steps to Building a Healthier School Increasing Active Living in Schools Promoting Healthy Eating in Schools

Healthy Workplaces
Staying Healthy as You Move Into Retirement Vital Steps Towards a Healthy, Active Workday Work Day Wellness: Choose Healthy Options When Eating Out Active Commuting – Cycling to Work! Energize Your Workplace! Health-related Workplace Policies Yoga at Work Offering Information to Employees About Healthy, Active Living Encouraging Employees to be Physically Active at Local Events Using a Pedometer at Work Setting a Healthy Pace at Work Launching and Sustaining a Workplace Wellness Program Healthy Eating at Work Taking Active Breaks at Work The dangers of too much sitting Treating and avoiding hand and wrist pain The Afternoon Slump Physical Activity for Busy People If I Have an Active Job, Why Should I Be Active Outside Work? Conquering Back Pain with Physical Activity Does your workplace support physical activity? What Are You Sitting on? Using Exercise Balls at Work Shift Work: Getting Enough Sleep and Physical Activity Office Ergonomics: Key to Health and Safety in the Workplace Work-Life Balance: “Getting There” Help! My Workplace Is Driving Me Crazy! Putting Together a Wellness Plan What is Workplace Wellness? Workplace Wellness: Small vs. Big Business Options

Healthy Communities
Bringing Life and Fresh Activities to Community Spaces Ideas for Boosting Trail Usage in Your Community Promoting Healthy Eating and Active Living at Community Events Positive Steps to Boost Your Mental Well-Being Fun Physical Activities for Families Eating Well Anytime, Anywhere Starting a Community Walking Group Gardening and Your Community Buying Healthy Foods in My Community Discover the Joy of Cycling Outdoor Playspaces Promote Healthy Kids and Communities Making the Connection: Physical Activities and the Environment ACE Communities: Igniting Change in Rural Alberta How Walkable Communities Are Created Promoting Accessible and Active Communities Understanding Health and Wellness from the Perspective of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada Connecting with the outdoors Community Leaders: Making Good Things Happen Welcoming Newcomers to Alberta Bringing the Community Together With Multicultural Activities Building Self-Esteem Through Sports Funding Community Recreation Projects Cultural Diversity: Including Everyone in Physical Activity Active Transportation Maximizing the Benefits of Recreation Community Gardens: Being Active With Your Neighbours What is an Active, Healthy Community? Getting Active Outdoors in Your Community How Can I Make My Community a Healthy Active Place?

Profiling Healthy Places
2010 Profiles

When you come to Canada from somewhere else in the world, getting active for your health and for social reasons may not be important to you.

But you likely know that physical activity is important and that overweight and obesity are growing problems in Canada, as in most parts of the world.

After being in Canada for several years, newcomers risk becoming overweight. New Canadians often struggle to find the cultural or ethnic foods they once enjoyed. In addition, learning new cooking skills can be a challenge. As a result, newcomers to Canada may resort to high fat, higher calorie convenience foods that increase their risk for overweight and obesity unless balanced with physical activity.

Even though they know that they should be physically active, people from other parts of the world sometimes find it difficult to become involved. This difficulty could be due to:

Their customs.
A lack of familiar activities.
Not having social support or others with whom to be active.
Not being able to afford some activities or transportation to the activity.
Not having time because other things are far more important.

Newcomers may become isolated. Instead of being able to participate and feel part of their community, they may feel that they are on the outside looking in.

This article looks at some of the barriers faced by cultural groups and ways to overcome them.

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Different Cultures, Different Practices
Some community members may find it more difficult to be active because of their cultural practices, particularly girls and women and elders. Cultural barriers can include the following:

In some communities, familiar games and sports may not be played (new Canadians and their communities may need to organize these themselves).
Wearing head coverings (in some sports, such as football (soccer), head coverings are not allowed at certain levels of play).
Clothing restrictions (some women cannot be seen in public in bathing suits, short sleeves or shorts).
Being discouraged from being active (in some cultures, it’s not accepted for females to be active in sport or active living).
Thinking activity is dangerous (older adults may view being active as dangerous to their health, although the opposite is usually true).

Many of these barriers can be overcome. Below are a few suggestions:

Girls and women can wear modified active wear.
Sports and games can be adapted.
Recreation departments (or communities) can offer games different cultures enjoy.

Rules in competitive sport may be harder to change, but active living is about being active your way. The most popular activity among Canadians from any part of the world is walking. It is easy, most people can find a safe place to walk and it’s cost free!

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Playing Some New Games in Canada
Games and activities popular in other parts of the world are also played in Canada. These games include cricket, bocce, kabaddi (an ancient Indian game that combines wrestling and rugby), tai chi, yoga and soccer (called football in most parts of the world).

Community leaders from different cultures need to make sure that their city or town recreation department provides places for their games and activities.

Some sports have cultural leagues, with teams from various countries competing. For example, Edmonton hosts a Mini-World Cup for women’s and men’s soccer teams that represent their country of heritage. This event is very exciting for the fans and the players and is a celebration of cultural diversity.

Sports leagues provide a chance for activity, socialization and community spirit. Both newcomers and players who have been in Canada for years can show off their skills.

Physical Activity and Aboriginal People
Aboriginal Albertans are certainly not newcomers to Canada, but they can face many of the same cultural challenges. Activities in native cultures such as traditional dancing, drumming, hunting and fishing are all great ways to be physically active. Sports such as hockey, soccer, baseball and track and field are healthy for children and youth, whether played in rural areas or urban communities.

One of the most important reasons for Aboriginal people to be more active is the risk of diabetes and its complications. The rates of diabetes in Aboriginal people in Canada are three to five times higher than the general Canadian population. People of any culture who are physically active are less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes.

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When newcomers to Canada become involved in social and physical activities, the whole community becomes healthier and more vibrant.

Children and teens can meet other kids and enjoy their out of school time, parents can meet other parents and grandparents can pass on traditional activities to their grandchildren.

Differences in cultures can sometimes limit physical activity. Communities that can break down these barriers and find ways to accommodate different cultural games and activities become stronger and healthier.

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Learn More
Heritage Community Foundation: Understanding Canadian Diversity in Alberta Edukit
This Edukit provides a range of information and activities that show diversity in action and promote an understanding of multiple perspectives.

Chronic Disease Management Program For Diverse Populations
A website from Alberta Health Services Calgary and area.

Promoting Healthy Living in B.C.’s Multicultural Communities
This project supports intercultural communication in public health. This includes access to public health promotion, outreach, prevention and intervention for multi-ethnic populations.

Health Canada’s Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative
A website that provides a comprehensive, collaborative and integrated approach to decreasing diabetes and its complications among Aboriginal peoples.

Heart and Stroke Foundation: Multilingual & Multicultural Resources
This website from the Heart and Stroke Foundation includes translated and culturally adapted resources.

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