Nutrition and Exercise
Eating well and being active every day are key to a healthy body weight.
Canada’s physical activity guides recommend building 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity into daily life for adults, and at least 90 minutes a day for children and youth.
Canada's Physical Activity Guide
(external link: Public Health Agency of Canada)
Are You an Apple or a Pear?
Apple-shaped people carry fat around their abdomens: their waists are wider than their hips.
Pear-shaped people carry fat around their hips: their hips are wider than their waists.
It is better to be a pear than an apple, because your risk of heart disease is much lower.
For more information
(external link: Health Canada)
“In 2000–2001, 56% of Canadians were physically inactive.”
— Improving the Health of Canadians, Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2004
Body Mass Index
Health Canada has used the relationship between weight and height to establish a range of healthy weights for Canadian adults. If you are between 18 and 65 years of age and fall within the healthy range, your weight does not put you at risk for health problems.
Body mass is calculated by dividing a person's weight by the square of that person's height.
If you are pregnant or lactating, if you are a young adult who has not reached full growth, if you have a naturally lean body build, if you are highly muscular, or if you belong to certain ethnic or racial group, your BMI might underestimate or overestimate your health risks.
Calculate your BMI
(external link: Health Canada)
