Activate Your Health motivates workers to eat healthier food, become more active
OTTAWA, Nov. 7, 2016 /CNW/ - Supporting people in their workplaces with tools to eat better, become more physically active and achieve higher levels of wellness is the goal of a new government-funded project in the greater Montreal area.
Today, the Honourable Jane Philpott, Minister of Health, announced that the Public Health Agency of Canada is investing $869,000 in Activate Your Health—a $2.2 million, three-year workplace wellness project led by Capsana, formerly ACTI-MENU, a Quebec-based organization dedicated to promoting health and preventing chronic diseases.
Activate Your Health will work with nine Montreal-area companies with the goal of engaging 6,000 employees in health promotion activities for three years. Participants will attend a kick-off conference and be invited to complete a health risk assessment questionnaire to get a personalized health score and action plan. They will also take part in a six-week health challenge aimed at eating healthier, being more active and maintaining balance. Blood pressure, body weight and blood sugar levels will also be assessed using tools such as the Canadian Diabetes Risk Questionnaire (CANRISK).
Employers will choose a level of support that reflects the needs of their employees, including tracking objectives, personalized menus, fitness capsules, a local activity finder, and motivational tips. Their companies' progress will be measured once annually for three years. Behaviour changes and screening results will be measured annually to determine the impact of Activate Your Health in each workplace.
Capsana undertakes projects to motivate individuals to take an active role in their health. It works with a multidisciplinary team of health professionals, communications experts and information technology specialists committed to excellence. Through projects like Activate Your Health, Capsana delivers workplace health promotion campaigns and projects that include practical tools, supports and resources.
The partnership was announced as part of the vision for a healthy Canada, which takes a holistic approach to health, focusing on healthy eating, healthy living and a healthy mind.
Quick Facts
- Activate Your Health is offered by Capsana in partnership with Groupe entreprises en santé, Sprout Wellness Solutions Inc., SOSCuisine and the Université de Montréal.
- Health information gathered by Capsana from more than 20 companies between 2012 and 2014 showed a need for workplace wellness projects. They found that:
- 69% of employees would benefit from being more active.
- Nearly 74% of employees would benefit from improving their diets.
- More than 50% of individuals surveyed were overweight.
- Activate Your Health is informed by previous workplace projects, which have led to significant and positive lifestyle changes, including:
- A 65% increase in participants getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week.
- A 57% increase in participants eating five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
- A 7% reduction of participants who reported smoking.
- A 28% decline in absenteeism.
- This project is being funded through the Public Health Agency of Canada's Multi-sectoral Partnerships to Promote Healthy Living and Prevent Chronic Disease program, which invests $20 million annually in work with partners to address the common risk factors that underlie major chronic diseases, including unhealthy weights, physical inactivity and tobacco use.
Quotes
"Many adults spend a majority of their day in the workplace. Creating a culture of wellness by promoting physical activity, reducing sedentary behaviour and encouraging healthy eating on the job can have positive impacts on the wellbeing of employees, organizations and society as a whole."
The Honourable Jane Philpott, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Health
"Capsana is pleased to help employees improve their overall health through the Activate Your Health project. This project will contribute to improving workplace environments to facilitate the adoption of a healthier lifestyle to help prevent chronic diseases and obesity."
Dr Louis Gagnon, M.D.
Co-President and Founder
Capsana
Related Links
Backgrounder on the vision for a healthy Canada
Associated Links
Capsana – Workplace Health
Vision for a healthy Canada
SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada
Public Inquiries: (613) 957-2991, 1-866-225-0709; Public Health Agency of Canada, Media Relations: (613) 957-2983; Capsana: Guy Desrosiers, Chief Executive Officer, 514 985-2466, ext. 264, [email protected]
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