Physical health and active lifestyles are important contributors to the quality of individuals' lives.

• Being Active
• Self-rated Health
• Physicians Per 100,000
• Average Life Expectancy
• Low Birth Weight
• Percentage of People with Limitations on their Physical Activity
• Percentage of Smokers
• Other

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, references to "Kitchener" refer to the Kitchener Census Metropolitan Area (CMA).

Being Active

Note: Population aged 12 and over reporting level of physical activity, based on their responses to questions about the frequency, duration and intensity of their participation in leisure-time physical activity. Respondents are classified as active, moderately active or inactive based on an index of average daily physical activity over the past 3 months. For each leisure time physical activity engaged in by the respondent, an average daily energy expenditure is calculated by multiplying the number of times the activity was performed by the average duration of the activity by the energy cost (kilocalories per kilogram of body weight per hour) of the activity. The index is calculated as the sum of the average daily energy expenditures of all activities. Respondents are classified as follows: 3.0 kcal/kg/day or more = physically active; 1.5 to 2.9 kcal/kg/day = moderately active; less than 1.5 kcal/kg/day = inactive.

With 51.7 per cent of the population being physically or moderately active in 2005, the rate of physical activeness in Kitchener was 101.4 per cent of the national average and 100.8 per cent of the provincial average. The rate was down 1.1 per cent from that in 2003.

Source: Canadian Community Health Survey ( CCHS 2.1 and 3.1). Cansim table 105-0400, Cansim series for Health Region: v41129835, v41141355, v41142635, v41143275, v41146475, v41150315, v41154795, v41166955, v41179755, v41185515, v41187435, v41188075, v41189355, v41189995, v41197675, v41201515, v41205355, v41205995, v41206635, v41207275, v41207915, v41211755, v41217515, v41218795, v41216875, v41172075,v41214931,v41215595,v41216235, v41181035, v41156715. For CMAs: v30194140, v30211900, v30215452, v30222556, v30233212, v30243868, v30258076, v30261628, v30268732, v30272284

National Comparisons (PDF)

• Table III-6: Leisure-Time Physically Active or Moderately Active for Vital Signs by CMA and Health Regions, Per cent, 2003 and 2005

Self-rated Health

Self-Rated Mental Health (%), 2005

Waterloo Region
Very Good/Excellent 74.4
Good 18.5

Source: Canada Health Survey, http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/82-221-XIE/2006001/tables/t004c.pdf

Physicians Per 100,000

Note: The underlying population statistics for 1996, 2001 and 2006 are based on census data. Population data for all years in between are based on the linear interpolation of population in census years.

Source: for information on physicians: Scott's Medical Database (SMDB), Canadian Institute for Health Information. Special request.

The number of family physicians (family practitioners and specialists) per 100,000 in Kitchener was 139 in 2005, up 5.8 per cent from 217 in 1996.

Source for population data: Statistics Canada, Community Profiles.
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Index.cfm?Lang=E.

Physicians Per 100,000 (2004)

Waterloo Region
General/Family 75
Specialists 55

Source: Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)

National Comparisons (PDF)

• Table III-2: Physicians (General/Family Physicians and Specialists) per 100,000 for Vital Signs Health Regions, 1997-2005

Average Life Expectancy

Source: Statistics Canada, Vital Statistics- Deaths Database, Table 102-0218, Cansim series: v20717323, v20718247, v20691913, v20692144, v20718478, v20694454, v20696071, v20718709, v20702077, v20704156, v20704849, v20705080, v20705542, v20705773, v20719171, v20709469, v20719402, v20710855, v20711086, v20711317, v20711548, v20719633, v20714551, v20714782, v20715244, v20699074, v20702539, v20713858, v20714089, v20714320, v20696764.

At 79.7 years in 2001, the life expectancy in Kitchener was 100.3 per cent of the national life expectancy and 100.0 per cent of the provincial life expectancy. Life expectancy increased by 0.6 years since 1997.

National Comparisons (PDF)

• Table III-3: Life Expectancy at Birth for Vital Signs by Health Regions, 1997 and 2001

Low Birth Weight

Note: Low birth weight babies are babies less than 2,500 grams

Source: Statistics Canada, Vital Statistics- Birth Database. Table 102-4203. Cansim series: v21525794, v21526154, v21526190, v21526208, v21526298, v21526406, v21526532, v21526946, v21527324, v21527486, v21527540, v21527558, v21527594,v21527612, v21527828, v21527936, v21528044, v21528062, v21528080, v21528098, v21528116, v21528224, v21528368, v21528386, v21528422,v21527090, v21527360, v21528314, v21528332, v21528350, v21526586.

At 5.4 per cent, the proportion of low birth weight babies in total births in Kitchener in 2001 was 95 per cent of the provincial average of 5.7 per cent and 96 per cent of the national average of 5.6 per cent. The rate was unchanged from the 1997 rate.

National Comparisons (PDF)

• Table III-1: Proportion of Low Birth Weight Babies for Vital Signs by Health Regions1, Per cent

Percentage of People with Limitations on their Physical Activity

% Age 12+ With Participation & Activity Limitation, 2005

Waterloo Region
28.3

Source: Canada Health Survey 2005
Note: Lower is better

Percentage of Smokers

Note: More information on smoking for CMAs available in Appendix Table III-5.

Note: Population aged 12 and over who reported being a current smoker (daily or occasional). Daily smokers refers to those who reported smoking cigarettes every day. Occasional smokers refers to those who reported smoking cigarettes occasionally. This includes former daily smokers who now smoke occasionally.

Source: Canadian Community Health Survey ( CCHS 2.1 and 3.1). Cansim table 105-0400, cansim series for Health Region: v41129811, v41141331, v41142611, v41143251, v41146451, v41150291, v41154771, v41166931, v41179731, v41185491, v41187411, v41188051, v41189331, v41189971, v41197651, v41201491, v41205331, v41205971, v41206611, v41207251, v41207891, v41211731, v41217491, v41218771, v41216851, v41172051,v41214931, v41215571, v41216211, v41181011, v41156691. For CMA: v30194044, v30211804, v30215356, v30222460, v30233116, v30243772, v30257980, v30261532, v30268636, v30272188

The proportion of the population 12 and over who indicated that they were current smokers in Kitchener in 2005 was 19.1 per cent. This represents an 18 per cent decrease from the 2003 level (23.3 per cent). The 2005 rate was 12 per cent less than the national smoking rate (21.7 per cent) and 8 per cent less than the Ontario provincial rate (20.7 per cent).

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey, 2003. Table 105-0292. Cansim series:v30137200, v30137208, v30137232, v30137240, v30137248, v30151408, v30151416, v30151440, v30151448, v30151456, v30154960, v30154968, v30154992, v30155000, v30155008, v30158512, v30158520, v30158544, v30158552, v30158560, v30165616, v30165624, v30165648, v30165656, v30165664, v30169168, v30169176, v30169200, v30169208, v30169216, v30172720, v30172728, v30172752, v30172760, v30172768, v30194032, v30194040, v30194064, v30194072, v30194080, v30211792, v30211800, v30211824, v30211832, v30211840, v30215344, v30215352, v30215376, v30215384, v30215392, v30222448, v30222456, v30222480, v30222488, v30222496, v30233104, v30233112, v30233136, v30233144, v30233152, v30243760, v30243768, v30243792, v30243800, v30243808, v30257968, v30257976, v30258000, v30258008, v30258016, v30261520, v30261528, v30261552, v30261560, v30261568, v30268624, v30268632, v30268656, v30268664, v30268672, v30272176, v30272184, v30272208, v30272216, v30272224

National Comparisons (PDF)

• Table III-5: Smoking Rates for Current Smokers for Vital Signs by CMA and Health Regions, 2003 and 2005
• Appendix Table III-5: Smoking Rates for Vital Signs CMAs, 2003

Other

Self -reported adult body mass index 30.0 or higher (18 years and over)

Note: More information on classes of obesity for CMAs can be found in Appendix Table III-4

Source: Canadian Community Health Survey ( CCHS 2.1 and 3.1). Cansim table 105-0400, Cansim series for Health Region :v41129731, v41141251, v41142531, v41143171, v41146371, v41150211, v41154691, v41166851, v41179651, v41185411, v41187331, v41187971, v41189251, v41189891, v41197571, v41201411, v41205251, v41205891, v41206531, v41207171, v41207811, v41211651, v41217411, v41218691,v41216771, v41171971, v41214851, v41215491, v41216131, V41180931, v41156611. For CMA: v30194436, v30212196, v30215748, v30222852, v30233508, v30244164, v30258372, v30261924, v30269028, v30272580

At 16.7 per cent of the population 15 and over, the obesity rate in Kitchener in 2005 was 108 per cent of the national average and 111 per cent of the provincial average. The rate was up 2 per cent from that in 2003.

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey, 2003. Cansim table 105-0292. Cansim series: v30136712, v30137608, v30137616, v30137624, v30150920, v30151816, v30151824, v30151832, v30154472, v30155368, v30155376, v30155384, v30158024, v30158920, v30158928, v30158936, v30165128, v30166024, v30166032, v30166040, v30168680, v30169576, v30169584, v30169592, v30172232, v30173128, v30173136, v30173144, v30193544, v30194440, v30194448, v30194456, v30211304, v30212200, v30212208, v30212216, v30214856, v30215752, v30215760, v30215768, v30221960, v30222856, v30222864, v30222872, v30232616, v30233512, v30233520, v30233528, v30243272, v30244168, v30244176, v30244184, v30257480, v30258376, v30258384, v30258392, v30261032, v30261928, v30261936, v30261944, v30268136, v30269032, v30269040, v30269048, v30271688, v30272584, v30272592, v30272600, v30137600, v30151808, v30155360, v30158912, v30166016, v30169568, v30173120, v30194432, v30212192, v30215744, v30222848, v30233504, v30244160, v30258368, v30261920, v30269024, v30272576

National Comparisons (PDF)

• Table III-4: Obesity Rates for Vital Signs by CMA and Health Regions, 2003 and 2005
• Appendix Table III-4: Obesity Rates (18 or older) for Vital Signs CMAs, 2003