Purpose
With strong interests and backgrounds in heath and exercise, it was decided to look into some of the leading health concerns here in BC. It was found that heart disease is noted as the number one killer of women in BC (BC Heart and Stroke Foundation,
2012). Despite obesity rates in adults over the age of 18 being 44%, BC is still the least obese province according to Statistic Canada (2009). Considering the strong correlation between heart disease and obesity, it was no surprise that multiple studies supported the idea that exercise and weight loss can dramatically lower risks and symptoms of heart disease.
“…studies have shown an inverse relationship between exercise and risk of coronary heart disease” (Brody, 2003)
“…activities of at least moderate intensity, such as cycling and sports were associated with lower CVD incidence, whereas activities of lower intensity, such as walking and gardening, were not.” (Hoevenar-Blovn, 2011)
“…a strong, graded inverse association between physical activity and the risk of coronary events.” (Manson, 1999)
“…both walking and vigorous exercise are associated with substantial reductions in the incidence of coronary events” (Brody, 2003)
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation (2009), 52.5% of Canadian women over the age of 12 are physically inactive and of men ages 12 and over, 46.5% are physically inactive. It’s estimated that if you are inactive and become physically active you can reduce heart attack risk by 35% to 55% (Heart and Stroke Foundation, 2009).
In hopes to increase the levels of physical activity to reduce the rates of obesity, not only in British Columbia, but in Canada and Globally, we hope this study will raise awareness in adult physical activity.
The purpose of our LFS (Land and Food Systems, UBC) 252 group’s project is to measure how many men versus women are on the seawall performing physical activity in the form of walking, running, or cycling. This data will allow us to determine whether or not there is a large variance between male and female outdoor physical activity levels.
Do men really exercise more than women?
Hypothesis: Gender does determine the amount of physical activity on the seawall, as measured by walking, running, or cycling.
Null Hypothesis: Gender does not determine the amount of physical activity on the seawall, as measured by walking, running, or cycling.
For the purpose of this study, the dependent variable is outdoor physical activity, with the independent variables being weather, time of day, and day of the week. Location of the data collected is also considered an independent variable since it can vary with convenience, demographic, topography, and the scenery involved.
References
BC Ministry of Health. (n.d.). Obesity. Retrieved from: http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/healthyeating/obesity.html on April 2, 2012.
Brody, S. (2003). Exercise intensity and risk of coronary heart disease, Jama, 289 (4),419.
Heart & Stroke Foundation. (2009). Retrieved from: http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3483991/k.34A8/Statistics.htm on March 24, 2012.
Hoevenar-Blovn, M. P. (2011). Cycling and sports associated with 10-year cardiovascular disease incident.
Manson, J. P. (1999). Walking compared with vigorous exercise for the prevention of cardiovascular events in women. New enland journal of medicine, 347, 716-725.
Stats Canada. (2009-2010). Overweight and obese adults (self-reported). Retrieved from: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-625-x/2011001/article/11464-eng.htm on March 30, 2012.