WELLNESS ATLAS HELPS B.C. COMMUNITIES GET HEALTHIER

B.C. Atlas of Wellness results fall under the key health promotion categories of ActNow BC, including physical activity, healthy eating, healthy weights, healthy pregnancies and living tobacco-free.

Tobacco Reduction

· Revelstoke, Quesnel, Abbotsford, Richmond, Coquitlam, Okanagan Similkameen and Qualicum have the most comprehensive school district smoking restriction policies.

· Richmond, Fraser North, South Vancouver Island and Vancouver are leaders among municipal no-smoking bylaw coverage.

· Vancouver, Richmond and South Vancouver Island are leaders in smoke-free workplaces. Approximately 4,800 (two-thirds) of the 7,264 respondents aged 15 to 74 who worked indicated that smoking was completely restricted in their work place in B.C.

Nutrition and Food

· The francophone and Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte school districts had the greatest proportion (68.75 per cent) of schools with Grade 3/4 students who reported learning about healthy eating and exercise.

· Richmond (92.54 per cent) and North Vancouver Island (92.16 per cent) were among leading communities for who could afford to eat balanced meals.

· Seniors in Kootenay Boundary and North Shore/Coast Garibaldi were the highest among seniors’ respondents with 96 per cent who reported having enough of their preferred foods. This was significantly higher than the provincial average for seniors, at 91 per cent.

Physical Activity

· Schools in Bulkley Valley, Fort Nelson, Vancouver Island North and West are some of the schools who have the highest participation of ActNow BC’s Action Schools program, which is designed to promote best practices in physical activity and health.

· At the end of 2006, more than 40 per cent of Aboriginal schools and approximately 45 per cent of independent schools had registered for the Province’s Action Schools program.

· South Vancouver Island and Richmond report being the most active communities in B.C. among those who have adopted an active community plan.

· East Kootenay seniors, at 52.99 per cent, walk on average more than any other community surveyed.

Healthy Pregnancy

· Northwest B.C. had the highest percentage of women who did not drink alcohol during pregnancy, at 97.84 per cent.

· Richmond and Vancouver had the highest percentages of women who did not smoke while pregnant, at 95 per cent.

Personal Health

· Responses for the highest level of personal health in B.C. were recorded in Fraser North and Richmond – both at 89 per cent.

· Fraser South and East Kootenay regions have the highest positive responses for mental health. For B.C. Aboriginal respondents, 89.82 per cent felt their mental health was good to excellent.

· Richmond seniors have reported the highest injury-free region among communities.

· Of Aboriginal respondents in B.C., 90.83 per cent indicated they were satisfied or very satisfied with their life.

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Media contact:	Trish Fougner Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts 250 356-9814 250 920-8542 (cell)	Suzanne Smith UVic Communications University of Victoria 250 472-4496

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