More than a quarter (26 per cent) of Canadians say the financial cost of exercise can be prohibitive or necessitates compromising their budget, according to a new survey by the Desjardins Group.
The survey, which polled about 3,000 Canadians between the ages of 18 and 75, found 24 per cent of respondents rate their physical health as poor or fair, compared to those who rate it good (34 per cent), those who rate it very good (32 per cent) and those who rate it excellent (10 per cent). Overall, women (55 per cent) tend to rate their health more poorly than men (45 per cent), according to the survey.
Read: 5 steps to promoting nutrition in the workplace
Almost one-third (30 per cent) of respondents say they don’t take part in sports or physical activities. As well, nearly 20 per cent say they don’t regularly eat fresh foods and 37 per cent say they make financial compromises to integrate their eating habits into their budget.
Some 71 per cent of respondents say they pay attention to how much they eat at each meal. However, 23 per cent say they frequently overeat to improve their mood.
“Proper nutrition and physical activity are essential to preventing things like heart disease and cancer. This survey shows that we can still make healthy improvements in our lifestyle and this is very important to Desjardins,” said Gregory Chrispin, executive vice-president of Desjardins’ wealth management and life and health insurance executive division.
Alongside the survey results, Desjardins announced its supporting the Heart & Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society for the next three years.
Read: Citigroup’s proactive approach to wellness includes onsite gym, trainer