Background: Historical changes in the nature of sedentary activities have been observed in other countries, but it is not clear if similar trends exist in Canada. It is also unclear how changes in the measurement of sedentary behaviour affects national estimates. Our objective is to document all sources and measures of sedentary behaviour from Canadian, nationally representative surveys, and report on selected estimates of time spent in sedentary activities. Lessons learned can benefit the wider international surveillance community. Methods: We describe and document all data sources of sedentary behaviour at the national level in Canada, and report on selected prevalence data from repeated cross-sectional surveys. We summarize amounts of total deviceassessed sedentary time and self-reported sedentary activities (e.g., passive travel, leisure television, computer, video games, screen, and reading) by age group over time. Results: Nineteen national surveys were identified. Changes in questions and/or response categories precluded direct assessment of trends over time for some measures; however, certain trends were observed. Accelerometermeasured sedentary time, leisure reading (among those < 50 years) and television/video viewing in younger age groups have remained relatively stable (with a possible slight decline in television/video viewing). Time spent in passive travel and leisure computer and electronic device use appears to have increased. Television and video viewing appears to have increased in older adults while their leisure reading appears to have fallen. Conclusions: Changes in measurement of sedentary behaviour can affect estimates and reduce comparability over time. Total leisure screen use appears to have increased over time, reflecting the ways in which Canadians spend their free time and technological advances. The main public health message is the need for continued efforts to reduce leisure screen use, especially among youth and older adults.

Background Canadians spend the majority of their days sedentary. Gender and education are important social determinants of health that impact health behaviours. There is evidence that gender and educational differences in sedentary behaviour exist. In Canada, while general trends suggest that leisure sedentary activities have changed; there has been no comprehensive assessment examining whether historical changes in sedentary behaviour differ by gender and education level. Our objective was to examine whether gender and educational differences in accelerometer-measured sedentary time and self-reported sedentary behaviours exist among Canadians and if differences are consistent across age groups, over time and across multiple survey sources. Methods We summarize amounts of total accelerometer-measured sedentary time and self-reported sedentary activities (e.g., passive travel, television, computer, video games, screen, reading) by age (i.e. children: 6–11 years, youth: 12–17 years, adults: 18–34 years, 45–49 years, 50–64 years, and older adults: ≥ 65 years), gender (girls/women, boys/men) and household education level (< post-secondary vs. ≥ post-secondary) over time in the Canadian Community Health Survey, Canadian Health Measures Survey, General Social Survey, and the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study. Gender and education level differences are examined using independent sample t-tests or chi-square analyses. Results While few differences were found for total accelerometer-measured sedentary time, gender and education differences in self-reported, type-specific sedentary behaviour were identified. Among youth, data from all surveys consistently identified that boys engaged in more video/computer game play (e.g., boys: 0.35–2.68 vs. girls: 0.09–2.15 h/day), while girls engaged in more leisure reading (e.g., boys: 0.45–0.65 vs. girls: 0.71–0.99 h/day). Those with a higher education or household education often reported more leisure reading and passive travel. Education level differences in screen time were often age dependent, with leisure computer use greater in higher education groups in adults only and leisure television watching generally higher in lower education groups in children and adults, but not youth. Conclusions This information is valuable as it helps to identify segments of the population which may be at greater risk for engaging in higher volumes of sedentary behaviour. In turn, this information can identify target audiences and behaviours for policies and interventions. Future work is needed to further understand factors contributing to these differences (e.g., preferences, occupation, family structure).

Introduction Geographical positioning systems (GPS) have the capacity to provide further context around where physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) are accrued especially when overlaid onto objectively measured movement. The objective of this rapid review was to summarize evidence from location-based studies which employed the simultaneous use of GPS and objective measures of PA and/or ST. Methods Six databases were searched to identify studies that employed the simultaneous use of GPS and objective measures of PA or ST to quantify location of movement. Risk of bias was assessed, and a qualitative synthesis completed. Results Searching identified 3446 articles; 59 were included in the review. A total of 22 studies in children, 17 in youth and 20 in adults were captured. The active transportation environment emerged as an important location for moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) in children, youth and adults. In children and youth, the school is an important location for MVPA, especially the schoolyard for children. Indoor locations (e.g., schools, homes) appear to be greater sources of lighter intensities of PA and ST. The review was limited by a lack of standardization in the nomenclature used to describe the locations and methods, as well as measures of variance. Conclusion Evidence suggests that the active transportation environment is a potentially important contributor of MVPA across an individual’s lifespan. There is a need for future location-based studies to report on locations of all intensity of movement (including minutes and proportion) using a whole-day approach in larger representative samples.

There is no standard naming convention for cycling infrastructure across cities. Our aim was to develop a common nomenclature for cycling infrastructure in Canada, relevant to the context of public health practice. We drew on transportation engineering design guides and public health guidance to develop a bicycle facility classification system: the Canadian Bikeway Comfort and Safety (Can-BICS) classification system, a three-tiered classification scheme that groups five bicycle facilities based on safety performance and user comfort. Adopting consistent nomenclature as per the Can-BICS system will support regional and national surveillance efforts in public health, planning and sustainability.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine socio-demographic, geographic and physical activity correlates of walking and cycling for non-leisure purposes, i.e., to work, school, or errands, in Canada.Methods: Cross-sectional data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2003 (n = 127,610) were analyzed using logistic regression to identify factors associated with active transportation. The dependent variables were walking 6+ hours per week and any cycling per week. Independent variables were based on age; marital, education, working and immigrant status; income; geographic location; smoking; and other physical activity.Results: Age and income were associated with both walking and cycling, as was geographic location and other physical activity. The results demonstrated that, while similar, walking and cycling are associated with different factors, and that sociodemographic, geographic and health behaviour variables must be taken into consideration when modelling these transportation modes. Conclusions:Although walking and cycling are relatively easy means to incorporate physical activity in daily life, these results suggest that it is the young and the physically active who engage in them. This research points to a need to address barriers among those who could benefit the most from increased use of both modes of travel.MeSH terms: Physical activity; urban renewal; transportation La traduction du résumé se trouve à la fin de l'article.