Healthy Behaviour Disconnect:
Canadians Rank Personal Behaviour, Habits (76%)
As Top Factor Influencing their Health

Toronto, ON - A new study conducted for Sun Life Financial by Ipsos Reid has found that while three quarters (76%) of Canadians believe that their personal behaviour and habits is the top factor in influencing their personal health, almost two-thirds (61%) cite a lack of willpower and motivation to engage in healthy behaviours

Following on from the top spot of personal behaviours and habits were genetics and family history (61%), the environment (40%), their family and friends (38%), their job (25%), their access to health and wellness information (25%), their level of household income (23%) and their education level (11%).

Do Canadians Behave in a Healthy Way?

As noted above, six-in-ten (61%) Canadians cite lack of willpower or motivation as a reason that impacts their ability to engage in healthy behaviours --such as exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet or managing stress--this was followed by a lack of time (46%), lack of money (39%), a current health condition (such as an injury, chronic pain) that prevents them from getting as much exercise as they would like (28%) and lack of access to exercise equipment/facilities (18%).

• Lack of willpower or motivation (61%) is highest in Quebec (65%) followed by the Prairies (62%), British Columbia (60%) and Atlantic Canada/Ontario (59%); demographically, those aged 18-24 (65%) and those aged 35-44 (65%) were most likely to cite lack of willpower and motivation; women (64%) and those in the highest income level (65%) were also most likely to admit this factor;
• Lack of time (46%) is highest in Ontario (50%) followed by the Prairies (45%), British Columbia (43%), Quebec (42%) and Atlantic Canada (38%); demographically, women (47%), university educated (56%) and those with the highest income (62%) were most likely to cite this factor;
• Lack of money (39%) is highest in Quebec and Ontario (40%) followed by the Prairies (38%), and Atlantic Canada and British Columbia (36%); demographically, 18-24 (54%) and 25-34 (55%) along with the lowest income level (61%) were most likely to point to this factor whereas men and women were even (39%);
• A current health condition (28%) such as an injury, chronic pain that prevents them from getting as much exercise as they would like is highest in Atlantic Canada (31%) followed by the Prairies (30%), Ontario and Quebec (25%); demographically, those aged 55-64 (33%) and 65+ (35%), women (30%), those with the lowest education (47%) and the lowest income (37%) are also more likely to cite a current health condition.
• Lack of access to exercise equipment/facilities (18%) is highest in Ontario and British Columbia (19%), followed by Atlantic Canada (18%) and Ontario and British Columbia (16%); demographically, the youngest age group (28%), lowest educated (47%) and lowest income (36%) were most likely to cite this factor.
• Comfort--feeling self-conscious in front of others (for example to use a public gym) (16%) which is more of a barrier to women (18% vs. 13% for men) and younger adults (29% of 18-24 year olds, 24% for 25 to 34 year olds and less than 15% for all older age groups). There were no significant differences by region or province.

Some of the unhealthy behaviours examined in the study include smoking, getting little exercise or frequently feeling overwhelmed by stress. A significantly higher proportion of Canadians who exhibit three or more unhealthy behaviours (69%) say they lack willpower or motivation to make healthier choices when compared to those with healthier habits (54%).

But what's most evident is the comparison between these two groups: those with more unhealthy behaviours are more likely than those with healthier behaviours to cite barriers to engage in healthy behaviours. For example, lack of time is noted by 50% (+8 points) of the "unhealthy behaviour" group versus only 42% of the "healthier behaviour" group. Other categories note similar differences: lack of money (46% `unhealthy' versus 31% `healthier' behaviours: +15 points), current physical condition (32% `unhealthy' versus 25% `healthier' behaviours: +7 points), lack of access to exercise equipment/facilities (21% `unhealthy' versus 15% `healthier' behaviours: +6 points), lack of comfort (19% `unhealthy' versus 9% `healthier' behaviours: +10 points) and lack of knowledge (15% `unhealthy' versus 9% `healthier' behaviours: +6 points).

Busy Does as Busy Is...

As indicated previously, the second biggest barrier to healthier behaviours for Canadians is lack of time (46%).

So what do Canadians do if they get too busy and have to make compromises? Well, half (51%) say they would prioritize to get the important things done whereas nearly the same number (46%) says they would skip exercising. Next came eating fast food/getting take-out (44%), skipping a meal (36%) and cutting back on sleep time (35%) in order to manage.

• Those from Quebec (38%) are least likely to skip exercising, skip a meal (30%) or cut back on sleep time (25%).
• People in Newfoundland are least likely to eat fast food/get take-out (38%).
• Alberta (42%) and Ontario (38%) residents are more likely to cut back on sleep.

Implications in the workplace

Unhealthy behaviours follow us into the workplace as 60% of employed Canadians report three or more unhealthy behaviours. And 60% of Canadians say their employer has some responsibility when it comes to their health indicating some sort of coverage and support in maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not an uncommon expectation.

So, Really, Just How Healthy are Canadians?

Despite the sense of being the primary agent of their own health and placing a high importance on living a healthy and active lifestyle every day (74%), and the fact that most Canadians (81%) see common diseases as being preventable, there is a gap between Canadian's overall sense of being healthy, their attitudes and their actions.

What people say and what they do can be two very different things.

As such, respondents were questioned on an extensive battery of current attitudes, behaviours and perceived health. This is a reported perception of personal health and wellness and not based on direct medical assessment.

The data from this exercise was then used to create the Sun Life Canadian Health Index which can be replicated at later times in order to track movement. The index is benchmarked at this first iteration and some of the key findings are as follows:

The benchmark average index score for Canadians overall is 69 out of a possible 100. A person who scores high on the overall Sun Life Health Index also scored high on each of the individual attitudinal, behavioural and perceived health components.

The study finds that 32% of Canadians score the highest on the Index with one in ten (8%) being at the bottom of the Index leaving 60% in the middle.

The One-Third (32%) Of Canadians Who Score 75 or Higher Out Of A Possible 100 Points In The Sun Life Canadian Health Index...

• Those from Quebec (40%) and British Columbia (36%) score higher on the Index, followed by the Atlantic Provinces (31%), Ontario (29%) and the Prairies (29%).
• Immigrants to Canada score higher (average of 74) compared to people born in Canada (71 on average).
• Older Canadians score higher on the Index than younger Canadians.
• The Index also increases with income and education: from 65 points on the Index for those earning less than $25,000 and among those who completed only grade school respectively, to a high of 70 among those with a university degree or higher, and 71 among those earning $125,000 per year or more.

The One-In-Ten (8%) Canadians Who Score the Lowest On The Index: Below 50...

• Residents of Nova Scotia (18%), Alberta (17%) and Ontario (17%) are more likely than those in other provinces to score between 25 and 49.
• The lowest scores come from Canadians in their primary work and family years between the ages of 25 and 54.
• 15% of those born in Canada score under 50 compared to only 8% of immigrants who score under 50.

No Canadians scored under 25 on the Index.

These are just some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid/Sun Life Financial poll conducted from October 12 to 26, 2010. For this survey, a sample of 3,989 Canadians from 18 to 80 years of age, from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 2006 Census data. The Sun Life Canadian Health Index is composed of a series of sub-indices composing attitudinal, behavioural and perceived measures, each benchmarked to 100.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Reid Public Affairs
(416) 324-2002
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid

Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

About Ipsos

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