Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

The Aboriginal population in Canada faces a high burden of lifestyle-related chronic disease including type II diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. The benefits of physical activity are well known and include the prevention and management of such diseases and an increased life expectancy. Physical inactivity is a growing concern in rural and northern aboriginal communities due to a loss in traditional First Nations lands and practices and the adoption of a sedentary "western" lifestyle. The objective of this project is to identify key pieces of information that will lead to the development of a community-driven research agenda based on the use of physical activity to manage chronic disease and pain in Aboriginal communities. Specific outcomes include research questions and preferred physical activity interventions that can be evaluated in collaboration with Carrier Sekani Family Services. Planning activities include a literature review, environmental scan, phone survey to collect information on physical activity priorities, and a one-day knowledge exchange meeting involving researchers, knowledge-users, and health service providers.