Should We Sit Less and Stand More? Why Sitting is NOT the New Smoking. (Part 1)

Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Many Canadians are now sitting 9 hours or more per day whether they are part of the work force or retired. There may be health risks associated with “too much sitting”, and this has given birth to the catch phrase, ‘sitting is the new smoking’. A large percentage of today’s jobs require people to work sitting in front of a computer and although increasing numbers now have the option to stand, there is little doubt that a sedentary lifestyle can affect your well-being, especially in your “golden” years. For the majority of the speaker’s research life, the focus was directed towards studies of physical activity across the lifespan and healthy aging. Now she is interested in also studying the opposite end of the movement spectrum – sedentary behaviour. There has been a shift away from looking at physical activity in isolation, because we now know that all daily movement behaviours interact to influence your health. The speaker will talk about her latest research into how sedentary time affects our overall health. She will also offer some creative suggestions on ways to sit less and move more every day! Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Copeland Jennifer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education. She completed a B.Sc. in Biology at Mount Allison University and attended graduate school at the University of New Brunswick where she earned a M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology. Jennifer’s main research interests are the effect of physical activity and sedentary behaviour on health across the lifespan, with a particular focus on healthy ageing. Jennifer is passionate about translating research into knowledge with the hope that her work can ultimately contribute to improving population health. To achieve that goal she regularly collaborates with community partners and stakeholders, and also takes every opportunity to present and explain the evidence of why people of all ages should move more and sit less. Moderator: Knud Petersen Date: Thursday, December 7, 2017 Time: Noon - 1:30 pm Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $14.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea) RSVP is not necessary