Low-income Canadians are unhealthy

According to Statistics Canada, Canadians who live in high-income households generally have a healthier lifestyles than those who live in low-income households; as it is demonstrated by the chart below for the year 2019.

This could be attributed to multiple factors; it could be that lower income household members live in dwellings that do not have access to green spaces and parks to enable them to take advantage of the outdoors. Or it could that lower income neighbourhoods are more dangerous to live at where people may feel safer inside their homes.

Another factor could be that members of low-income households do not have the means nor the energy to even participate in such activities due to the stress they face in their daily lives. One other reason is probably they lack the education to understand that those activities are healthier for themselves in the long term. Or it could be anything else altogether.

What could also be explained is that if one does have a healthier lifestyle, then there is a potential of ending up with a higher income, due to the overall high energy that will eventually drive that person to improve his or her lifestyle and find a better paying job; yet that explanation is rather highly unlikely.

There are a number of studies that show the positive health impacts of participating in outdoor activities, so maybe politicians at all government levels should review those findings by Stats Canada, and implement policies that will eventually move people above the poverty line.

Moreover, what that study shows is the importance of urban planning by municipalities. Not only that results in a more beautiful urban space but also it will have a positive impact on lowering the overall cost and demand on our plagued healthcare system.

Data source: Statistics Canada. Table 38-10-0123-01  Participation in outdoor activities, by household income