A few words from the Chief Public Health Officer: Tracking Heart Disease and Stroke in Canada 2009

A Few Words from the Chief Public Health Officer

As you consider the information in this report, Tracking Heart Disease and Stroke in Canada, I encourage you to think about what can be done within your community, your organization, or personally to prevent heart disease and stroke. Progress has been made over the last 30 years. Death rates from heart disease and stroke have decreased and Canadians are reducing their risk by eating more vegetables and fruit, smoking less and becoming more active during leisure-time.

Yet we face a significant public health challenge. Four out of five Canadians over the age of 20 have at least one risk factor for heart disease or stroke. Obesity and diabetes, two major risk factors, are on the rise. With the aging of the population, and the increase in diabetes and obesity, more people will develop heart disease and stroke in the future. This will put greater demands on Canadians, their families, and the health care system. Preventing heart disease and stroke is a collective challenge built on strong collaborations and grounded in scientific evidence.

This report is an example of such collaboration and I would like to thank the organizations and individuals who contributed to this work. Good information underpins effective action and Tracking Heart Disease and Stroke in Canada represents an important contribution to improving the health of Canadians.

Dr. David Butler-Jones
Chief Public Health Officer of Canada