-For the most part, Canada's children are among the healthiest in the world, but concerted government and community efforts are needed to ensure the well-being of all kids across the country as they grow into adulthood, says a report released Thursday.
The Health Council of Canada pinpoints a number of issues affecting the health and welfare of children that it says require immediate and sustained action - from dealing with rising rates of obesity and inactivity to boosting literacy rates and preventing criminal behaviour.
"I think we have special obligations and duties to our children and in Canada we generally do quite well with helping promote health and well-being of most of our children," said Halifax pediatrician Dr. Nuala Kenny, chair of the Health Council committee that wrote the report.
"But even with the children who are healthy and well, we have a concern that if we don't take on some issues . . . even the children who are advantaged in our country won't necessarily have the adult health status that they should."
The report, titled Their Future is Now: Healthy Choices for Canada's Children and Youth, says that promoting children's well-being isn't only the right thing to do based on Canadian values, it is also the smart thing to do for the country's future.
Encouraging today's kids to develop healthy lifestyles will help them become productive, fulfilled and prosperous adults, the report suggests. It may also prevent them ending up like many of today's middle-aged and older adults: with such chronic conditions as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and osteoporosis - the price of lifelong bad health habits like poor diet, smoking and lack of exercise.
The report says healthy kids have a better chance of growing into healthy adults. And that means they would put less strain on the health-care system in the coming decades - especially at the point when baby boomers begin moving into old age and severely taxing an already overburdened system.
That's just one reason why Manitoba created a special broad-based, multifaceted program in 1999 to promote child health and welfare.
Healthy Child Manitoba involves eight government ministries - including health, justice, labour and immigration - which fund and create programs in collaboration with community groups.
Initiatives include funding for prenatal nutrition, combating fetal alcohol syndrome, positive parenting programs and early-childhood development programs.
"We want our children to grow up to live the fullest, richest and happiest lives possible," said Theresa Oswald, the minister responsible for healthy living. "And the way that we do that is ensuring that they have all the opportunities available to them, no matter where they come from in Manitoba.
"When we're talking about young people growing up to lead happy lives, we have to make those investments early," said Oswald, chair of the cabinet committee for Healthy Child Manitoba.
Laurie McLean, 36, said one of the programs has been a life-saver for her and her two boys, Finlay, 4, and Oliver, 2. Wolseley Family Place in Winnipeg provides daycare for kids and a place for parents to meet and take life-skills courses or work on their own projects.
McLean, who is studying for her social work degree through part-time courses at the University of Manitoba, has been coming to the centre with her kids for four months, after a winter of being cooped up in the house together "going nuts."
"I think it's just so huge," she said of the no-cost program. "I'm more rested and sane, so I'm a better mom and that's better for them," she said of her sons, who love to play and learn with other children at Wolseley.
"It's coming here and making friendships and being supported and nurtured. It helps everyone in the family. It will help (Finlay and Oliver) too because they're developing really good social skills.
"I'm so much happier now coming here . . . and to see my kids thriving."
The Health Council report says that while most jurisdictions have some programs to promote child well-being, Manitoba's integrated approach should be replicated by all the provinces and territories under a national strategy that shares information about what works and what doesn't.
"You know the old adage: 'It takes a village to raise a child,' " said Kenny. "Well, I think in this report what we've done is propose a Canadian kind of model that emphasizes the importance not just of communities and families being strengthened and supported, but their taking initiatives in concert with all levels of government.
"Children are our future. Their future is being created by the choices we make now."
