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GUEST COLUMN — Beijing will soon be host to thousands of athletes from around the world trying to live up to the Olympic Games' motto: "Faster, higher, stronger."

And with millions of Canadians avidly following all the action, it's likely a good number will no doubt be inspired to become more active themselves.

For Olympians, just to put themselves in contention for a medal means making training a full-time job. But for a lot less effort, the average Canadian can have much better odds of winning a far more valuable prize, namely staying alive.

While that may sound far-fetched, close to two million people around the world die each year from, well, doing nothing.

Being inactive also plays into the hands of many common illnesses. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a lack of exercise increases the risk of many common non-communicable diseases. These diseases were responsible for the deaths of more than 35 million people in 2005, representing 60 per cent of all deaths worldwide.

In fact, the consequences of something that at first glance might seem innocuous are so severe that the WHO is targeting inactivity through the development of global and national strategies on diet, physical activity, and health.

It's an especially important message for Canadians because we're going in the opposite — and unhealthy — direction. A recent Statistics Canada report found that sport participation in Canada declined from 45 per cent in 1992 to 28 per cent in 2005. This trend is alarmingly apparent in Canada's skyrocketing obesity rates. In 1978-1979, Statistics Canada reported that 14 per cent of Canadians were obese, but by 2005, that figure had jumped to 23 per cent.

The more research that is carried out, the more it becomes clear that being active is a critical component of all aspects of health. The WHO says that just 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week improves not only your musculoskeletal health, but greatly reduces your chances of heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, colon cancer and breast cancer.

But there are still many questions to answer. While we know exercise is important, there are significant gaps in our understanding of the relationships between physical activity, mobility and health at every level. What is it that helps exercise prevent and even reverse some diseases, such as osteoporosis and arthritis? What kind of technologies do we need to help physically challenged people reap the benefits of exercise?

As researchers work to solve these pressing questions, one simple fact remains: movement is good. Consider the work of Dr. Heather McKay, a researcher supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Dr. McKay discovered that even small changes in a child's activity level can significantly strengthen bones and help increase bone mass. She found that something as simple as bouncing when the school bell rings — five jumps, three times a day, and then gradually increasing to ten jumps, three times a day over 16 months — resulted in a marked increase in bone mass. Not only is this good for children today as they grow, it will also help prevent osteoporosis when they're older.

Just as importantly, a lot of research is being done on just how best to convince Canadians to choose to exercise regularly. Does a conservative low-level campaign make sense, or should the approach be as aggressive as some anti-smoking campaigns? Calling inactivity a killer may seem overly dramatic, but so did early warnings about the health risks of cigarettes, eating fatty foods and driving without a seatbelt.

Winning medals in Beijing will show Canada has its share of world-class athletes. But tackling lethargy will mean more of us are around to enjoy the next Olympic games, not to mention the rest of life.

Dr. Aubin is scientific director, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis