By Callam Rodya

A new annual study by the Heart and Stroke Foundation paints a dismal picture of the average Sudburian’s lifestyle.

According the 2011 Report on Canadian’s Health, 39.7% of Sudbury residents are inactive, 58.8% eat less than five servings of vegetables and fruit a day, 25.9% are obese, 21.9% have high blood pressure, and 24.7% smoke cigarettes.

These numbers represent a greater health problem among Canadians. The Heart and Stroke Foundation says that 250,000 years of life are lost each year in Canada because of cardiovascular diseases. The foundation warns that 90% of Canadians are jeopardizing their health due to their lifestyle.

“There’s a huge disconnect between what we think we are doing to address our risk factors and reality,” said Dr. Beth Abramson, cardiologist and spokesperson for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Close to half of Canadians do not meet the physical activity and healthy eating recommendations of the foundation. Their report also shows that many Canadians are in denial about their risk factors for heart disease, factors they can manage and control.