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BY CHRIS TRADER ctraber@yrmg.com )Iork Region residents are losing the battle ofthe bulge, according to a Heart and Stroke Foundation survey released yesterday The national online‘ survey found 62 per cent of respondents reported inten- tionally losing five or more pounds dur- ing the past five years, but failed to keep the weight off. And, seven of 10 of those who were overweight or obese regained all, or even more, pounds after their weight-loss. Obesity and being overweight have become one of the leading public health concerns in Canada, Heart and Stroke Foundation spokesperson and intemal medicine specialist Dr. Sean Wharton We know that within the past 30 years, the prevalence of obesity doubled in the 40 to 69 age group and tripled among those 20 to 39, he said. Specific to York Region, the survey found 41 per cent of us are overweight or obese and 13 per cent of residents 12 or older have high blood pressure. The health implications are alarming, experts v More than 6,800 York residents are hospitalized a year for heart disease and stroke related conditions. York's statistics are slightly below the national average, Dr. Wharton said. but ofl‘er little comfort. “It doesn't mean York is doing well because the weight trends are going upwardfi he said“ _ _ A I Equally concerning is the foundation's declaration young adults, ages 20 to 39, are Canada’s new at risk group. Within this age group, three million are inactive, 2.5 million are overweight or obese. two million smoke, 164,000 have high blood pressure and 66,000 have diabetes. “This cohort may not outlive their parents," Dr. Wharton r . Excess weight and extra body fat around your waist can lead to high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels and Type 2 diabetes, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke. Young Canadians spend the most on weight loss, the survpy states. _ "bbesity is environmental and at every turn. There aren’t enough parks and sidewalks and healthy food choices at convenience locations," Dr. Wharton There's also excessive attention to inappropriate weight loss strategies, such as quick fix and fad diets, colon cleansing and pills. sell Hope in a bottle and noth ing fie," he n . r In total, almost four out of every 10 people who try to lose weight report spending money to do so. > The report serves up tell tale signs behaviors, particularly in younger peo- ple, aren't healthy. Southlake Regional Health Centre Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation Services manager Terry Fair said. The younger at risk demographic sur- prised him. “People are eating wrong and too much and there’s not enough physical activity,” he said. Grim results in foundation report : 41 per cent of York Region residents overweight Dr. Sean Wharton said the number of cases of obesity found in people 20 to 39 years of age has tripled in the past 30 years. Excess weight and extra body fat can lead to high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels and Type 2 diabetes, increasing your chances of heart disease and stroke. Heart disease patients, enrolled in Southlake’s six-month program. are coached and encouraged to increase exercise. “Losing weight and keeping it off should be your long-term goal, both Dr. Wharton and Mr. Fair said. They receive food quality and quanâ€" tity education and are rpqnitorpd. _ “Your doctor, for example, can help keep you motivated by showing you benâ€" efits that don't show upon a weigh scale such as positive changes to your blood pressure, your cholesterol and other markers of health," Dr. Wharton said. However, only one out of every four overweight Canadian. 20 to 69, report- ed their doctor counselled them to lose weight, the foundation's survey noted. Among the survey respondents ages 20 to 39 and overweight, only 12 per cent reported their doctors had told them to lose weight. increasing to 28 per cent among those 40 to 59, and 32 per cent among those 60 to 69 years old. “Tfie good news is that most Cana- dians feel comfortable talking with their doctor about their weight and feel weight is part of their doctor’s responsibility for health,” Dr. Wharton said. “There may be a time issue. Thirty per cent of Canadians feel their doctor doesn't have the time to deal with weight, but it’s important that more Canadians have these conversations. Talking to their doctor and asking to have their waist cir- cumference measured can be an impor- tant first step towards starting important conversations about the health effects of being overweight." TEE study findings aren't new to York Region Public Health nutritionist Nancy Bevilacqua. Peopie should also seek the expertise of a registered dietitian, she said. "They aren't covered by OHIP.” she said. “People can lobby at their workplace to have dietitians added 'to their ben- efits.” For more information on the foundations healthy weight action plan. visit heartandstroke.ca/hwplan canvass. The campaign begins today and concludes April 30. I have a route, a rela- tively short door-knocker that extends west along Rupert Avenue from West- lawn Crescent to Palm- wood Gate. I count it a privilege to be asked and an honour to participate. While the task, includ- ing call-backs, may take two hours, it pales in com- parison with those who give much more. I refer to local driv- ers who regularly transâ€" port patients to and from cancer treatment centres in Toronto, Oshawa and Newmarket. These people are, to me, the unsung heroes in an ongoing fight against this dreaded disease. I talked with one last week. Murray Wagg, 79. is among 10 Whitchurch- Stouffville volunteer driv- ers. Others include transâ€" portation co-ordinator Janet Campbell, George Sled, Ted Barry, DaveWick sted, lack Greenshields. Bob Gatfield, Hardy Nisâ€" sen, Jack Corcoran, Peter Robertson and Gisla Braâ€" dler. Weekly, sometimes twice-weekly, these folks pick up patients at their homes and deliver them directly to one of several hospitals, usually Sunny- brook, Princess Margaret or Toronto General. Once there, they can wait several hours until treatments are complete. “For some patients, it's their only way of getting there," says Janet Camp- bell. “For those facing seri- ous medical problems, it takes some of the worry off their minds." For Murray Wagg, recent recipient of a 25- year cancer society pin. this mission of mercy began in 1987. It was Stouffville's Barb Schell who requested his assis- tance to which Murray immediately responded. Other drivers then were Les Clarke, Bud Sander- son and John Wylie. Travelling to‘and from Toronto presents no prob- lem for Murray, even dur- ing rush hours. Thirty- seven years’ employment with the A.C. Nielsen (30., Delivering hope with patients his is cancer month - the Canadian Cancer Soci- ety’s annual residential ? Roaming Around taught him to endure the pressures of bumper-to- bumper traffic. If the timinng right, he can travel from Stouffville to Sunnybrook in less than 45 minutes. If it's not, it can take up to two hours. “You go with the flow," he says. Until recently, volun- teer drivers had parking privileges at Princess Mar- garet Hospital. Now, he must park in the Toronto General Hospital garage. east of University Avenue. Murray usually awaits a cellphone call, then makes his pick-up. Treatment times are often uncertain, he says. He never puts pressure on patients. “It’s not their fault if proâ€" ceduresrunlate.loountita pn'vilege to_help." _ _ _ L Mufiay horiesdy admits it bothers him greatly to see patients in pain. A “Cancer’s an insidious disease that often rears its ugly head in other forms,” he says. “I never cease to be amazed at the courage people show, how they continually cling to hope. We all hear of little mira- cles. These are threads on which to hold. One should never give up.” Over the past 25 years, some of his patient pas- sengers have been close neighbours and friends. “Tl’ve known most of them," he says. Many driiiers or mem- bers of their families are cancer survivors. he said. He places the recovery rate at 75 per cent. One of this number is wife Loma. While modest concem- ing his own contributions, Murray’s quick to praise the dedication of others, assistance that. in the overall scheme of things, makes 14 house calls seem rather trivial. Jim Thomas is a Stoufli/illemsidentwhohas writwnformaanewspapers firmorethanSOyears with [im Thomas