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Athlete Health

Using the Air Quality Health Index to Maximize Training
and Performance

Did you know that the quality of the air can impact the quality of athletic training and performance? Anyone who is active outdoors, whether through sport, work or recreation can be more susceptible to the negative affects of air pollution. That's because they tend to breathe more deeply and rapidly allowing more air pollution to enter their lungs.

The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a new public health tool that can help you plan your schedule to make the most of your training day. The AQHI is a scale from 1 to 10 - the higher the number the greater the health risk - which provides a current and forecast value for later today, tonight and tomorrow. It's available hourly through the Web and reported daily through other sources such as the Weather Network and daily newspapers. Check the AQHI often to learn about the air quality in your community and how you can reduce your health risk when training!
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Partnering with Athlete groups to spread the word

We're increasing awareness about air quality and health among athletes and sporting groups by partnering with Sport BC and the national organization Clean Air Champions to help active people of all ages get to know more about their air.

Clean Air Champions Air Aware program
Air Aware is a national program that features the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), which was developed by the Government of Canada to help Canadians protect their health from the negative effects of air pollution. Air Aware offers activities, online games, resources and includes an educational presentation about air quality and active living by a Clean Air Champion. It is a curriculum linked program for grades 10-12 and is offered at no cost to schools across Canada. For more information visit www.airaware.net or contact Allison Kawall, Air Aware National Program Coordinator, at Allison@cleanairchampions.ca (613) 226-6786.

View the new Air Quality Health Index Public Service Announcement (PSA) featuring Clean Air Champion Lisa Bentley.

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Sport BC
A leader and an advocate for amateur sport across the province, Sport BC is a driving force in bringing healthy living and sport to the forefront for British Columbians. With a legacy stretching back over forty years, Sport BC continues to propel participation in organized sport provincially, bringing the power of sport to more than 650,000 sport participants and building strong, healthy individuals and communities.  

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If your organization would like more information or to have a presentation on the Air Quality Health Index, please contact 
Jennifer Muir, BC AQHI communication manager, at jennifer@solutiongroup.ca

If you would like to share the Air Quality Health Index information with visitors to your website, you may download this branded web button and link it to http://www.airhealthbc.ca/default.htm

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www.airhealthbc.ca is part of the national Air Quality Health Index project supported in BC by the Government of British Columbia, the Government of Canada, Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley Regional District and the BC Lung Association.
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