Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 24/01) - Fitness experts will conduct a series of tests this fall as part of efforts to start up active living groups.

Residents will be able to drop in and gauge body composition, muscular strength, endurance and flexibility.

Alfred Moses, Inuvik's community health representative, said last week that fitness appraisals haven't been held in town for some time, and that the results will be compared with tests taken the last time Canada had a big fitness appraisal (during the 1980s).

Moses said people will be told what their overall fitness level is, and how it compares with the average.

The appraisals will be ongoing, and will start either in late September or in November. Moses said this will allow more people to track their condition and any improvements.

Moses is developing the appraisals in partnership with Graham and Amy Riske of the hospital's physiotherapy department.

"It was an idea to kind of find out the overall level of fitness that people in the community are at," Moses said.

He noted that anyone living an active, healthy lifestyle likely will not need physiotherapy.

"The main reason we did this is because we thought the health level in Inuvik wasn't as high as it should be."

Moses said the appraisals can be done within 30 minutes. They will serve as a springboard for starting up different active living groups within town, like a running group or a walking group.

He said those taking the appraisals will be asked how they would like to improve their fitness.

"We'd see what they want to do, whether they want to lose weight or become stronger, have more en-durance," he said. "We'll try and find out what's the best way for them to go about that."