The good die young:

The attentive folks at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (HSFC) have made a very astute observation: young Canadian adults seem to be fatter, lazier and less healthy. It has become such a problem that the HSFC have placed young adults aged 20-39 as an "at risk" group for cardiovascular disease. Alas, it is no longer only those fresh out of adolescence that experience heartbreak. That being said, those that are crying over the loss of a boyfriend/girlfriend are likely not dropping dead or in a hospital bed recovering from a heart attack.

The decision was made to place young adults on the "at risk" list for cardiovascular disease as a reaction to the foundation's annual report card on the heart health of Canadians. Apparently, about 3 million young adults (aged 20-34) consider themselves physically inactive, 2.5 are obese, 2 million are smokers and 66,000 possess type 2 diabetes. It is also important to note that the obesity numbers were determined by self-reported weight estimates, which can hardly be considered accurate. One can imagine several people mentally losing ten to fifteen pounds for the survey.

I should also note that the report included the rise of new ethnic groups living in Canada, who are genetically more prone to cardiovascular disease, as a factor in the "at risk" category. However, such a factor is not necessarily the fault of those who are a part of the applicable ethnic groups so I won't focus too much on it.

Treating fast food items like crackers and living a life of utter idleness, however, is the fault of many Canadians.

Or is it?

We are undeniably a society addicted to convenience. Indeed, we look at the possibility of convenience as a crack addict probably looks at the possibility of acquiring a sizable collection of crack: with love, happiness and relief. We want and often demand everything to be faster, stronger and in larger quantities. Increasingly, that is the reality of our culture, which provides a breeding ground for unhealthy, inactive and obese individuals.

Personally, I am currently in a fierce battle with a fast-food addiction. However, I am as healthy as one with such an addiction can be. I exercise regularly and keep as fit as possible, but I recognize there are obvious problems with this lifestyle. For example, yesterday, I left a fierce two hour gym session only to pick up a Burger King meal on the way home. The obvious question is: why the hell would I do that? I did it because it was the most convenient way to acquire food. I had two papers, this article and other miscellaneous projects to work on. It seemed like a logical and tasty decision on my part, neither of which are true. Convenience often influences my decisions, which is stupid, irresponsible and in this case, dangerous.

Although this is disheartening, I am just one of a population full of people who unthinkingly consider convenience extremely important.

This is not all right. The incessant consumption of take-out, convenience store treats, and Facebook profiles is going to kill, harm or at the very least, mortify each one of us.

This is nothing new. Prior to the Heart and Stroke Foundation deeming young adults "at risk" for cardiovascular disease, Canadians knew that fast-food and physical idleness possess no positive benefits, but the convenience that goes with unhealthy food seems to be undeniable.

So here we are, Canada, a country so obsessed with the comforts of Big-Macs and couches (or managerial computer chairs if that's your preference) that we are increasingly at risk of dropping dead before our forties. What happened to the grand old days when only smokers and senior citizens had to fear moving too quickly and bringing on a heart attack? Imagine a 23 year old panting from a short run and saying, completely serious, "If I run any longer I'll have a heart attack." We should be ashamed and terrified of our prospective future.

People, myself included, need to listen to the Heart and Stroke Foundation's latest report and realize that heart attacks are not just for old people anymore. Poor diet and physical inactivity must not be considered acceptable. Most importantly though, we must reconsider the value of convenience. It is time that young Canadians do the Obama and start chanting change.

I'll start: "Change.Change.Change.