Reducing Inactivity in Tasmania
Physical activity can play a key role in the prevention and management of many chronic healthconditions whilst also having a positive effect on mental health and wellbeing, social connectedness,enhancing community safety and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions through active transportoptions such as walking and cycling.
Physical inactivity is an established risk factor for six of the seven National Health Priority Areas(NHPAs) - arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular health, diabetesmellitus, injury prevention and mental health (Commonwealth Government 1996), and alsoassociated with overweight and obesity and type 2 diabetes that are at risk of reaching epidemicproportions in Australia.
Tasmania experiences high levels of these chronic health conditions compared with other parts of Australia (DHHS, 2005), as well as higher levels of inactivity. The National Health survey (2004/05) suggests that the proportion of Tasmanians not achieving the moderate or vigorous levels of physical activity required for health benefits was 69%. This has been consistent since the 1989/90 data collected (69.6%) demonstrating that there has been no change in this important level of physical activity for the past 15 years.
A number of strategies are already underway to address Tasmania’s levels of inactivity. The Tasmanian Government established the Premier’s Physical Activity Council (PPAC) in 2001 to provide a coordinated and committed approach to the promotion of physical activity, and in 2005 PPAC led the development of the ‘Tasmanian Physical Activity Plan (2005-2010) - LIVE LIFE get moving’. The plan sets the direction for Tasmania in achieving the vision of All Tasmanians participating in regular physical activity as part of their everyday life. It highlights the need for evidence based interventions and outlines recognised approaches to achieve long term change in attitudes and behaviour. The plan has 4 goals around the themes of participation, people, places and policy.
This report – Reduce Inactivity, Get Moving: A review of potential strategies - aims to support the Tasmanian Physical Activity Plan by providing information on a range of effective strategies based on best available evidence and cutting-edge research. It aims to promote discussion and raise awareness of what strategies can be used across a wide range of settings and the important role that all sectors can play in this process. By narrowing the gap between research and practice it also seeks to encourage people to evaluate the impacts and outcomes of other interventions/programs they are also involved in, to further build this body of knowledge.
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