Physical activity

How to create active communities

Physical activity is ranked second only to tobacco control in being the most important factor in health promotion and disease prevention in Australia. That’s why VicHealth advocates and supports change that makes everyday living more active, by working with different sectors.

We assist sporting clubs to make their environments more welcoming and healthy. We fund clubs so that they can buy equipment and train staff, making it easier for people to participate in their sports. We support initiatives to get children to be more active by walking to school and playing out of school hours. We promote the importance of good urban planning to encourage walking and cycling, reduce car dependency and improve safety. We connect organisations and individuals so that local communities have better access to physical activity and sporting options. We invest in research so that we have a greater understanding of what influences people to be physically active.