Participation in sport and active recreation
VicHealth is working to encourage people to participate in sport and active recreation to improve health and wellbeing.
Regular physical activity is ranked second only to tobacco control in being the most important factor in promoting good health and preventing chronic disease in Australia.
Participation in sport and active recreation – including volunteering and spectator activities – contributes to improved physical and mental health and wellbeing. Participating in sport or active recreation in any capacity also provides opportunities for skill development and social connection.
VicHealth is initiating change to improve opportunities for people to incorporate physical activity into their day-to-day lives. We work with a range of organisations to help remove the barriers to physical activity, which are more prevalent for certain population groups within the community. VicHealth focuses on increasing participation rates for priority population groups: women, people with disabilities, Indigenous Australians, people from culturally diverse communities and people from low socioeconomic groups.
Increasing physical activity among priority populations helps to reduce health inequalities and also provides benefits for social connection.
Health benefits
Regular physical activity – working the muscles and using energy – plays a major part in preventing chronic disease. Physical activity can range from low-intensity activities, such as walking, to intense exercise.
Research indicates that a moderate amount of physical activity – 30 minutes, five days a week – provides significant health benefits, including:
- reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly coronary heart disease
- lower blood pressure
- reduced chance of developing type 2 diabetes
- reduced risk of some forms of cancer, particularly colon and breast cancer
- increased levels of good cholesterol
- improved mental wellbeing through reduced feelings of stress and anxiety
- reduction in duration and intensity of clinical depression
- stronger musculoskeletal system, which can decrease the likelihood of developing osteoporosis.
Tackling health inequality through sport
‘Physical activity promotes wellbeing, physical and mental health, prevents disease, improves social connectedness and quality of life…’
Source: Global Advocacy Council for Physical Activity, 2010
VicHealth is supporting development within sport and active recreation organisations to address health inequalities. Our policies and projects aim to create healthier, safe, accessible, inclusive and equitable sporting environments. This will benefit:
- sporting organisations, who will extend their reach in the community and generate more interest and participation
- people who currently face barriers to participation in sport and other physical activity – including women and girls, people with disabilities, Indigenous Australians and people from culturally diverse communities
- the community, which collectively bears the cost of ill health and preventable disease.
By encouraging organisational development, we are helping to increase the rate of participation among priority populations, who report low physical activity participation rates and poor health status. Engaging with sport as either participants, volunteers or spectators results in greater involvement in community activities for these priority populations.
VicHealth believes that sport – and the culture surrounding sport – can initiate the change required to reduce health inequalities in our society.