Health promotion

On average only 2.8% of total health expenditure is allocated to organised public and private prevention programs, yet preventable behavioural factors constitute 40% to 50% of the causes of premature deaths. [1] Chronic disea...

Obesity and overweight

Approximately 3.3 million Australians are obese with another 5.6 million overweight. In Australia between 1980 and 1999–2000 the proportion of men aged between 25 and 64 years who were obese rose from 9% to 17%. Obesity and overweight pose a m...

Discrimination and violence

Same-sex attracted youth are on average three times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth. [1] Racism and discrimination can contribute to a heightened sense of anxiety for new arrivals. The mental health impacts of ra...

Economic participation

In 2000, one in every eight Australians lived in income poverty. If poverty is assessed after housing costs have been accounted for, one in five adults aged 25-44 years were living in poverty. While income inequality has increased in m...

Social connection

Nearly 16% of Australian households cannot afford to participate in social activities such as family holidays, having a night out or having family or friends over for a meal. The proportion of people living alone is increasing markedly...

Active transport

Active transport is defined as physical activity undertaken as a means of transport and not purely as a form of recreation. Active transport generally refers to walking and cycling for travel to and/or from a destination, but may also include ...

Children and play

By replacing ‘screen’ time with play time, children can increase their physical fitness and lower their chances of developing obesity-related health conditions. If children walk or cycle to school they not only reap the benefits of increased physical ...

Physical activity

The health benefits of being physically active are numerous and well documented. Regular physical activity decreases the risk of heart disease, lowers blood pressure and decreases the chance of developing Type 2 diabetes. It can be protective against some forms of cancer and can improve mental wellbeing by reducing feelings of anxiety, stress and depression.

Sport and active recreation

Sporting and active recreation activities can be the glue that holds communities together. Sport builds social capital by providing a sense of unity. It is a social leveller, fostering a sense of trust amongst participants and members and cont...

Smoking

• There are an estimated 1.1 billion smokers in the world. [1]
• 17% of Victorian adults are regular smokers (a decline from 31.5% in 1986). [2]
• Tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world. [3]