VicHealth program areas (or 'strategic imperatives') for 2013 to 2023 are:
Across all these areas, VicHealth supports activities that will reduce health inequities. You can find resources and reports about health inequities on our publications page.
If you want more detailed information about each of VicHealth's program areas, read pages 26 to 35 of the VicHealth Action Agenda for Health Promotion or to our programs and projects page.
Promoting healthy eating
Our 10-year goal: More Victorians adopt a healthy diet
Our three-year priority: More people choosing water and healthy food options
Enjoying the benefits of a better healthy diet is not just down to individual choice and willpower. The environment in which we live influences our diet, from the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables, the choice to drink water instead of other less healthy options, to time pressures and cultural norms.
VicHealth takes a broad approach to the issue by investigating the barriers that prevent people from accessing nutritious food for healthy eating.
Find out more about VicHealth’s work in promoting healthy eating.
Encouraging regular physical activity
Our 10-year goal: More Victorians engage in physical activity
Our three-year priority: More people physically active, participating in sport and walking
Increasing participation in physical activity has health, social and economic benefits. As well as the health gains to be made by preventing chronic disease, the benefits include promoting mental wellbeing and social connections, increasing productivity, and positive changes to the environments we live and play in, such as reduced traffic congestion and safer neighbourhoods.
We partner with sports, active travel and recreation agencies, the arts, and workplaces to create new opportunities for Victorians to make physical activity a part of their daily lives.
Learn more about our efforts in encouraging regular physical activity.
Preventing tobacco use
Our 10-year goal: More Victorians tobacco-free
Our three-year priority: More people living smoke-free, and less harm among resistant smokers
Tobacco smoking is the leading single preventable cause of death and disease in Victoria. It costs 4000 lives and $5 billion each and every year.
World-leading innovation – led by VicHealth in partnership with Quit Victoria, the Department of Health and others – has halved the rate of Victorians who smoke regularly to an all-time low.
Visit our preventing tobacco use program page for more information.
Preventing harm from alcohol
Our 10-year goal: More Victorians drink less alcohol
Our three-year priority: More people actively seeking the best ways to reduce alcohol-related harm
Because so many Victorians drink and we have a culture that encourages drinking, the harms arising from alcohol are spread very widely across the community. This means that while the capacity for benefit is great among chronic and regular binge drinkers, we all stand to gain from an improved alcohol culture in Victoria and an overall decline in drinking.
VicHealth works to promote effective interventions, improving community awareness and enabling all Victorians to take responsibility for alcohol harm reduction.
Find out more about VicHealth’s work in preventing harm from alcohol.
Improving mental wellbeing
Our 10-year goal: More Victorians resilient and connected
Our three-year priority: Build stronger approaches to resilience, focusing on young people
We see mental wellbeing as the embodiment of social and emotional wellbeing – not merely the absence of mental illness. Mental wellbeing is a dynamic state in which people are able to develop their potential, work productively and creatively, build positive and respectful relationships with others, and meaningfully contribute to the community.
Within the mental wellbeing space VicHealth focuses on reducing race-based discrimination, preventing violence against women and improving social connections.