National Physical Activity Policy Perspective - Health

National Physical Activity Policy Perspective - Health

Catharina van Moort Nutrition and Physical Activity Section Population Health DivisionCommonwealth Dept. of Health & Ageing

Content

• Potted History National Physical Activity Policy - health perspective

• Strategic Inter-Governmental forum on Physical Activity and Health (SIGPAH)

• Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing

Potted History - National PA Policy

1980’s - 70’s Vigorous Physical Activity recommended for health

1990’s moderate physical activity recommended for health

1997Establishment of the Active Australia Initiative

1998 Active Australia AllianceDeveloping an Active Australia: a Framework for Action for Physical Activity and Health,

Potted History continued.

1999SIGPAH establishedNational Physical Activity Guidelines

2001 Australian Sports Commission ceases servicing the Active Australia Alliance

2002 AHMC agree to establish National Obesity TaskforcePrevention Agenda strengthened

2003SIGPAH - start to dev. national plan

SIGPAH

• Reports to National Public Health Partnership (NPHP)

• Reps from State, Territory & Cmwlth health departments, ASC and AIHW.

• Meets face to face 4 times a year• Chair, Michele Herriot, SA• Secretariat, NPHP, Cathy Mead/Toni

Collins

Role of SIGPAH

• Forum for national leadership• Foster strong partnerships &

communication• Promote a consistent integrated

approach across govt• Provide advice & strategic direction

consistent with research• Report through NPHP to Health

Ministers

SIGPAH - Workplan

• Education• Evidence• Infrastructure• Environments

SIGPAH outcomes

• Promotion of information about physical activity eg National Guidelines

• Promoting Active Transport report (2001)

• Feasibility of intersectoral task force report

• Ongoing collaboration• SNAP – GP paper• Specialist Training course

SIGPAH outcomes

• Integration with other NPHP programs

• Getting Australia Active (2002) • Costs of illness report (2000)• Sharing of evidence• National survey of Physical

Activity

SIGPAH - Future work

• Establishing a Trust Fund to progress SIGPAH Work

• Key priorities - development of a national health physical activity plan

• Support for National Conference 12-14 Nov 2003, Perth

• Newsletter• Monitoring - ongoing

www.nphp.gov.au/sigpah

Commonwealth Department of

Health & Ageing

Objective• Increase the proportion of

Australian’s who maintain sufficient physical activity for health

Commonwealth Dept. of Health & Ageing

Prevention & healthy ageing agendasRelated to,• chronic disease prevention• injury prevention• healthy ageing• workforce policies overweight and obesity• 6 of 7 National Health Priority Areas• Early childhood agenda

Commonwealth Department of

Health & AgeingFunctions• build the evidence base• develop resources• monitoring and surveillance• advocacy and collaboration• national coordination• policy development

Examples of work

• PA Guidelines, adults, children, older Australians- development & resources

• Overweight & obesity guidelines• Getting Australia Active: towards better

practice for the promotion of physical activity

• Cost of Illness associated with inactivity• Program evaluation (ie Walk to Work

Day)

Examples of work

• Active Script • Lifestyle prescription• National Active Australia surveys,

1997, 1999, 2000• Secretariat• National Obesity Taskforcewww.health.gov.au/pubhlth/strateg/pp/catharina.van.moort@health.gov.au