National Physical Activity Policy Perspective - Health

1. National Physical Activity Policy Perspective - Health Catharina van Moort Nutrition and Physical Activity Section Population Health Division Commonwealth Dept. of Health & Ageing

2. 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

3. Potted History - National PA Policy 1980’s - 70’s Vigorous Physical Activity recommended for health 1990’s moderate physical activity recommended for health 1997 Establishment of the Active Australia Initiative 1998 Active Australia Alliance Developing an Active Australia: a Framework for Action for Physical Activity and Health,

4. Potted History continued. 1999 SIGPAH established National Physical Activity Guidelines 2001 Australian Sports Commission ceases servicing the Active Australia Alliance 2002 AHMC agree to establish National Obesity Taskforce Prevention Agenda strengthened 2003 SIGPAH - start to dev. national plan

5. 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

6. 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

7. SIGPAH - Workplan • Education • Evidence • Infrastructure • Environments

8. 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 • SpecialistTraining course

9. SIGPAH outcomes • Integration with other NPHP programs • Getting Australia Active (2002) • Costs of illness report (2000) • Sharing of evidence • National survey of Physical Activity

10. 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

11. Commonwealth Department of Health & Ageing Objective • Increase the proportion of Australian’s who maintain sufficient physical activity for health

12. Commonwealth Dept. of Health & Ageing Prevention & healthy ageing agendas Related to, • chronic disease prevention • injury prevention • healthy ageing • workforce policies overweight and obesity • 6 of 7 National Health Priority Areas • Early childhood agenda

13. Commonwealth Department of Health & Ageing Functions • build the evidence base • develop resources • monitoring and surveillance • advocacy and collaboration • national coordination • policy development

14. 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)

15. Examples of work • Active Script • Lifestyle prescription • National Active Australia surveys, 1997, 1999, 2000 • Secretariat • National Obesity Taskforce www.health.gov.au/pubhlth/strateg/pp/ catharina.van.moort@health.gov.au