This is an archive copy of a document originally located at http://www.nphp.gov.au/sigpah/gaa/index.htm. All copyright remains with the creator.

Adrian Bauman
Bill Bellew
Philip Vita
Wendy Brown
Neville Owen

Getting Australia Active is a comprehensive update on the state-of-the-art of physical activity promotion.

The information provided in this document will enable physical activity stakeholders to guide better practice, engage potential partners and advance the physical activity agenda.

This document has been designed primarily for health professionals, health promotion and exercise science professionals. It will also be read with interest by others who have an important role in encouraging ‘active living’. The report encourages critical thinking in developing programs in this area, and the development and use of best-practice approaches to physical activity promotion in Australia.

Getting Australia Active was launched on 7 April 2002 at the University of Queensland.

Getting Australia Active can be downloaded in PDF format:

Getting Australia Active: Towards better practice for the promotion of physical activity [PDF file, 1Mb]

Alternatively, you can use the Contents listing below to access the complete document in HTML format:

Contents

Citation / Copyright / Further copies / Acknowledgments

FOREWORD

SYNOPSIS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 1. THE IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN AUSTRALIA

1.1 RECENT EVIDENCE FOR HEALTH BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

1.1.1. Introduction

1.1.2. Quality of scientific evidence

1.1.3. Reducing the risk of all-cause mortality

1.1.4. Cardiovascular disease prevention

1.1.5. Prevention of some cancers

1.1.6. Diabetes: primary prevention and control

1.1.7. Physical activity and prevention of injurious falls

1.1.8. Mental health benefits of being active

1.1.9. Risks of physical activity

1.1.10. Other health benefits

1.2 THE 'BURDEN OF DISEASE' AND THE COSTS OF PHYSICAL INACTIVITY IN AUSTRALIA

1.2.1. Health costs of inactivity

1.2.2. The 'burden of disease' in Australia

1.2.3. Conclusions

1.3 RECENT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION DATA FOR AUSTRALIAN ADULTS

1.3.1. Population surveys of physical activity in Australia

1.3.2. Recent trends in physical activity in Australia

1.3.3. Conclusions

1.4. TOWARDS BEST PRACTICE: EVIDENCE AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS

1.4.1. Definitions of 'best practice'

1.4.2. Policy implications

PART 2. INTERVENTIONS TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN SPECIFIC SETTINGS

2.1 LINKING RESEARCH, PRACTICE AND POLICY IN THE PROMOTION OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

2.1.1. Comprehensive approaches to physical activity

2.1.2. A health promotion framework

2.2 PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THROUGH GENERAL PRACTICE

2.2.1. Why general practice?

2.2.2. Strengths of the general practice setting

2.2.3. Barriers to the promotion of physical activity in general practice

2.2.4. Summary of the research evidence on interventions in general practice

2.2.5. Encouraging GPs to promote physical activity

2.2.6. Common intervention strategies used in general practice

2.2.7. What is happening in Australia now?

2.2.8. Conclusions

2.3 SCHOOLS AS SETTINGS FOR INTERVENTION

2.3.1. Schools as settings for intervention

2.3.2. The rationale for a settings approach

2.3.3. Limitations of schools as settings

2.3.4. Barriers in the community environment

2.3.5. International recommendations for best practice in interventions

2.3.6. Intervention menu for Australia

2.4 PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN WORKSITES

2.4.1. Background

2.4.2. Relevance to the Australian context

2.4.3. Strengths of the worksite setting

2.4.4. Barriers to the promotion of physical activity at worksites

2.4.5. Types of intervention on physical activity at worksites

2.4.6. Promoting physical activity and links with occupational health and safety

2.4.7. Research evidence on interventions at worksites

2.4.8. Examples of recent Australian initiatives

2.4.9. The future

2.5 MEDIA- AND COMMUNITY-WIDE INTERVENTIONS TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

2.5.1. Principles of media campaigns applied to physical activity

2.5.2. Media campaigns around physical activity in Australia

2.5.3. Evidence for the effectiveness of media campaigns

2.5.4. Conclusions

2.6 ENVIRONMENTAL, POLICY AND INTERSECTORAL APPROACHES TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

2.6.1. Rationale for a focus on environment and policy approaches to promoting activity

2.6.2. Environments where people are physically active

2.6.3. The relationship between physical environments and physical activity

2.6.4. Environmental interventions to promote physical activity

2.6.5. Policy approaches to increasing physical activity

2.6.6. Conclusions

2.7 TRANSPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

2.7.1. Introduction

2.7.2. Research and intervention challenges

PART 3. PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY WITH DEFINED POPULATION GROUPS

3.1 INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL POPULATION GROUPS

3.1.1. Introduction and data needs for special populations

3.2 CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

3.2.1 Physical activity improves health in children

3.2.2 Prevalence: how active are Australian children and adolescents?

3.2.3 Evidence supports the commencement of primary prevention at an early age

3.2.4 How much physical activity is enough for children and adolescents?

3.2.5 Recommendations for action

3.3 YOUNG ADULTS

3.3.1. Determinants of physical activity in young adults

3.3.2 Physical activity interventions with young adults

3.3.3. Conclusions

3.4 OLDER PEOPLE

3.4.1. Introduction

3.4.2. Levels and types of activity in older people

3.4.3 Benefits of physical activity for older people

3.4.4 Effective interventions for older people

3.4.5 Frail and very old people

3.4.6 Safety considerations

3.4.7 Conclusions

3.5 PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

3.5.1 People with chronic illness

3.5.2. People with disabilities

3.5.3. People from non-English-speaking backgrounds

3.5.4. Indigenous communities

3.5.5. Conclusions

3.6 SOCIAL DISADVANTAGE AND INACTIVITY

3.6.1. Introduction

3.6.2. Australian data on SES differentials in physical activity

PART 4. NEXT STEPS: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESEARCH AND IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY

4.1 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESEARCH

4.1.1. Answering questions about the quantum of physical activity for health

4.1.2. Understanding the mental health and psychosocial effects of physical activity

4.1.3. Refining and developing the measurement of physical activity for population monitoring and for interventions

4.1.4. Understanding the factors that cause people to become more physically active

4.1.5. Developing and evaluating community intervention strategies

4.1.6. Understanding and Influencing the societal barriers to physical activity

4.2 IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY AND ACTION

4.2.1. Summary of best practice for the promotion of physical activity

APPENDIX 1. ACTIVE AUSTRALIA - A NATIONAL APPROACH TO SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

APPENDIX 2. STRATEGIC INTER-GOVERNMENTAL FORUM ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH (SIGPAH)

APPENDIX 3. SAMPLE OF NATIONAL, STATE- AND TERRITORY-BASED ACTIVITIES: BY JURISDICTION AND AGENCY

APPENDIX 4. MEASUREMENT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

APPENDIX 5. USEFUL LINKS, BOOKS AND RESOURCES

List of tables

Table 1. Agreement (per cent combined strongly agree and agree) with knowledge statements, 1997, 1999 and 2000 surveys

Table 2. Any intention to be more active (per cent agree)

Table 3. Trends in 'sufficient' levels of physical activity 1997, 1999 and 2000 National samples (Australian estimates)

Table 4. People reporting no physical activity (sedentary), 1997, 1999 and 2000

Table 5. Total time for physical activity during previous week, trends over the two time periods 1999 and 2000 (showing mean minutes, 75th and 95th percentiles)

Table 6. National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians

Table 7. Physical activity promotion options commonly used in worksite settings

Table 8. Summary of physical activity campaigns

Table 9. Examples of measurement and research needs - linking health and transport agendas

Table 10. Examples of transport- and roads-related interventions that promote physical activity

Table 11. Sociodemographic differences in walking and in participation in vigorous sporting and fitness activities in Australian adults

Table 12. Reported reasons for inactivity, by gender, age, education and income

Table A4.1. Domains of physical activity for questionnaires

List of figures

Figure 1. Proportion of total burden of disease in Australia, genders combined, attributable to preventable risk factors

Figure 2. Awareness of any physical activity message and Active Australia

Figure 3. Intention to be more active (per cent agree) 1997-2000

Figure 4. A hierarchy of effects in a mass-media campaign for physical activity

Authorised by: Dr Cathy Mead, Executive Officer, NPHP
Contact: Ms Marti Cuatt, nphp@dhs.vic.gov.au
Page last modified: 10 February 2003

This is an archive copy of a document originally located at http://www.nphp.gov.au/sigpah/gaa/index.htm. All copyright remains with the creator.

The National Sport Information Centre Web Archive provides access to archive copies of materials in electronic forms. There is no inference that these materials necessarily reflect the current policy of any of the institutions or agencies that created them.