Physical activity

Physical activity plays an important role in preventing excessive weight gain and chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and mental illness.

The Australian National Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that adults should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity at least five times per week to maintain good health. It is recommended that young people aged 12-18 years do a minimum of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day and spend no more than two hours per day in sedentary activities.

In 2007, just over half of adults in NSW (54.8%) were sufficiently active according to the NSW Population Health Survey. The 2004 SPANS found that three-quarters of boys and girls in Years 6, 8 and 10 met the physical activity recommendations for children. Nonetheless, significant proportions of adults and children do not meet recommended levels of physical activity.

The promotion of physical activity is a focus of public policy in health and sport sectors, as well as community-based health promotion programs. Key strategies include monitoring of population activity levels, environmental and policy changes to support active living, and social marketing and communications to promote active lifestyles. For example, the Active Australia campaign is a collaboration between the Department of Health and Family Services, the Australian Sports Commission, relevant State departments, local government, and the sport and recreation industry that provides a national framework for promotion of participation in sport, recreation and everyday physical activities. Active Australia campaigns and surveys were conducted nationally in 1997, 1999 and 2000.


To find out more about physical activity and health, please follow the links below to some useful websites.

Cluster for Physical Activity and Health

Premiers Council for Active Living

NSW Health

Department of Health and Ageing

Heart Foundation

Cancer Council NSW

US Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Canadian Lifestyle and Fitness Research Institute