Blueprint for an Active Australia

Foreword

This fourth edition of the Blueprint for an Active Australia sets out the evidence and actions needed to help more people in Australia be active. It has been developed by Australia’s leading physical activity researchers and practitioners.

Cardiovascular disease accounts for around one in four deaths in Australia. Every 12 minutes, someone in Australia dies from cardiovascular disease, around 120 people every day.1 Physical inactivity is a key modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In 2024, physical inactivity contributed to 5.6% of deaths from coronary heart disease. 2 Being active also lowers the risk of other chronic conditions and supports mental health, wellbeing and social connection.

Most people in Australia, at every stage of life, remain insufficiently active. The National Preventive Health Strategy commits Australia to reducing insufficient physical activity by at least 15% by 2030.3 Health for Every Heart, the Heart Foundation’s 25-year vision for heart health, also sets a long-term target. It aims for an ambitious target of more than 75% of people in Australia to meet recommended physical activity levels by 2050.4 Reaching these targets will take coordinated national action. It must reach those who often face the greatest barriers to engaging in physical activity.

How active people are depends on where they live, learn, work, travel and play. It also depends on decisions made across every level of government and many sectors. We are therefore calling for an Australian Government-led National Physical Activity Plan, to provide the national leadership and coordinated action needed. It should be developed with state, territory and local governments, non-government organisations, sporting bodies, employers, education providers, researchers and communities. A national plan would join up existing strategies, set shared targets and clear roles, and direct investment to what works.

This Blueprint provides the evidence to shape that plan. It sets out recommendations across 12 action areas, drawing on the latest research. These range from children and older adults to the built environment, healthcare, workplaces and mass reach strategies.

On behalf of the Heart Foundation, I thank the authors, contributors and partners whose expertise and commitment shaped this Blueprint. We look forward to working with governments, researchers and communities to put its recommendations into action.

Le Smith

	Le Smith National Manager, Health and Wellbeing Heart Foundation

About this report

Building on previous editions (2009–2019), the Blueprint consolidates the latest evidence on improving levels of physical activity participation in Australia, and translates the evidence into practical, actionable recommendations. It presents the case for creating more opportunities for people to be active, by focusing on physical activity across the life course and on the key settings which influence population levels of activity.

A central feature of the Blueprint is its role as a knowledge translation and advocacy support tool for decision-makers and practitioners. It provides a credible, evidence-based foundation for policy development, investment decisions, and program implementation, across all sectors which influence population levels of physical activity. These sectors include, but are not limited to, health (including age and disability care), education (including childcare), sport and recreation, transport, environment, infrastructure and planning, and mass media. As digital technologies continue to influence how people live, work, play and travel, the information technology, science and resources sectors should also be part of coordinated action, alongside those who traditionally oversee physical activity policy and practice.

The fourth edition features 12 action areas which highlight the breadth of action needed for cross-sectoral commitment and investment to improve physical activity participation in Australia. Each action area showcases evidence and provides recommendations for policy and investment by governments (local, state and federal), non-government organisations and other institutions. By highlighting key priorities which focus on people and settings, the Blueprint recognises that coordinated action in one sector may have positive ripple effects in others, and that evaluation and research will be vital for monitoring progress and driving innovation. Implemented together, these actions can help more people in Australia be active at every stage of life, reducing the burden of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and poor mental health, narrowing health inequities, and building healthier, more connected communities for generations to come.

How to use this report

Each action area provides the evidence and recommendations in the following format:

• Key messages: a summary of the action area
• Strategic priorities: the two highest-impact priorities, informed by evidence and expert synthesis
• Why is it important: a concise summary of the evidence
• What is working well: examples of policies, programs and initiatives that are supporting physical activity participation
• Case studies: Australian examples of implementation and impact
• What must be done: evidence-informed recommendations and opportunities for action
• Sustainable Development Goals: the global goals each action area contributes to. Australia is one of 193 countries committed to achieving the goals by 2030. Linking each action area to them shows how physical activity delivers benefits across health, education, cities, climate and equity, and connects our recommendations to commitments governments have already made.

Readers can identify action areas that align with their work or priorities. As physical activity is shaped by a complex system, coordinated action across sectors can strengthen impact. Readers are therefore encouraged to explore connections between action areas, identify shared priorities and consider opportunities for collaboration. The section Joining up action for an active Australia brings these connections together and sets out what a National Physical Activity Plan should deliver. By connecting evidence with action across sectors, the Blueprint provides a foundation for collective action towards a more active Australia.