Blueprint for an Active Australia

Participating in physical activity reduces the risk of developing non-communicable diseases and increases mental health and wellbeing.^2,3

SDG target: 3.4

Supporting physical activity in children and young people includes provision of green and public spaces that are safe and suited to their needs.^3,6,13 Promoting active travel in this group supports sustainable transport and wellbeing.^3,6

SDG targets: 11.2 and 11.7

Physical activity for children and young people within community settings, can nurture positive social values such as inclusion and cooperation and unite children and young people of different ages, genders, socioeconomic status and nationality.^3,5

SDG target: 16.1

Targeted physical activity promotion and supports for activity among older adults can reduce non-communicable disease risk and increase mental health and wellbeing in this group.^2,3

SDG target: 3.4

Promoting and supporting physical activity among older adults, especially those with complex conditions, would support equal opportunities for those facing more barriers to physical activity while supporting healthy ageing and thus social, economic and political inclusion.⁵

SDG targets: 10.2 and 10.3

Promoting and supporting physical activity among older adults includes a focus on age-friendly environmental design to ensure green and public spaces are safe, accessible, and inclusive for this group.^6,14

SDG target: 11.7

Inclusive (non-discriminatory) design practices and policies, with a focus on creating safe environments that support physical activity for all, including older adults, can improve physical activity participation.^6,12

SDG target: 16.B

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have higher rates of non-communicable disease and poorer mental health and wellbeing than other people living in Australia.¹⁵ Targeted promotion of physical activity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can improve these factors.³

SDG target: 3.4

Physical activity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly children, supports better educational outcomes.^3,6,16

SDG targets: 4.1 and 4.2

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women often have additional barriers to physical activity participation due to their roles within their community.¹⁷ This creates an inequity which can be addressed through targeted supports.

SDG target: 5.C

Approaches to promote and support physical activity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples must be designed by and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.¹⁸ This can involve the creation of supportive job roles.

SDG target: 8.3

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have poorer health and lower physical activity levels.^15,19 They experience institutional racism and inequality resulting in a mortality gap that must be addressed.¹¹

SDG targets: 10.2 and 10.3

Promotion and support of physical activity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples includes ensuring safe, culturally appropriate, inclusive green and public spaces, including in regional and remote environments.^3,6

SDG target: 11.7

Physical activity and participation in sports, particularly in community settings, can nurture positive social values such as inclusion and cooperation and unite people of different ages, genders, socioeconomic status, nationality and political beliefs.^3,5

SDG target: 16.1

Targeted physical activity promotion for priority populations may address their increased non-communicable disease risk as well as poorer mental health and wellbeing.⁹ Targeted physical activity promotion and supports among these populations will improve these outcomes.^2,3

SDG target: 3.4

Physical activity promotion and support strategies that target women and girls can reduce the gender health disparity.^3,6

SDG target: 5.C

Priority populations often face systemic barriers and discrimination that limit opportunities to be active and contribute to poorer health.^3,9,11 Removing these barriers and supporting equitable access to physical activity can promote social inclusion and reduce inequalities in health outcomes.³

SDG targets: 10.2 and 10.3

Inclusive transportation systems and environmental design aiming to support physical activity in priority populations, is a key part of inclusive urbanisation, as is the provision of safe, inclusive and accessible green and public spaces.⁶

SDG targets: 11.2, 11.3 and 11.7

Physical activity supportive built environments can increase recreational and transport related physical activity participation, thus reducing the risk of non-communicable disease, and promoting mental health and wellbeing.^2,3

Active travel supportive built environments can create separation between active travellers and motor vehicles, reducing cycling and pedestrian deaths.^6,7 Moreover, increasing active travel can reduce motor vehicles on the road which can also reduce traffic fatalities, as well as reducing motor vehicle related emissions and fine particulate matter.^6,20

SDG targets: 3.4, 3.6 and 3.9

Physical activity supportive built environments can increase active travel and reduce private motor vehicle use contributing to a sustainable transport system.⁶

SDG target: 9.1

Physical activity supportive built environments provide safe, inclusive, and accessible green and public spaces supporting active travel and recreational opportunities.⁶ Design factors, as well as increased active travel, can improve road safety and reduce motor vehicle traffic. Reducing motor vehicle traffic reduces transport-related emissions (from fossil fuel use as well as vehicle related particulate matter) supporting better air quality.^6,20

SDG targets: 11.2, 11.6 and 11.7

Built environments that support active travel can reduce motor vehicle use, lowering transport-related emissions (from fossil fuels) and thus helping to mitigate climate change.^6,20

SDG target: 13.2

Physical activity supportive built environments include design elements intended to increase safety and reduce crime and violence such that people should feel safe walking in their area.^6,12

SDG target: 16.1

Active travel contributes to physical activity²¹ which reduces risk for non-communicable diseases and promotes mental health and wellbeing.^2,3

Fewer cars on the road and environments that support safe active travel can reduce traffic injuries and fatalities including among cyclists and pedestrians.^6,7 Substituting active travel and public transport use for car use can reduce traffic related emissions and fine particulate matter.^6,20

SDG targets 3.4, 3.6 and 3.9

Infrastructure for walking and bike riding that is accessible to all supports the uptake of active travel and human wellbeing. Active travel is an affordable and sustainable form of transport.⁶

SDG target: 9.1

Active travel is a key part of sustainable transport system. Increased active travel can displace private motor vehicle use and therefore improve air quality.^6,20 Streets and other public places designed to support active travel enable all people, including women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities, to safely access a range of places.¹²

SDG targets: 11.2, 11.6 and 11.7

Supporting and promoting active travel can reduce private motor vehicle usage and related emissions thereby helping to mitigate climate change.^6,20

SDG target: 13.2

Supporting active travel means creating environments in which people feel safe walking, wheeling and bike riding. Having more people out on the streets due to active travel provides increased community surveillance which may reduce crime and violence and increase the sense of safety.¹²

SDG target: 16.1

Supporting access to sport and active recreation can increase physical activity, reducing risk for non-communicable disease and improving physical, mental and social health and wellbeing.^2,3

SDG target: 3.4

Sport and active recreation in schools can enhance health and physical literacy, promote lifelong healthy activity habits, and contribute to improved cognitive function and academic performance.^3,6

SDG targets: 4.1 and 4.2

Sports and active recreation infrastructure such as sports venues, gyms and walking/bike riding trails that support participation must be affordable, local and accessible to all.⁶

SDG target: 9.1

Sport and active recreation programs promote fairness and inclusion.^3,5 Sport can be a vehicle to create inclusive societies that are free from discriminatory laws and practices that precipitate and perpetuate avoidable exclusion.^3,5

SDG targets: 10.2 and 10.3

Supporting sport and active recreation includes reducing barriers to participation and increasing accessibility of green and public spaces for all persons,⁶ thus supporting sustainable cities and communities.

SDG target: 11.7

Sport and active recreation, particularly in community settings, create opportunities for new and regular community connections, nurturing positive social values such as inclusion and cooperation and uniting people of different ages, genders, socioeconomic status, religion, nationality and political beliefs.^3,5

SDG target: 16.1

Promoting and supporting physical activity in education and childcare settings can improve participation at a young age and across the lifespan, reducing the risk of developing non-communicable disease and increasing mental health and wellbeing.^2,3

SDG target: 3.4

Promoting and supporting physical activity in education and childcare settings supports better learning outcomes from early education through to tertiary settings.^3,6

SDG targets: 4.1 and 4.2

Supporting physical activity in education and childcare settings, particularly encouraging girls, can reshape gender norms and may help reduce the gender disparity in physical activity.^3,6

SDG target: 5.C

Healthcare workers promoting physical activity to people of all ages, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds across all healthcare settings can prevent and manage health conditions, reducing premature mortality and improving mental health and wellbeing.^3,5

SDG target: 3.4

Workplaces that encourage and support physical activity can help reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases as well as promote mental health and wellbeing.^2,3,22

SDG target: 3.4

Physical activity supportive workplaces can enhance worker wellbeing, increase productivity and reduce occupational injury.¹⁰

SDG targets: 8.1 and 8.8

Workplaces that provide equitable and inclusive opportunities for physical activity can help reduce health inequities by enabling participation across different occupations, employment arrangements, abilities, and work settings.³

SDG targets: 10.2 and 10.3

Financial incentives can increase physical activity behaviour²³ which can reduce non-communicable disease risk and promote mental health and wellbeing.^2,3

Financial incentives can encourage use of public transport (which involves incidental exercise) as well as active travel thus reducing motor traffic volumes and the likelihood of road fatalities.^6,20

SDG targets: 3.4 and 3.6

Financial incentives can encourage the use of public transport (which involves incidental exercise) as well as active travel thus shifting to more sustainable transport approaches.⁶

SDG target: 9.1

Socio-economic factors can be a barrier to physical activity participation.^3,9 Financial incentives (e.g. voucher programs) can be used to ensure socioeconomic factors are not a barrier to physical activity participation.³

SDG targets: 10.2 and 10.3

Reducing public transport costs (a financial incentive) can increase public transport use and incidental physical activity as well as providing access to affordable sustainable transport. Greater use of public transport can reduce private motor vehicle use and support better air quality.⁶

SDG targets: 11.2 and 11.6

Mass reach strategies can increase physical activity behaviour²⁴ which can reduce non-communicable disease risk and promote mental health and wellbeing.^2,3

SDG target: 3.4

Within Australia, physical activity varies by location and sociodemographic factors.⁹ Mass reach strategies can reach diverse groups and be targeted towards groups with low physical activity participation.

SDG targets: 10.2 and 10.3

Mass participation events encourage inclusion, cooperation and communion, uniting people of different ages, gender, socioeconomic status, nationality and political beliefs leading to an increased sense of community.^3,5

SDG target: 16.1 (Indicator 16.1.4)