Physical Activity

unter New England has the highest levels of obesity and cardiovascular illness in NSW. Hunter New England Population Health aims to reverse this by promoting the benefits of moderate physical activity to children and adults. They include improvements in mental health, social benefits and the prolonging of life.

HNEPH's Work in this Area  

• Healthy Children’s Initiative (2011- 2014)
• Good for Kids. Good for Life (2006 - 2010)
• I Move We Move: Physical Activity RCT in Preschools
• Physical Activity 4 Everyone
• Active Living: Physical Activity Programs for the Over 50s
• Lifeball Evaluation Trial

Information and Support 

• Physical Activity and Health
• National Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults (pdf) 115 KB
• National Physical Activity Recommendations for 5-12 Year Olds (pdf) 131 KB
• National Physical Activity Recommendations for 12-18 Year Olds  (pdf) 124 KB
• Developing an Active Australia - a Framework for Action for Physical Activity and Health (pdf) 204 KB
• Getting Australia Active:  Towards Better Practice for the Promotion of Physical Activity (pdf) 1001 KB
• Best Options for Promoting Healthy Weight and Preventing Weight Gain in NSW (pdf) 1790 KB
• National Physical Activity Guidelines for 0-5 Year Olds

  
  

Healthy Children’s Initiative

As from July 2011 the Good for Kids. Good for Life. Program in the Hunter New England area will form part of an expanded early childhood services and schools initiative known as the 'NSW Government Healthy Children's Initiative'.  The Healthy Children Initiative represents the largest ever funding available state-wide for the delivery of programs to support children to eat healthy foods and be physically active. 

National Preventive Health Partnership Agreement

As part of the transition to the new Healthy Children’s Initiative, the Good for kids team will continue to roll out nutrition and physical activity programs and support to primary schools and children’s services in the HNE area.

For primary schools, Good for Kids. Good for Life will continue to roll out the Crunch&Sip® program in addition to the NSW Ministry of Health program Live Life well at school. Live Life Well at School is a teacher professional development program designed to support schools to promote healthy eating and physical activity.

Live Life Well at School Index

Live Life Well at School Programs for Primary Schools

For children’s services, Good for Kids. Good for Life will be rolling out the NSW Health program Munch and Move. Munch and Move is a combined physical activity and nutrition program which compliments the Good for Kids. Good for Life Nutrition manual and our I Move We Move physical activity program.

I Move We Move

A cluster randomised trial to evaluate a physical activity intervention among 3-5 year old children attending long day care services.  The trial will address current gaps in the research evidence base and contribute to the design and delivery of future interventions promoting physical activity for young children in childcare settings.

Information and Support

For more details about the I Move, We Move RCT in Preschools
Contact Us

Research Papers

Background

Physical Activity 4 Every 1 (PA4E1) is a multi-component physical activity intervention proposed to be implemented in disadvantaged secondary schools over two years, to increase the physical activity levels of adolescents. The study will be the first Australian study in disadvantaged schools with objectively measured outcome data over an extended follow up period. The study will provide, if successful, evidence of how secondary schools can contribute to an increase in physical activity of adolescents. 

Aims and Objectives

The primary aim is to determine whether a multi-component physical activity intervention implemented in disadvantaged secondary schools over 2 years can reduce the decline in physical activity associated with adolescence. The secondary aims are to identify the factors associated with physical activity change and to undertake an economic evaluation of the intervention .

Implementation

In partnership with the University or Newcastle, the Physical Activity 4 Everyone program will recruit 8 disadvantaged secondary schools (both DET and CSO) to be involved in a randomised controlled trial. There will be 4 intervention schools and 4 control schools. Baseline data collection will occur in Term 1 and Term 2, 2012. A cohort of students (in years 7), teachers and parents will be followed up at 12 months and 2 years after baseline data collection.

Grant funding for the evaluation of Physical Activity 4 Everyone program has been received from NSW Ministry of Health, Centre for Health Advancement as part of a NSW Health Promotion Demonstration Grant.

Progress

Secondary schools within a 2 1/2 hours radius of the study centre have been randomly selected and invited to participate. The schools are located in Hunter, Central Coast and Mid North Coast of NSW. Baseline data collection will occur in Term 1 and Term 2, 2012.

Evaluation

The Physical Activity 4 Everyone program will be evaluated after 2 years (Term 1, 2014) to review the physical activity levels of secondary students. A mid-point assessment will also occur after 12 months.

Information and Support

For more details about the Physical Activity 4 Everyone project  Contact Us