Encouraging and supporting physical activity in our community
Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health wants to improve the health and wellbeing of the people in our region by supporting the population to become more physically active.
Being physically active helps prevent and manage a wide range of conditions and diseases including:
- Heart disease and hypertension;
- Type 2 diabetes;
- Stroke;
- Cancers such as breast cancer and colon cancer;
- Depression, dementia and anxiety;
- Osteoporosis and fractures; and
- Obesity.
The key messages on physical activity and health are:
- Be active every day in as many ways as possible – for at least 30 minutes for adults and at least 60 minutes for children.
- Add some vigorous exercise for extra benefit and fitness.
- Aim to maintain a healthy weight throughout life.
- Reduce the amount of time you spend sitting down.
Mental Wellbeing and Physical Activity
Physical activity releases the “feel good” chemicals (endorphins) into the body, making you feel better.
Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health actively promotes the Five Ways for Wellbeing.
Community and Public Health contributes to the Equally Well Project. This project aims to reduce physical health disparities between people who experience mental health and addiction problems and people who don’t.
Staff at the Christchurch office of Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health work with people in disadvantaged areas and run the BuyCycles pilot project in partnership with the Community Focus Trust.
- Download or read “Being Active When You Live with Mental Illness” (Ministry of Health).
Rushing back to exercise could cause long COVID
Long COVID is when symptoms persist past four weeks from the initial infection and can last for several months.
International estimates suggest 10 to 30 percent of COVID-19 cases will experience ongoing symptoms. The most important thing you can do is rest and avoid any intense exercise or busy activities in your recovery, says Dr Anna Brooks – a cellular immunologist at the University of Auckland.
“It is incredibly important to avoid Graded Exercise Therapy (GET) – or any overexertion or stressors too soon, as this may exacerbate symptoms and cause further damage.”
Contributing to physical activity in the community
Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health is a member of Active Canterbury which lists local groups, clubs or classes for activities and gives information about parks, tracks and facilities. We support this network in its work to:
- supply activity providers and health professionals with the tools and information needed to help people get more active, more often;
- raise awareness of training and funding opportunities to support physical activity; and
- provide education programmes that meet the needs of local community physical activity providers and the wider fitness industry.
Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health also supports workplaces to improve staff wellbeing by increasing their physical activity.
We also work to ensure our urban areas are designed to encourage physical activity collaboratively with key stakeholders across the region. This includes green spaces, recreational parks and walking trails, and making forms of active transport easier more accessible (such as public transport, walking and cycling). This is achieved by contributing to local and regional planning strategies and initiatives.
Supporting balanced female health
Sport NZ recognises that female-specific needs in community sport are unique. It is critical for coaches, parents, instructors and administrators to understand female health be able to respond and provide support for young people to be active in ways that boost their wellbeing.
Balanced Female Health is a new resource for adults supporting young people in community sport. This resource was developed by health professionals working in the sport sector and covers changes throughout female puberty, the menstrual cycle, and factors that impact the physical health and mental wellbeing of all young people.
Documents
- Active NZ 2022: Changes in Participation (Sport NZ).
- Going with the flow: Menstruation and rainbow-inclusive practices in the outdoors (Education Outdoors New Zealand 2022).
- Declines in Physical Activity among New Zealand Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Analyses of Five Data Waves from Pre-Pandemic through April 2021 (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2022).
- Active NZ Survey: Effects of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic on adult participation in Aotearoa (Sport NZ 2021)
- Young Women Profile (Sport NZ 2021).
- Understanding attitudes and perceptions of cycling and walking (Waka Kotahi 2021).
- Active NZ COVID-19 surveys 2020 (Sport NZ).
- Building cultural inclusion in active recreation and sport: Insights from Muslim women in active recreation and sport (Sport NZ 2020).
- Being active during pregnancy and breastfeeding (Ministry of Health 2019).
- Green Prescription Active Families Survey Report (Ministry of Health 2019).
- Green Prescription Patient Survey 2018 Report (Ministry of Health 2019).
- Active NZ Survey 2019 (Sport NZ).
- Sit Less, Move More, Sleep Well: Active play guidelines for under-fives (Ministry of Health 2017).
- The Economic and Social Value of Sport and Recreation to New Zealand (Sport NZ 2017).
- The Value of Sport (Sport NZ 2017).
- Guidelines on Physical Activity for Older People aged 65 years and over (Ministry of Health 2013).
- Sport and Recreation in the Lives of Young New Zealanders (Sport NZ 2012).
- A Prescription for Good Health: Green prescriptions in action (Ministry of Health 2012).
- A National Survey of Children and Young People’s Physical Activity and Dietary Behaviours in New Zealand: 2008/09 – Key Findings (Ministry of Health 2010).
Downloads
Download or order resources from the Community Health Information Centre.
- Be Active Every Day: Physical Activity for Adults – available to download only.
- Be Active Every Day: Physical Activity for Children Aged 5 to 18 years.
- A guide to pregnancy and exercise.
Links
- Push Play (Sport NZ).
- It’s My Move campaign (Sport NZ).
- Ministry of Health.
- Sport NZ (formerly known as SPARC).
Contact your local office for further information:
CANTERBURY, MID CANTERBURY AND CHATHAM ISLANDS
Ph: +64 3 364 1777
SOUTH CANTERBURY
Ph: +64 3 687 2600
WEST COAST
Ph: +64 3 768 1160
Low cost physical activity options in your area
There are many activities that are free or for low cost for anyone to join in your region. The following information sheets list are some of the options available near you.
- Christchurch City including Banks Peninsula [177KB].
- Selwyn District [170KB].
- Waimakariri District [163KB].
- North Canterbury including Hurunui and Kaikoura Districts [182KB].
- Mid Canterbury and South Canterbury including Ashburton, Mackenzie, Timaru and Waimate Districts [261KB].
- West Coast including Buller, Grey and Westland Districts [164KB].
- Find out how to inspire or motivate young women to move more (It’s Your Move).
Health risks of physical inactivity
- Find out about the health risks of sitting down or being sedentary for long hours (Just Stand.org).
- Read the World Health Organisation factsheet on physical inactivity.
- Read an information sheet on the dangers of sitting (Better Health Victoria).