Encouraging and supporting physical activity in our community

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.
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 Community and Public Health work with people in disadvantaged areas and run the BuyCycles pilot project in partnership with the Community Focus Trust.

Contributing to physical activity in the community

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
• provide education programmes that meet the needs of local community physical activity providers and the wider fitness industry.

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.

Documents

• 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).
• Ensuring the Play, Active Recreation and Sport Sector is Fit for the Future (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).
• Being Active When You Live with Mental Illness (Mental Health Foundation NZ).

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

• Ministry of Health
• Sport NZ (formerly known as SPARC)
• Exercise Association of New Zealand (formerly Fitness NZ)
• Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs)

Health risks of too much sitting

• 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).