Physical activity

Introduction

Physical activity is an important factor in maintaining good health. People who participate in moderate-to-vigorous levels of physical activity have lower rates of preventable mortality than those who are physically inactive; also, physical activity decreases risk of cardiovascular disease, some cancers, some mental illness, type-2 diabetes, overweight and obesity, and preventable injury.[1]

The National Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults state the minimum amount of physical activity recommended to maintain good health is at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week.[2]

This can be undertaken in shorter bursts of exercise, such as 3 lots of 10 minutes. Exercise of moderate intensity includes brisk walking, dancing, swimming, or cycling. The Guidelines also encourage people to think of movement as an opportunity rather than an inconvenience, and to be active every day in as many ways as possible.

In the New South Wales Population Health Survey, adequate physical activity is calculated from questions asked in the Active Australia Survey,[3] and is defined as undertaking physical activity for a total of 150 minutes per week over 5 separate occasions. The total minutes are calculated by adding minutes in the last week spent walking continuously for at least 10 minutes, minutes doing moderate physical activity, plus minutes doing vigorous physical activity multiplied by 2.

Active transport, such as walking, cycling or using public transport to get to or from a destination, especially work, is an achievable way for most people to incorporate the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity into their lives. Monitoring the active transport habits of the population provides important information about physical activity.

In order to encourage physical activity and active transport, it is important to have quality infrastructure and adequate neighbourhood facilities, such as sporting fields, public swimming pools, parks or reserves, footpaths, bike paths, and other facilities.

In 2006, the New South Wales Population Health Survey asked respondents: In the last week, how many times have you walked continuously for at least 10 minutes for recreation or exercise or to get to or from places? What do you estimate was the total time you spent walking in this way in the last week? In the last week, how many times did you do any vigorous physical activity that made you breathe harder or puff and pant? What do you estimate was the total time you spent doing this vigorous physical activity in the last week? In the last week, how many times did you do any other more moderate physical activity you haven't already mentioned? What do you estimate was the total time you spent doing these moderate activities in the last week? and, How do you usually get to work? Does your neighbourhood have any of the following facilities: sporting fields, public swimming pools, parks or reserves, footpaths, bikepaths, and other facilities. How often do you use these facilities each day, week, or month?

Results

Adequate physical activity

Overall, in 2006, 54.9 per cent of adults undertook adequate levels of physical activity. A significantly higher proportion of males (60.4 per cent) than females (49.6 per cent) undertook adequate physical activity. Among males, physical activity decreased with age. A significantly higher proportion aged 16-24 years (72.3 per cent) and 25-34 years (67.9 per cent), and a significantly lower proportion aged 65-74 years (51.9 per cent) and 75 years and over (40.9 per cent), undertook adequate physical activity, compared with the overall male population. Among females, physical activity decreased with age. A significantly higher proportion aged 16-24 years (61.4 per cent) and 25-34 years (55.7 per cent), and a significantly lower proportion aged 65-74 years (42.5 per cent) and 75 years and over (29.5 per cent), undertook adequate physical activity, compared with the overall adult female population.

There was no significant difference in the proportion of adults undertaking adequate levels of physical activity between urban and rural areas; however, a higher proportion of adults in the Northern Sydney & Central Coast Health Area (60.3 per cent), and a lower proportion of adults in the Sydney West Health Area (48.7 per cent), undertook adequate physical activity, compared with the overall adult population. Adequate physical activity decreases with socioeconomic disadvantage. A lower proportion of adults in the most disadvantaged quintile(49.7 per cent), and a higher proportion of adults in the least disadvantaged quintile (62.4 per cent), undertook adequate levels of physical activity, compared with the overall adult population.

There has been a significant increase in the proportion of adults undertaking adequate physical activity, from 1998 (47.9 per cent) to 2006 (54.9 per cent). This increase was significant in both males (52.5 per cent to 60.4 per cent) and females (43.4 per cent to 49.6 per cent).

Active transport

Overall, in 2006, the majority of adults did not use active transport to travel to work, as 77.1 per cent commuted by car, motorbike, truck, or taxi, and only 11.3 per cent caught a train, 6.1 per cent caught a bus, 7.7 per cent walked all or part of the way, 1.2 per cent rode a bicycle, and 0.4 per cent caught a ferry.

Neighbourhood facilities

Overall, in 2006, 4.3 per cent of adults had no access to neighbourhood facilities, 79.1 per cent had access to sporting fields, 88.8 per cent had access to parks or reserves, 63.4 per cent had access to public swimming pools, 82.3 per cent had access to footpaths, and 54.1 per cent had access to bikepaths.

Among those adults with access to parks or reserves, 7.9 per cent used them daily or more, 15.3 per cent used them more than once a week but less than daily, 16.0 per cent used them weekly, 15.7 per cent used them less than weekly, and 45.0 per cent never used them. Among those adults with access to sporting fields, 3.6 per cent used them daily or more, 7.9 per cent used them more than once a week but less than daily, 10.9 per cent used them weekly, 7.0 per cent used them less than weekly, and 70.5 per cent never used them. Among those adults with access to swimming pools, 1.1 per cent used them daily or more, 8.3 per cent used them more than once a week but less than daily, 9.1 per cent used them weekly, 8.1 per cent used them less than weekly, and 73.4 per cent never used them. Among those adults with access to footpaths, 52.2 per cent used them daily or more, 22.9 per cent used them more than once a week but less than daily, 7.6 per cent used them weekly, 3.9 per cent used them less than weekly, and 13.5 per cent never used them. Among those adults with access to bikepaths, 3.1 per cent used them daily or more, 5.2 per cent used them more than once a week but less than daily, 5.9 per cent used them weekly, 7.7 per cent used them less than weekly, and 78.1 per cent never used them.

Among those adults with access to neighbourhood facilities, 47.7 per cent used them weekly or more. There was no significant variation between males and females. A significantly higher proportion of adults aged 25-34 years (57 per cent) and 35-44 years (58.8 per cent), and a significantly lower proportion of adults aged 55-64 years (36.6 per cent) and 65-74 years (35.1 per cent) and 75 years and over (23.3 per cent), used neighbourhood facilities weekly or more.

A significantly lower proportion of adults in rural areas (35.7 per cent) than urban areas (51.3 per cent) used neighbourhood facilities weekly or more, compared with the overall adult population. A higher proportion of adults in the South Eastern Sydney & Illawarra Health Area (58.5 per cent), and a lower proportion of adults in the Hunter & New England (38.2 per cent) and North Coast (30.1 per cent) and Greater Western (29.0 per cent) Health Areas, used neighbourhood facilities weekly or more, compared with the overall adult female population.

There was no variation in the proportion of adults using neighbourhood facilities weekly or more by level of socioeconomic disadvantage.

References

Bauman A, Bellew B, Vita P, Brown W, and Owen T. Getting Australia Active: Towards better practice for the promotion of physical activity. Melbourne: National Public Health Partnership, 2002. Available online at www.nphp.gov.au/publications/sigpah/gaa.pdf (accessed 9 May 2007).
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, 2005. Available online at www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/Publishing.nsf/Content/phd-physical-activity-adults-pdf-cnt.htm (accessed 9 May 2007).
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The Active Australia Survey: A guide and manual for implementation, analysis and reporting. Canberra: AIHW, 2003. Available online at www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/8559 (accessed 9 May 2007).

Graphs

Source:	New South Wales Population Health Survey 2006 (HOIST). Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health.
Print version:	Although this page can be printed directly from your web browser, a higher quality version is available as a PDF file that can be printed or viewed on screen.
Produced by:	Centre for Epidemiology and Research, Population Health Division, NSW Department of Health.
Last updated on:	1 July 2007