sport for health and wellbeing dr kathleen brasher senior project officer physical activity

Sport for Sport for Health and WellbeingHealth and Wellbeing

Dr Kathleen BrasherDr Kathleen BrasherSenior Project Officer Senior Project Officer

Physical ActivityPhysical Activity

OverviewOverview

VicHealthVicHealth

The benefits of physical activity through The benefits of physical activity through sport and recreationsport and recreation

Sport’s role in health and wellbeingSport’s role in health and wellbeing

Health and wellbeingHealth and wellbeing

Desire for optimal health, improved living Desire for optimal health, improved living conditions and quality of lifeconditions and quality of life

Wellbeing is a ‘whole of life’ approachWellbeing is a ‘whole of life’ approach Individual: physical, emotional, Individual: physical, emotional,

psychological and spiritual dimensionspsychological and spiritual dimensions Broader community: natural environment, Broader community: natural environment,

built environment and social arrangementsbuilt environment and social arrangements Interconnected and interdependentInterconnected and interdependent

Contemporary health challenges

Significant increases in the health, living conditions and quality of life of Victorians in the last half century and improved life expectancy

BUT: Increasing burden of chronic diseases such as

cancer, cardio-vascular disease, mental disorders, diabetes

Substantial health inequalities

The Victorian Health Promotion The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation – ‘VicHealth’Foundation – ‘VicHealth’

Established 1987 through tobacco levy Established 1987 through tobacco levy (Tobacco Act 1987)(Tobacco Act 1987)

Independent statutory authority Independent statutory authority accountable to Parliament through accountable to Parliament through Minister for HealthMinister for Health

Partisan supportPartisan support

Annual budget of approx. $31 millionAnnual budget of approx. $31 million

‘‘at least 30% of budget must be at least 30% of budget must be spent on sporting bodies’spent on sporting bodies’

VicHealth: Improving the healthVicHealth: Improving the healthof all Victoriansof all Victorians

VicHealth envisages a community where: VicHealth envisages a community where: health is a fundamental human right health is a fundamental human right everyone shares in the responsibility for promoting healtheveryone shares in the responsibility for promoting health everyone benefits from improved health outcomeseveryone benefits from improved health outcomes

Our mission is to build the capabilities of Our mission is to build the capabilities of organisations, communities and individuals in organisations, communities and individuals in ways that:ways that:

change social, economic, cultural and physical change social, economic, cultural and physical environments to improve health for all Victoriansenvironments to improve health for all Victorians

strengthen the understanding and the skills of individuals strengthen the understanding and the skills of individuals in ways that support their efforts to achieve and maintain in ways that support their efforts to achieve and maintain healthhealth

promotion preventionpromotion prevention early intervention treatment rehabilitation early intervention treatment rehabilitation

VicHealth’s FocusVicHealth’s Focus

Our focus for promoting health Our focus for promoting health

Making the healthier choice the easier choiceMaking the healthier choice the easier choice

Social Model of HealthSocial Model of Health

(Dahlgren and Whitehead , 1991)

VicHealth Priorities 2009-2013 VicHealth Priorities 2009-2013

Increase participation Reduce smoking Reduce harm from alcohol Improve nutrition Reduce harm from UV

People with a disability

Physical ActivityPhysical Activity

Any bodily movements Any bodily movements performed by skeletal muscle performed by skeletal muscle that results in increased energy that results in increased energy expenditureexpenditure

(Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008)(Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008)

Includes personal care, Includes personal care, activities around the home, activities around the home, work, recreation, exercise and work, recreation, exercise and sporting activitiessporting activities

Varies in intensity and Varies in intensity and outcomesoutcomes

Sport and Physical RecreationSport and Physical Recreation

SportSport Any activity involving physical exertion, Any activity involving physical exertion,

skill and/or hand-eye coordination. skill and/or hand-eye coordination. Associated with competition, rules and Associated with competition, rules and formal organisationsformal organisations

Physical recreationPhysical recreation Any activity or experience involving Any activity or experience involving

various levels of exertion and/or skill, various levels of exertion and/or skill, which may not be the primary focus, and which may not be the primary focus, and is voluntarily engaged in by an individual is voluntarily engaged in by an individual in leisure time for physical or mental in leisure time for physical or mental satisfactionsatisfaction


Why focus on physical activity?Why focus on physical activity? Physical inactivity responsible for more

than 6.6% total burden of disease, second to tobacco smoking.

In people who achieve recommended levels of physical activity there is a risk reduction of 30% in all causes of mortality

(Australian Institute Health & Welfare, 2008)

Cost of physical inactivity is $13.8 billion

Physical inactivity is responsible for 16178 premature deaths and loss of ~2 working days per year, at a cost of $458 per employee

(Medibank Private, 2007)

Participation in sport and recreationParticipation in sport and recreation

Between 2005 – 2006Between 2005 – 2006 10.5 million persons aged 15 10.5 million persons aged 15

years and over (66% of the years and over (66% of the adult population) participated adult population) participated at some time in physical at some time in physical activities for sport and activities for sport and recreationrecreation

64% of male adults and 61% of 64% of male adults and 61% of female adultsfemale adults

Participation includes those Participation includes those who facilitate and those who facilitate and those who play (but not watch)who play (but not watch)


Participation in physical activity

2008 Participation in Exercise Recreation And Sport Survey (ERASS) Annual Report

% Victorian persons over 15 years

Total participation any PA

83.4

Regular participation in any PA

49.1

Regular participation in organised PA

12.5

What is social connection?What is social connection? Other words used to describe social connectionOther words used to describe social connection

Social capital/inclusion/exclusionSocial capital/inclusion/exclusion

All people feel valued, differences are respected All people feel valued, differences are respected and basic needs are metand basic needs are met. . (Cappo, 2002)(Cappo, 2002)

Requires some level of mutual support, reciprocity Requires some level of mutual support, reciprocity and trustand trust

Why focus on social connection?Why focus on social connection?

People who are socially isolated have between 2 to 5 times the risk of dying compared with those with strong ties (Berkman and Glass, 2000)

Societies with low levels of trust have higher rates of violent and property crime (OECD, 2001)

Nearly 16% of Victorians cannot afford to participate in social activities such as having friends over for dinner (Saunders, 2003)

Sport, Health and WellbeingSport, Health and Wellbeing

Physical healthPhysical health Improved cardiovascular Improved cardiovascular

health, increased strength health, increased strength and balance, maintenance and balance, maintenance of healthy weightof healthy weight

Reduced chronic diseases, Reduced chronic diseases, obesity, fallsobesity, falls

Social benefitsSocial benefits Social interaction, shared Social interaction, shared

interests, sense of interests, sense of community and placecommunity and place

Bonds and connections with Bonds and connections with others, individual self-others, individual self-esteem and confidenceesteem and confidence

Sport and wellbeingSport and wellbeing

Participants in sport more likely than non-Participants in sport more likely than non-participants to:participants to:

Be actively involved in at least one social group Be actively involved in at least one social group (75% to 43%)(75% to 43%)

Have greater levels of generalised trust in people Have greater levels of generalised trust in people (69% to 48%)(69% to 48%)

Feel safe while at home or walking at night (53% to Feel safe while at home or walking at night (53% to 39%)39%)


Involvement in sport produces higher levels of Involvement in sport produces higher levels of connectedness and physical and mental health than connectedness and physical and mental health than

involvement with other types of organisationsinvolvement with other types of organisations (Hoye, Nicholson & Brown, 2010)(Hoye, Nicholson & Brown, 2010)

But…But… Indigenous and overseas-Indigenous and overseas-

born Victorians report very born Victorians report very high levels of racism in sporthigh levels of racism in sport

(VicHealth, 2007)(VicHealth, 2007)

Sport in rural areas can be Sport in rural areas can be sharply divided on class, sharply divided on class, status and ethnicitystatus and ethnicity

Club membership can be Club membership can be homogenous and exclusivehomogenous and exclusive

(Atherley, 2006)(Atherley, 2006)

Non-participation in Non-participation in sport & physical recreationsport & physical recreation

Fewer adults over 65 years of age Fewer adults over 65 years of age 46% compared to 71% between 18-24 46% compared to 71% between 18-24

Fewer Indigenous people Fewer Indigenous people 49% compared to 66% non-Indigenous adults49% compared to 66% non-Indigenous adults

Only 25% of people with a disabilityOnly 25% of people with a disability

Fewer adults living in disadvantaged Fewer adults living in disadvantaged areasareas

49% compared to 74% of adults living in 49% compared to 74% of adults living in areas of less disadvantageareas of less disadvantage


What are the What are the key benefits key benefits of being of being involved in a local sporting club?involved in a local sporting club?

Socialising / spending time Socialising / spending time with friendswith friends

Exercise / physical fitnessExercise / physical fitness Opportunity to participate in Opportunity to participate in

local communitylocal community HealthHealth Meet new peopleMeet new people

What do you think can be What do you think can be unhealthyunhealthy at a local sporting club? at a local sporting club?

Alcohol consumptionAlcohol consumption

Overbearing parentsOverbearing parents

CompetitivenessCompetitiveness

Fights between attendeesFights between attendees

Food or drink high in fat, Food or drink high in fat,

sugar or saltsugar or salt

VicHealth’s role in increasing participation in physical activity

Research into physical activity trends, barriers to participation & effective models to increase participation.

PICSAR funding• State and Regional grants• Active Participation grants• Active Club grants

Healthy sporting environments demonstration project

PICSAR Active Participation Grants

GoalTo increase participation in

community sport and active recreation, particularly for people with disabilities, and those from low socio-economic, Indigenous and new arrival communities.

ExampleExampleYachting VictoriaYachting Victoria

TackersTackers

SailabilitySailability

Healthy Sports Environments Healthy Sports Environments Demonstration ProjectDemonstration Project

In partnership with Leisure Networks:In partnership with Leisure Networks: To work with 100 clubs to implement a range of minimum To work with 100 clubs to implement a range of minimum

standards includingstandards including Alcohol salesAlcohol sales Smoke-free policySmoke-free policy Food available for saleFood available for sale Discrimination and women’s involvementDiscrimination and women’s involvement UV/heat checklistUV/heat checklist Code of conductCode of conduct

To determine what factors are required to instigate and sustain To determine what factors are required to instigate and sustain healthy behaviour change within sporting environmentshealthy behaviour change within sporting environments

Participation in sport for health and wellbeing Participation in sport for health and wellbeing

ororCan we have it all?Can we have it all?

Utilise the power of Utilise the power of sport to address issues sport to address issues such as healthy eating, such as healthy eating, alcohol, fairness and alcohol, fairness and respectrespect

AND harness the power AND harness the power of sports to promote of sports to promote health and wellbeinghealth and wellbeing

The power of sportThe power of sport

Sport has the power to change Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to the world. It has the power to unite in a way that little else unite in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. language they understand.

Sport can create hope where Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of It laughs in the face of all types of discriminationdiscrimination

Nelson Mandela (1997)Nelson Mandela (1997)

sport for health and wellbeing dr kathleen brasher senior project officer physical activity

Documents

health slide

optimal health

wellbeing slide

improved health outcomes

physical exertion

benefits of physical

interdependent slide

disability slide