Changing focus: Preventative
healthcare, including physical activity, is
moving up the agenda
steps that have the potential to make a significant difference. He encouraged the development of
safe places for exercise, for example, as well as the creation of new partnerships with sectors beyond sport – including transportation, finance and urban planning – to expand the impact of sport in urban areas. These sectors could work with governments and educators to increase the time students devote to physical education, and encourage the development of both sport infrastructure and sport organisations. There are other examples of best
practice from around the world, all of which are designed to get people active and change behaviours. In particular the group at the UN summit reviewed: • US: Working to solve childhood obesity through the Safe Routes to School programme, and improving outdoor play areas. • Brazil: US$100m invested in local physical activity promotion projects, using the World Cup 2014 and the 2016 Olympics as a catalyst. • Aruba: Sports for All programme combining education, physical activity and sport, and offering more sport in schools by extending the school day. • Barbados: A National Exercise Taskforce has been established to tell people about the importance of getting active.
january 2012 © cybertrek 2012
future plans For next steps, the group: confirmed the need for physical activity to be worked into urban planning; outlined the importance of a focus on youth and rights of the child; and stressed the importance of private sector partnerships. Indeed, partnership working was
a consist theme throughout the main meeting. To effectively combat NCDs, we need cross-sector working and greater involvement from the private sector in finding solutions. Both government and business must take a strong role in health issues. The problem of the price of healthy
lifestyles in some countries was also raised. In Nauru, for example, the cost of a lettuce is the same as a packet of cigarettes, making bad habits more affordable than healthy living. It was felt that consumers and citizens
cannot always make the healthy choice on their own, and that governments and the corporate sector must make it easier for them to do so – ie that we should aim to change the physical and social environment rather than trying to change individual behaviour. Government policies should, it was said,
be re-orientated towards public health in order to change mindsets among the public, while the corporate sector needs to recognise that investing in prevention and healthcare is worthwhile.
Action on NCDs must be taken by all
public sectors, not health alone, and the private sector: food companies through to pharmaceutical firms must all play their role in reducing the threat people face.
fitness perspective What can we take away from this event, or what new examples of best practice have we come across? As I said at the start, in the UK we consider ourselves very aware of the worrying increase in NCDs, and the association of this increase with physical inactivity. The UN HLM re-affirmed much of our work. Through the Responsibility Deal and
our efforts to be Legacy-ready, we’re already developing partnerships with other professions and sectors – from the medical community to commercial partners – and are making great headway as a government delivery partner. We will therefore be building on solid
foundations in the UK. However, the data speaks for itself – it’s clear we all need to do more if we are to increase activity levels and reduce the number of people diagnosed with NCDs. We must continue to build powerful partnerships and drive innovation if we are to bring about the necessary societal changes that will really make a difference.
healthclub@leisuremedia.com david stalker
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