Heart disease is Australia’s leading cause of death. While there are many contributing factors to this across lifestyle, diet, family history and more,not being active is a major contributor to the burden of heart disease.

In fact, physical inactivity leads to over 20 per cent of the burden of heart and blood vessel disease in Australia.

Australia needs to get active

Australians do not do enough exercise. Who is missing out on the health benefits of exercise and putting their heart health at risk? It’s many more people than you realise:

• 6 in 10 adults
• 3 in 4 seniors
• 8 in 10 children and young people

Too many of us are missing out on the physical activity we need for good heart health; this needs to change.

Getting active again

Getting more Australians active will help to prevent and manage the pain, discomfort, costs and loss of livelihoods and, indeed, the loss of life that comes from heart disease, Australia’s biggest killer.

That’s why the Heart Foundation is calling on the Australian Government to fund the development and implementation of a National Physical Activity Action Plan. This national plan will provide funding and support for implementing the recommendations in this blueprint; it’s an investment in the heart health of all Australians.
 

Download the individual action areas:

Action area 1 – Built environments
Action area 2 – Workplaces 
Action area 3 – Health care
Action area 4 – Active travel
Action area 5 – Prolonged sitting (sedentary behaviour) 
Action area 6 – Sport and active recreation
Action area 7 – Disadvantaged populations
Action area 8 – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Action area 9 – Children and adolescents 
Action area 10 – Older people
Action area 11 – Financial measures
Action area 12 – Mass-media strategy
Action area 13 – Research and program evaluation