Walking For Health And Fun

We wrote about safe, inclusive walkable neighbourhoods – the new Victoria Walks website – some weeks ago and the program is now officially launched with info to both inspire and coach you in how to assess and then lobby your local government on needs in your neighbourhood.

What Victorians – And Other Australians(?) – Are Failing To Do

Victorians are physically less active and are walking less than they used to. They are more sedentary spending more time sitting in cars and in front of TV.

The latest figures indicate that in Victoria only 64.2% of adult men and 61.2 of adult women are sufficiently active to enjoy the health benefits derived from physical activity.

Research also shows that physical inactivity is responsible for 13,000 deaths in Australia every year and costs the health system $400 million in direct health care costs.

40% of trips within metropolitan Melbourne are less than 2 kilometres long but people drive rather than walk.

This Means…

There is more pollution and chronic disease related to physical inactivity such as obesity and Diabetes II but the researchers have found some factors that lead to inactivity – that can be fixed – such as lack of:

• footpaths
• street crossings
• shade
• lighting
• safety

Victoria Walks is a funded by VicHealth set up to create strong, supportive neighbourhoods where people can and do choose to walk for everyday purposes, wherever possible…. ie to get Victorians ‘back on their feet’!

For more info and help to get started check out www.victoriawalks.org.au/Taking_action/