Bicycle Network: Prevention

Prevention

Strong medical evidence shows that the diseases caused by a sedentary lifestyle can be avoided, mitigated and remediated by moderate levels of physical activity. In addition bicycle riding has been clinically proven to be a method of physical activity that delivers these benefits.

Milestones in health promotion

According to the World Health Organisation 'Health promotion' is the 'process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve their health'. This is the task that we are engaged in.

The Ottawa Charter

The First International Conference on Health Promotion, organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) was held in Canada in 1986

This conference produced the Ottawa Charter in 1986

One of the principles of the Charter is that 'health' cannot be ensured by the health sector alone and that organisations like ours play a key role. The Charter says that 'health promotion demands coordinated action by all concerned: by governments, by health and other social and economic sectors, by nongovernmental and voluntary organisations, by local authorities, by industry and by the media'.

The Jakarta Declaration

The consenus that emerged at a similar conference in 1997 was encapsulated in the Jakarta Declaration.

The Declaration affirmed the content of the Ottawa Charter emphasising that There is now clear evidence that particular settings offer practical opportunities for the implementation health promotion strategies such as cities, municipalities, local communities, schools and the workplace. Two of our most effective programs are 'settings' based - Ride to School and Ride to Work.

The attached document summarises the WHO conference statements.

Toronto Charter

In 2010 the Toronto Charter for Physical Activity was launched. This articulates nine priniciples which inform our work:

1. Adopt evidence based strategies that target the whole population as well as specific population sub groups, particularly those facing the greatest barriers;
2. Embrace an equity approach aimed at reducing social and health inequalities and disparities of access to physical activity;
3. Address the environmental, social and individual determinants of physical inactivity;
4. Implement sustainable actions in partnership at national, regional and local levels and across multiple sectors to achieve greatest impact;
5. Build capacity and support training in research, practice, policy, evaluation and surveillance;
6. Use a life-course approach by addressing the needs of children, families, adults and older adults;
7. Advocate to decision makers and the general community for an increase in political commitment to and resources for physical activity;
8. Ensure cultural sensitivity and adapt strategies to accommodate varying ‘local realities’, contexts and resources;
9. Facilitate healthy personal choices by making the physically active choice the easy choice.

The journey to prevention in Australia

In late 1996 the Australian Health Ministers established the National Public Health Partnership (NPHP) to facilitate collaboration and coordination between State, Territory and Commonwealth governments on issues related to public health.

In 1999 the NPHP gave birth to the Strategic Inter-Governmental Forum on Physical Activity and Health (SIGPAH). The remit of SIGPAH was to coordinate a national approach in supporting health-promoting physical activity in Australia. The partnership expanded to include the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

In 2006 the Ministers replaced the NPHP with two committees to coordinate national approaches to health: the Australian Health Protection Committee (AHPC) and the Australian Population Health Development Principal Committee (APHDPC).

The AHPC coordinates prevention and response to public health emergencies; communicable disease threats and environmental threats to public health.
The APHDPC coordinates the effort towards an integrated health development strategy that includes primary and secondary prevention, primary care, chronic disease and child health and well-being.

In response to the findings of the 2008 Preventative Health Taskforce, in 2011 the Commonwealth set up the Australian National Preventive Health Agency (ANPHA) strengthen Australia’s investment and infrastructure in preventive health. Its job is to be the catalyst for strategic partnerships, including the provision of technical advice and assistance to all levels of government and in all sectors, to promote health and reduce health risk and inequalities.
ANPHA has set up an Expert Committee on Obesity (ECO) to provide advice on physical activity and healthy eating in particular on the development of sound community based interventions, social marketing, education and community awareness programs that encourage people to improve their levels of physical activity and healthy eating.