Health Promotion and Physical Activity

Health promotion provides the process for increasing awareness of factors that impact on health and health enhancement strategies. It considers the aetiology of lifestyle-related diseases, health behaviour models and theories, sociocultural and psychological health correlates and determinants and health policy, with a focus on physical activity. Individual, community, and population level interventions are assessed, planned and evaluated to promote health and physical activity across the lifespan (e.g., youth, older adults), amongst different populations (e.g. Aboriginal and culturally linguistically diverse) and in a variety of settings (e.g. school-based, workplace, community). To reach a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, an individual or group needs to identify and realise aspirations, satisfy needs and change or cope with the environment. Health is thus viewed in this subject as a valuable resource for life and livelihood. Health promotion is considered not just the responsibility of the health sector, but as reaching beyond healthy lifestyles to optimise wellbeing for all.