What we’re doing about physical activity and exercise

We want everyone to understand how being physically active can help them stay physically and mentally healthy. We reviewed scientific evidence to develop guidelines to help Australians achieve this, no matter their age. Find out what we’re doing to encourage people to be active.

Policy and strategy

We want all Australians to understand the benefits of being physically active. To achieve this, we:

Initiatives and programs

We fund initiatives and programs to encourage people to be more physically active.

Research

We used scientific evidence from around the world to develop and update our physical activity guidelines.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics regularly publishes statistics about physical activity from the National Health Survey.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports on various aspects of physical activity, including among different population groups.

The National Health and Medical Research Council is the key driver of health and medical research in Australia, including on physical activity.

Who we work with

In developing and updating Australia’s physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines, we:

  • work with stakeholders
  • consult with national and international experts
  • review the latest research.

We also work with the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to build strong evidence about physical activity in Australia.

This helps us and others to develop targeted and effective policies and programs to increase physical activity among Australians. 

Find the physical activity guidelines for your age and circumstances.

Date last updated:

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