Getting people more active is key to better health: Here are 8 areas for investment

Africa is facing an increasing burden ofnoncommunicable diseases. The lack of physical activity is arisk factorfor most of them.

Research on physical inactivity trends in Africa islimited. But evidence suggests that as countries undergo transitions such as increased urbanization, physical activity levels may decline.

But in Africa, the healthagendais dominated by pressing issues such as infectious diseases and food insecurity. Given these competing priorities and the absence of physical activitypolicies, African countries need to know which strategies to invest in.

Encouraging physical activity should be a priority. Being physically active is not entirely anindividual choice, but a result of what funds, spaces, places and opportunities are available to the individual andcommunities. This is why governments and leaders have a role to play.

To assist governments looking to boost physical activity, we at theInternational Society for Physical Activity and Health, offereight key areas for investment. These are based on globalevidenceof what works. Our aim is to assist governments to meet targets set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Decades ofresearchhighlight that no single solution will increase population levels of physical activity, which havedeclinedandstagnatedover the last 50 years. That's why our reinvestment suggestions cover a range of settings and government departments. Multiple departments, including transport, education, sport and health, need to work together.

Eight investments

1. School Programs:Physically active children are likely to be physically active asadults. Physical activity also contributes positively to academic achievement and classroombehavior. Schoolenvironmentsand programs that keep students active before, during and after school arerecommended. One of the best known and successful multi-component programs is Finland's "Schools on the Move". Flexibility around the implementation of these programs is necessary as schools navigate a post-COVID-19 reality.
2. Active travel:Funded transport policies that support walking, cycling andpublic transportencourage more active modes oftravel. These policies should address safety as well. Most city-based journeys are short enough to walk, cycle or roll. Replacing car trips with active transport trips improves health, reduces injury and road trauma, and reduces harmful emissions, along with otherbenefits. This has been done in many Europeancities. For those who live far from work, public transport can encourage more active modes of travel, such as walking to and from a bus or train station.
3. Active urban design:人们感到安全,活跃在位置enticing touse. Spaces can be designed to support physical activity, such as buildings where the stairs are visually appealing. Providing access to parks is another clear example, but there are nuances, such as the type and quality of amenities provided at the parks. Active urban design allows for many of the things people need to be near to home or work, within walking distance. Funded policies that support equitable access to parks, local amenities and better walking, cycling and public transportation infrastructure make being active more appealing, accessible and equitable.
4. These planning considerations are particularly pertinent in African countries undergoing rapid urbanization. There is evidence to show that these endeavors are worth pursuing. For example, features of the built environment contribute to increased physical activity among adults inUganda, and among Nigerianadultsandadolescents.
5. Healthcare:Health professionals are in a position to advise patients on how and why they should be physically active. But some health professionals need additionaltrainingand support to promote physical activity. There are indications of success in some high-income countries such asAustralia. But there's room for improvement in Africancountries, and strategies can draw on the global "Exercise is Medicine" initiative.
6. Public education and the media:Social media, digital media and mass media campaigns can transmit clear messages about physical activity. These platforms can cost-effectively reach large populations and increase awareness of the importance of physical activity and opportunities to be moreactive, and lead tobehavior change.
7. Sport and recreation for all:提供各种各样的运动机会开头ss the lifespan is key to keeping people engaged in sport. Given the high cost of some sports, government subsidies may be one way to increase participation. Sport has specifically been linked to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, with a "Tool Kit for Action" for countries to draw on. Sport and recreation for all has been attained in high-income countries such asCanada. Progress has also been made in some African countries, such asZambia, where national sport policy has more explicitly recognized the contribution of sport to the achievement of sustainable development priorities including skills development and job creation.
8. Workplaces:For sedentary occupations, workplace-based physical activity programs will have physical, mental, and social benefits, while also reducing absenteeism and burnout and increasing productivity. An example is providingpedometersto employees so that they can monitor (and increase) their daily steps.
9. Community-wide programs:Community-wide programs to promote physical activity will have benefits beyond health. These have shown to be successful inBrazil, particularly in terms of scaling-up interventions with political support, andJapanwhere population-level physical activity was increased. But these have yet to be implemented effectively in any African country.
10. Now is the time to invest in these eight areas, to assist COVID-19 recovery, reduce the impact of noncommunicable diseases and promote mental health. These investments are critical to reach the WHO'stargetsto reduce physical inactivity by 10% by 2025 and 15% by 2030.

This article is republished fromThe Conversationunder a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.