National Heart Foundation's National Walking Initiative, Australia

Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 18 Aug 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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The Commonwealth Government will provide $1.5 million over three years to support the National Heart Foundation's National Walking Initiative.

Community-based walking groups are an ideal way to increase physical activity in Australian adults. The Heart Foundation's National Walking Initiative will help to set up and support walking group programs across Australia to encourage and support individuals to engage in more physical activity.

More than 50 per cent of adult Australians are overweight or obese. The obesity rate has doubled over the past two decades. More than half of adult Australians do not undertake the recommended levels of physical activity to maintain a healthy body weight.

In the last Budget, the Government committed up to $11.7 million for activities such as walking groups.

The Heart Foundation National Walking Initiative is in the final stages of development and will commence later this year. It will involve up to 25,000 people across 375 local communities.

For more information on how to join or start a new walking group, please visit the National Heart Foundation http://www.heartfoundation.org.au