10 Jun 2010

Delegates attending a public health seminar today learned that low levels of physical activity are contributing to long term health problems. The comments were made by Professor James Sallis, Director of Active Living Research and Professor at San Diego State University and Ms Teresa Lavin, Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH), at a seminar jointly hosted by IPH and the UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health (Northern Ireland).

The seminar looked at why levels of physical activity are low in Ireland. It focused on how the built environment influences opportunities for being active.

Ms Lavin said: “Enhancing opportunities for physical activity is essential. Across Ireland levels of physical activity are low which has many implications for public health. While there are many reasons for low levels of physical activity one important factor is how the built environment is designed and maintained – this in turn facilitates how we move around our environment.

“We need to create more roads and pathways suited to cycling and walking as well as quality green spaces to encourage people to take physical exercise. We need to locate shops and services – such as schools – nearer to housing schemes and ensure road systems within these estates are engineered to reduce car dependency.”

Ms Lavin continued: “A recent IPH study forecasts a dramatic 40% increase in the number of people living with hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes in the Republic of Ireland by 2020. It is essential we reverse this trend and one way is by creating environments which are conducive to physical activity such as walking and cycling.

“To enable this to happen, there is a real need for intersectoral action – involving public health specialists, local authorities, developers and construction professionals such as architects, engineers and planners – to enhance opportunities for physical activity in the built environment across the population and especially for vulnerable groups.  

“For example, in Ireland, half as many girls aged 15-17 as boys of the same age are likely to exercise four or more times weekly.  Unfortunately, this trend continues through to adulthood and we need to develop specific strategies to tackle this issue.”

Professor Sallis has pioneered an extensive research programme into the environmental and policy influences on physical activity, nutrition and obesity in the United States and said: “Physical activity is a key risk factor for chronic disease; other high risk factors include poverty, unemployment, the environment, smoking, alcohol consumption and diet. The reality is that these factors are distributed unevenly across society. Ensuring that all neighbourhoods have safe and attractive places for physical activity and have shops that sell affordable healthy foods is one way to reduce these inequalities.”

Dr Mark Tully, UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health (NI) who is leading a large research project on the benefits of green space to health and wellbeing said: “The visit of Prof Sallis to Ireland is very timely. We have been inspired by his research to continue our efforts to develop research into how we can help increase levels of physical activity through designing more attractive environments that support the messages our health professionals are promoting.”

Further Information
Ronan Cavanagh, Montague Communications: (01) 830 3116 or (086) 317 9731.
Jemma Hogan, Montague Communications: (01) 830 3116 or (085) 722 9024.

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland
The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) promotes cooperation for public health across the island of Ireland. It aims to improve health by working to combat health inequalities and influence public policy in favour of health. Further information can be found at www.publichealth.ie.

UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health (NI)
The UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health (NI) is the Northern Ireland based part of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC). It aims to strengthen public health research capacity in Northern Ireland and improve the health of the public by translating research into policy and public health practice.