4704.0 - The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 2005

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 14/10/2005

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Contents >> Chapter 8: Health Risk Factors >> Physical Inactivity

Physical inactivity is second only to tobacco use as a contributor to population ill-health (accounting for 7% of the total burden of disease and injury in Australia in 1996) and is the leading contributor to preventable illness and morbidity among women (Mathers, Vos & Stevenson 1999). A sedentary lifestyle doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes and obesity. It also increases the risks of colon and breast cancer, high blood pressure, lipid disorders, osteoporosis, depression and anxiety (WHO 2002a).

In 2002, just over half (51%) of Indigenous people aged 15 years or over had not played sport or participated in physical recreation activities in the last 12 months. Women (58%) were more likely than men (43%) to have been physically inactive and rates of inactivity increased with age (graph 8.6).

8.6 Non-participation in sport/physical recreation activities(a), Indigenous persons aged 15 years or over - 2002
Graph: Non-participation in sport/physical recreation activities(a), Indigenous persons aged 15 years or over – 2002

Graph: Non-participation in sport/physical recreation activities(a), Indigenous persons aged 15 years or over – 2002

Physical inactivity was strongly associated with self-assessed health status. One-third (33%) of people who did not participate in sport or physical recreation activities rated their health as fair or poor, compared with 14% of people who did participate. Moreover, 34% of people who were not physically active rated their health as excellent or very good compared with more than one-half (55%) of people who were physically active.

Those who did not play sport or participate in physical activities were also more likely to regularly smoke (54% compared with 43%) and to usually consume alcohol at risky or high risk levels (18% compared with 13%).

When age differences between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations are taken into account, Indigenous people aged 18 years or over were one and a half times as likely as non-Indigenous people to have been physically inactive in 2002. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous females were less likely than their male counterparts to have participated in sport or physical recreation activities in the last 12 months.

8.7 Prevalence of health risk factors among young Aboriginal people in Western Australia
Diagram: Prevalence of health risk factors among young aboriginal people in Western Australia

Diagram: Prevalence of health risk factors among young aboriginal people in Western Australia