Healthy target for city

Active Geelong out to get region’s people on the move

AN extra 15,000 people across Geelong will exercise for least 30 minutes five days a week by 2020, under a push led by private health insurer GMHBA.

The Active Geelong program aims to change attitudes towards exercise, and encourage people to use it as a means of maintaining good health.

Active Geelong support member and Geelong councillor Pat Murnane said Deakin University research showed only 37 per cent of the Geelong population did at least 30 minutes of exercise five times a week.

“The objective is to make Geelong the most physically active city in Australia,” Cr Murnane said.

He said the initiative planned to create “generational change” by working with businesses, doctors, researchers, community groups, children and adults to address inactivity.

“It will be an advocacy service aimed at firstly education and increasing physical activity,” he said.

Cr Murnane said exercise tips and information would be put on a website, to launch on tomorrow, which could eventually be promoted at GP clinics and businesses.

“We could all be more active and it will only be for our own good,” he said.

“If a person is more active they are likely to have less sick days and take the principles of healthy living to families.”

Cr Murnane said the public may be able to provide data from Fitbits and other activity trackers via program’s website to give organisers a snapshot of the region’s exercise habits.

GMHBA health services general manager Sarah Leach said the company was passionate about supporting people to be more active.

“We’ve made a commitment to support Active Geelong because we believe it can make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of our community, enabling us to deliver on our brand promise of being ‘Healthier Together’,” Ms Leach said.

The program aims to engage at least 25 per cent of Geelong businesses.

The program’s website is expected to be launched tomorrow. www.activegeelong .org.au