Hon Dr David Clark
Minister of Health
Hon Grant Robertson
Minister for Sport and Recreation


5 June, 2018 MEDIA STATEMENT
New WHO physical activity plan to help people around the world get out and active

Health Minister Dr David Clark and Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson welcome the World Health Organization’s new Global Action Plan on Physical Activity, announced in Geneva on Monday.

The action plan aims to achieve a 15 percent increase in the number of regularly physically active people worldwide by 2030. It comes as the Ministry of Health and Sport New Zealand are developing a framework to increase New Zealanders’ levels of physical activities.

“Regular physical activity is key to maintaining quality health. Being physically active can help lower the risk of developing type-2 diabetes, stroke and heart and lung conditions. And for some people it may be good for mental wellbeing, reducing the risk of stress, anxiety and depression,” says David Clark.

“It is important that children and young people are regularly physically active too as this sets them up for a healthy life and helps them excel at their studies. Physical activity makes children more engaged in the classroom, stay enrolled in school longer and achieve better results,” says David Clark.

The Ministry of Health and Sport New Zealand recommend that New Zealand adults are active for at least 150 minutes a week, while New Zealand children and young people should aim to achieve at least 300 minutes. Read the Ministry’s Physical Activity Guidelines.
Sport New Zealand champions the value of quality, healthy physical activity and sport experiences for people of all ages and fitness levels.

“New Zealand is an active country by global standards, but we’re not immune to the trend toward less active lifestyles. We know that people have less time and more choices for being physically active, and how important quality opportunities – particularly for youth – are in promoting and sustaining healthy activity levels throughout life,” says Grant Robertson.

Read more about the new Global Action Plan on Physical Activity on the World Health Organization website.

Find out about Sport New Zealand’s Physical Literacy Approach.

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