The promotion of physical activity has been a priority for my Department in the context of the implementation of Healthy Ireland, A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013 – 2025. This was evidenced by the publication of Get Ireland Active - the National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) in 2016, and its subsequent implementation.
The NPAP contains 60 actions intended to promote increased physical activity levels across the population. The Plan is being implemented, overseen by a cross-sectoral Implementation Group co-chaired by the Departments of Health and Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The Departments of Education, Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth, Housing, Local Government & Heritage, and Rural & Community Development are also represented, along with Sport Ireland, the HSE, the Federation of Irish Sport, the LGMA and the academic sector.
Key initiatives underway, co-sponsored by Healthy Ireland, include the Active School Flag programme, led by the Department of Education and programmes for walking, running, swimming and cycling, in partnership with Sport Ireland and the relevant National Governing Bodies of Sport.
Increasing physical activity levels in children and young people is a priority focus. Improving physical activity in women and girls has also been identified as an early priority area by the Women’s Health Taskforce. Implementation of the current National Physical Activity Plan will be reviewed this year with a view to charting the future direction of the Plan.
While the restrictions imposed in response to Covid 19 have impacted on sports facilities, team sports and other group or indoor sporting activities, research published by Sport Ireland in mid-2020 showed that individual outdoor adult activity levels had risen, with more people participating in walking, cycling, running and open water swimming.
Presentations at the Irish Physical Activity Research Collaboration conference in January made clear that regular physical activity can boost positive immune responses while reducing markers of inflammation, and regular exercise is also effective in reducing the severity of symptoms associated with anxiety and depression.
Recent research carried out by DCU regarding the Department of Education’s Active School Flag programme, which is co-sponsored by Healthy Ireland, shows positive effects of this programme on school activity levels, but also on attendance, behaviour and learning outcomes.
Now, more than ever before, it is clear that physical activity is effective, not just in terms of protecting against non-communicable disease, but also in terms of reducing the risks of adverse outcomes from infectious disease also.
Bearing in mind the vital role of physical activity in terms of protecting key elements of both physical and mental health and wellbeing, the Keep Well national citizen engagement campaign was launched in autumn 2020 as part of the Government’s Resilience and Recovery Plan. This campaign aims to promote resilience and to provide a range of supports for our citizens. The campaign has several themes, one of which is “Keeping Active”. This is in clear recognition of the role of physical activity in supporting positive mental health and improving mood and reducing anxiety, in addition to keeping people fit and healthy and improving their general wellbeing.
Sport Ireland is leading a series of initiatives that are supporting people in keeping active and exercising within their own local areas. In addition, sporting organisations and clubs are developing ways to support local communities within the public health regulations. Details of these supports are available through www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/healthy-ireland/and www.sportireland.ie/keepwell.
My Department is currently working with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to support the role out of the Healthy Campus Framework which aims to promote health and wellbeing across all Higher Education Institutions in Ireland.
Guidance for Working Remotely is available from the Department of Enterprise and Employment website which also encourages employers and employees to link in with the Healthy Ireland Keep Well Campaign. Many workplaces are also supporting employees to keep active with online activity classes.
My Department recognises the role that guidelines on screen time have to play in children's health and wellbeing, including in combatting childhood obesity.
Currently advice to parents is provided through the "START" child obesity campaign and the mychild.ie website. The "START" child obesity campaign, developed by the Department, safefood and the HSE and underpinned by ‘A Healthy Weight for Ireland: Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016 – 2025’, is designed to deliver a system-wide approach to tackling overweight and obesity. The campaign aims to promote healthy habits that are critical in helping those children who are a healthy weight now, stay a healthy weight and those who are overweight or obese achieve a healthier weight as they grow and develop. One of the key healthy habits is to have less screen time.
The message to promote less screen time includes:
- Try to avoid screen time completely for under 2s;
- Try to keep screen time for 2-5 year olds to one hour each day;
- For children over 5, have clear limits and a good guide is no more than two hours each day.
More advice and information is available from the "START" campaign at www.safefood.net/start/reducing-screen-time?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIj-6CpYz57wIVIUiRBR073AunEAAYASAAEgIKcfD_BwE.
In terms of the gradual easing of Covid-19 restrictions and resumption of sporting activities, more information is available here: www.gov.ie/en/publication/2dc71-level-5/.
Outdoor sports facilities will re-open and outdoor underage training in pods will recommence from April 26th. Outdoor sports facilities will re-open and outdoor underage training in pods will recommence from April 26th. For a detailed breakdown of activity allowed, further information can be obtained for the National Governing Body for the sport in question. The further reopening of sporting activities is a matter for Cabinet decision.
