Dane's blog

New research released today shows that almost 50% of Australians aged over 15 participated in regular physical activity (at least three times a week) in 2009.

The 2009 Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey (ERASS) Annual Report reveals that that an estimated 8.2 million people are involved in regular physical activity and that since 2001 regular participation has jumped 11 percentage points, from 37% of the population aged over 15 in 2001 to 48% in 2009.

The survey also confirms that Australians are involved in a wide range of exercise options.

New research from the UK suggests that just five minutes of "green" exercise a day benefits people's mood, self-esteem and mental health: in fact they found this small dose produced the largest positive effect.

You can read about the investigation Drs Jo Barton and Professor Jules Pretty from the University of Essex conducted into how a walk a day might keep the doctor away, in Environmental Science and Technology, where it appeared online on 25 March and will appear in print later this month.

Deakin University researchers have found that being physically active in childhood could protect against depression later in life.

In a study of self-reported levels of physical activity and depression in 2152 women and men from south-eastern Australia, the researchers found that those reporting low physical activity levels as a child were 35 per cent more likely to report depression in adulthood compared to those reporting higher levels of physical activity in childhood. This association was apparent even after taking adult physical activity levels into account.