CAN believes that cycling should be actively encouraged by both the health and transport sectors to play a key role in New Zealand's health promotion system as well as being a sustainable means of transport that has environmental advantages.
Background:
Physical activity and physical fitness are essential for good health. They contribute to illness and disease prevention as well as recovery. Higher levels of physical activity and improved fitness will reduce the incidence of many contemporary health problems (e.g. obesity, diabetes, cancer and cardio-vascular diseases).
Historically, people were active in their everyday transport through walking and cycling. Active transport modes have considerable potential to reduce the nation's health budget.
Towards this, CAN will also work with health NGOs,so that the NGOs and CAN can supplement each others' knowledge and resources to promote cycling.
There have been numerous studies on the relationship between cycling and health. Study after study, has concluded that cycling brings along with it major health benefits. The health benefits are not just associated to one but multiple areas of the human body. While cardiovascular benefit is the first thing that comes to everyone’s mind, cycling brings everyday health benefits as well.
For example, people who cycle regularly (at least 3 days a week) have been found not to fall sick so often with colds or the flu. When they do fall sick, they take less time to recover compared to those who don’t follow any form of exercise routine, thereby improving their productivity. Cycling employees have also been found to have better mentally alertness. Going by the same logic, children who cycle to school should perform better academically.
The other major benefit of cycling is maintaining body weight and reducing health risks from overweight and obesity.
While improved productivity adds to the wealth of the nation, reduced health risk automatically translates into a corresponding reduction in health costs to the nation – resources that can then be diverted to other purposes such as education, research and development.
CAN acknowledges that cycling is not the only form of exercise for the human body. However, cycling combines various activities into one – health & exercise, improved air quality, environmental benefits, transportation congestion reductions, personal savings – to name a few, without being a weight bearing exercise, so less wear and tear occurs on bone joints.
CAN believes that:
- Cycling should be made an integral part of people's daily lives.
- Cycling has all round benefits including better health through improved air quality
- Cycling delivers key health benefits that include:
- Reduced body weight and obesity.
- Maintenance of the cardiovascular system.
- Preventative effects on everday health.
- Helping people suffering from asthma and bronchial conditions.
References:
- New Zealand evidence for health impacts of transport - background paper prepared by Prof. Tord Kjellstrom & Dr. Sarah Hill for Public Health Advisory Committee - Dec 2002.
- Cycling towards health and safety - an Oxford University Press publication of British Medical Association (BMA) journal - 1992.
- British House of Commons Health Committee's Third report of session 2003-2004 on obesity.
CAN's Vision:
Cycling is used as a means of transport by most people for some trips each month.
CAN's Objectives:
- 80% of people cycle for some trips each month by 2020
- 20% of all trips are by cycle by 2020
- 90% of those who cycle are satisfied with their cycling experience by 2020
- Rates of fatality and injury for cycling are below that for cars (currently 5 per 100 million km) by 2020
- Cycling is perceived as positive by 90% of the general population by 2020
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 CAN_Policy_health_and_fitness_R1.pdf | 32.44 KB |
Comments
This is how this policy is
This is how this policy is at the moment with Sridhar waiting for him to be OK with the changes. Then it needs to be circulated amongst the Exec for final approval.
I have sent Sridhar an email
I have sent Sridhar an email chasing him to approve or change the policy as shown and in the attachment. The only thing left is to put in the CAN vision stuff at the end that Andrew was revising.
Mostly, this seems fine to
Mostly, this seems fine to me. However, I would question why the policy starts by focusing obesity. Cycling has health benefits for most if not all people who can cycle esp from a young age. At the beginning of the policy I suggest the following wording:
Physical activity and physical fitness are essential for good health. They contribute to illness and disease prevention as well as recovery. Higher levels of physical activity and improved fitness will reduce the incidence of many contemporary health problems (e.g. obesity). Historically, people were more active in their everyday transport through walking and cycling. These active transport modes have considerable potential to reduce the nation's health budget. CAN seeks to promote the health and other benefits of cycling. CAN will also work with health NGOs,so that the NGOs and CAN can supplement each others' knowledge and resources to promote cycling....
One question I had was whether CAN works only with Health NGOs or with the health sector more generally - particularly public agencies e.g. DHBs. I am not up to date with all CAN's policy positions so if this is an intentional focus then that is fine by me!
Mostly, this seems fine to
Mostly, this seems fine to me. However, I would question why the policy starts by focusing on obesity. This doesn't seem to be consistent with the broader focus of the policy. Cycling has health benefits for most if not all people who can cycle esp from a young age. Also, I wondered whether it was appropriate to say that CAN works only with Health NGOs rather than with the health sector more generally - particularly public agencies e.g. DHBs. (I am not up to date with all CAN's policy positions so if this is an intentional focus then that is fine by me!)
At the beginning of the policy I suggest the following wording to replace the existing two paragraphs:
Physical activity and physical fitness are essential for good health. They contribute to illness and disease prevention as well as recovery. Higher levels of physical activity and improved fitness will reduce the incidence of many contemporary health problems (e.g. obesity). Historically, people were more active in their everyday transport through walking and cycling. These active transport modes have considerable potential to reduce the nation's health budget. CAN seeks to promote the health and other benefits of cycling. CAN will also work with health NGOs and public sector health agencies, to develop knowledge and resources to promote the health benefits cycling.
Unless I missed something
Unless I missed something should the third bullet point under the heading" CAN believes that:" be Cycling is a key benefit that : instead of Health is a key benefit that :
Good spotting Gaz! I have
Good spotting Gaz! I have reworded that point and its sub points.
Hi Christine, you are no doubt right. Focus should not be just on obesity. I used it as an example, essentially answer to question. I will rephrase that part as yu suggested.
Regarding partnerships, we are currently working with only NGOs. I am not sure what CAN's policy will be, but Robert, myself and the health NGOs thought it may be better to keep to NGOs lest our efforts get political colour. We need to discuss more on that.
cheers,
Sridhar
Hi all, I have reworded the
Hi all,
I have reworded the introduction to the policy based on Christine's feedback.
Have a look. It may require some more TLC.
cheers,
Sridhar
Ok with this new/final
Ok with this new/final version.
Andrew Macbeth wrote: Hi
Andrew Macbeth wrote:
Hi guys - I've been out of the policy loop for a while, so please forgive my late intrusion into this area and ignore my comments if you wish! But I wonder whether we should have a punchier policy here? How about:
"CAN believes that cycling should be actively encouraged by both the health and transport sectors to play a key role in New Zealand's health promotion system."
I am going to close this out
I am going to close this out tomorrow and I need any objections to making this official CAN policy by COB Friday 7th.
I will then copy the agreed version into the policy template and make a PDF version that will be available to the public from early next week.
Hi Graeme, I am basically ok
Hi Graeme, I am basically ok with the policy. I am just a little bit concerned about Andrew's last comments that the policy could be having a bit more punch. We haven't discussed that really much.
cheers,
Sridhar
Hi Sridhar I changed the
Hi Sridhar
I changed the summary around a bit like Andrew suggested but the background section I took he was OK with.
I have changed the start of the Background section to read a bit more strongly too and how Christine suggested.
Over the weekend, I will switch it from being a Provisional Policy to being a final, drop off the attachment until I get a good PDF version done (I have to do that at work) and make it available to the public.
When I have the PDF done and the election is over, we can do some sort of release to let everyone know it is out etc.
Thanks Graeme :) Sridhar
Thanks Graeme :)
Sridhar