Free Essays,College Free Essays,Free College Essays at Anti Essays

Australia over period has been identified been with National Health Priority Areas. This was in response to the World Health Organisation’s global strategy, Health for All by the Year 2000, which later became Health for All in the 21st Century (www.who.int.archives/hfa/policy).Seeking changes and improvement in the population’s health trends, these areas were targeted. These areas include: cardiovascular health, cancer control, injury prevention and control and mental health. In recent years, diabetes mellitus, asthma, arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions have been added to the priority areas. Evidently each priority area has been linked to poor nutrition and physical activity practices. As preventative action a healthy lifestyle can contribute to decreased risks of illness and disease. A healthy individual is associated with a balanced lifestyle, consisting of a balanced diet in conjunction with regular physical activity. However, not many Australian’s are aware of all the benefits a healthy lifestyle can provide in assisting the prevention and cure of the priority areas, cardiovascular health, cancer control, injury prevention and control, mental health, diabetes mellitus, asthma, arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions. Thus action at both societal and individual levels should be implemented to better the nutrition and physical activity practices.

Cardiovascular health involves coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease. “…The main underlying causal mechanism of cardiovascular disease is atherosclerosis, a process marked by abnormal build-ups of fat, cholesterol and other substances in the inner lining of the arteries. It is most serious when if affects the blood supply to the heart (causing angina or heart attack) or to the brain (causing a stroke)…” (http://www.aihw.gov.au/nhpa/cardiovascularhealth/index.cfm). The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare government site also states that major preventable...