New Norfolk people wanted for rural survey

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RESEARCHERS are inviting adults from rural areas across three Australian states to speak up about whether the design of their local area helps them to get moving. New Norfolk is one of nearly 50 towns invited to take part in the survey being conducted by the Menzies Institute for Population Health Research.

“We want to know how the design of our local areas encourages or prevents us from being active, and whether people in rural areas have access to a sufficient range of safe, well-maintained places to be active,” Menzies researcher Verity Cleland said. Dr Cleland leads the study, which also includes researchers from the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University in Victoria and the University of South Australia.

“Academic research has shown that the local environment is related to physical activity levels in cities, but this sort of research has rarely been done in a rural setting in Australia,” Dr Cleland said.

“Identifying features of our local environment that impact most on physical activity is very important because we can then help councils, government, planners and developers create spaces and places that support healthy lifestyles for rural people.”

“Creating environments that make it easy to be active without even having to think about it has enormous potential as a way to improve population health,” Dr Cleland said.

Adults who live in the areas being surveyed can fill out the survey at http://tiny.cc/ruralsurvey

The areas being surveyed are:

• Tasmania: Devonport, Ulverstone, Strahan, Queenstown, Wynyard, Campbell Town, New Norfolk, Deloraine, Bicheno, Burnie, Bridport, Latrobe, Scottsdale, George Town.
• Victoria: Echuca, Shepparton, Latrobe, Wodonga, Euroa, Sale, Castlemaine, Wangaratta, Traralgon, Ararat, Hamilton, Warrnambool, Daylesford, Stawell, Kyneton, Healesville, Bairnsdale, Warragul, Swan Hill, Maryborough, Camperdown, Wonthaggi,
• South Australia: Victor Harbour, Port Augusta, Mount Gambier, Millicent, Bordertown, Murray Bridge, Clare, Tailem Bend, Maitland, Port Pirie, Berri, Renmark, Kadina.