(ABS, 2013). However, while the AHS identified these trends it did not report spatial differences in physical activity. The survey does not examine how these results may vary from one region to another or from one part of a city to another (ABS, 2013).
4.2. Physical Activity Guidelines in Australia
The Federal Department of Health has issued recommendations for levels of physical activity that vary according to age. For 0-5 year olds it is recommended they have at least three hours of physical activity every day, either in a single block or spread throughout the day. For 5-12 and 13-17 year olds for health benefits the recommendations suggest they should undertake at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity every …show more content…
4.5. Costs of Physical Inactivity
A study undertaken by KPMG – Econtech for Medibank Private reported that the health cost of inactivity in Australia had been estimated at $13.8 billion ($14.7 billion in 2015 dollars) per year being comprised of health care costs, productivity costs and mortality costs (KPMG- Econtech, 2008).
4.5.1. Healthcare costs
The increased number of medical conditions, as result of physical inactivity, leads to increased medical costs. These are the direct healthcare costs incurred to treat the symptoms of (and sometimes cure) these medical conditions. These healthcare costs would be shared between governments, through public health care, private health insurance companies and by individuals who need to make some out-of-pocket payments. These direct healthcare costs are offset by expenses associated with participation in physical activity including sports injuries and fitness-related expenses which have been determined to be $884 million in the research calculations. This gives an estimated direct net cost of physical inactivity of $719 million per annum to Australia.
4.5.2. Productivity …show more content…
Specifically, physical inactivity can impact on employee productivity by causing increased absenteeism and presentee-ism, which impose direct economic costs on employers. Presentee-ism is defined as the lost productivity that occurs when employees come to work but, as a consequence of illness or other conditions, are not fully functioning. In comparison, absenteeism occurs when employees do not come to work (Deloitte, 2015). The direct costs of physical inactivity to the employer are the value of lost labour input. KPMG-Econtech estimated the overall average labour productivity loss caused by physical inactivity corresponds to a direct loss of 1.8 working days per worker per year for an average Australian worker or a cost of around $458 per employee per year. It is estimated that in 2007/08, physical inactivity caused GDP to be around $9.3 billion ($11.39 billion in 2015 dollars) lower than would otherwise be the case (KPMG- Econtech,
4.2. Physical Activity Guidelines in Australia
The Federal Department of Health has issued recommendations for levels of physical activity that vary according to age. For 0-5 year olds it is recommended they have at least three hours of physical activity every day, either in a single block or spread throughout the day. For 5-12 and 13-17 year olds for health benefits the recommendations suggest they should undertake at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity every …show more content…
4.5. Costs of Physical Inactivity
A study undertaken by KPMG – Econtech for Medibank Private reported that the health cost of inactivity in Australia had been estimated at $13.8 billion ($14.7 billion in 2015 dollars) per year being comprised of health care costs, productivity costs and mortality costs (KPMG- Econtech, 2008).
4.5.1. Healthcare costs
The increased number of medical conditions, as result of physical inactivity, leads to increased medical costs. These are the direct healthcare costs incurred to treat the symptoms of (and sometimes cure) these medical conditions. These healthcare costs would be shared between governments, through public health care, private health insurance companies and by individuals who need to make some out-of-pocket payments. These direct healthcare costs are offset by expenses associated with participation in physical activity including sports injuries and fitness-related expenses which have been determined to be $884 million in the research calculations. This gives an estimated direct net cost of physical inactivity of $719 million per annum to Australia.
4.5.2. Productivity …show more content…
Specifically, physical inactivity can impact on employee productivity by causing increased absenteeism and presentee-ism, which impose direct economic costs on employers. Presentee-ism is defined as the lost productivity that occurs when employees come to work but, as a consequence of illness or other conditions, are not fully functioning. In comparison, absenteeism occurs when employees do not come to work (Deloitte, 2015). The direct costs of physical inactivity to the employer are the value of lost labour input. KPMG-Econtech estimated the overall average labour productivity loss caused by physical inactivity corresponds to a direct loss of 1.8 working days per worker per year for an average Australian worker or a cost of around $458 per employee per year. It is estimated that in 2007/08, physical inactivity caused GDP to be around $9.3 billion ($11.39 billion in 2015 dollars) lower than would otherwise be the case (KPMG- Econtech,