Physical Activities In Indigenous Australians

Family forms a basic structure of Indigenous Australians, the cultural relationship and traditional values has disappeared. Such changes impacts the health of Indigenous Australians (Hampton & Toombs, 2013).The major factors connected with Indigenous Australians physical and emotional health is an important change in their lifestyle and decline of physical activity (Macdonald, Abbott & Jenkins, 2012).
Indigenous mental health issues Quality of life and mental health are highly associated concepts, but difficult to measure directly.
Physical activity in Indigenous culture Over the years, physical activity in Indigenous Australians has reduced with European settlement (Macdonald, Abbott & Jenkins, 2012). Historically, Indigenous Australians lifestyle involve a lot of physical activity for food (Blyton, 2009). Europeans presented new farming methods and Indigenous Australians had to depend on them for food, which brought a lot of changes in their lifestyle and reduced the level of everyday physical activity (Ricciardelli, et al., 2012). The lack of physical exercise in Indigenous Australians contribute to chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity (AIHW, 2010). Physical activity is important to prevent ill health
Traditional Indigenous physical activities were associated with hunting and involvement in traditional gatherings (Hampton & Toombs, 2013). These activities were not only related to health but sustaining connections, maintaining health, and education (Sheehan, 2012). In Indigenous culture, the benefits of physical activity only to one person is seen as self-centred (Thompson, Gifford & Thorpe, 2000). In a recent survey it is found that family, kinship, and community are important variables to measure the effects of physical activity (ABS, 2013). Recent studies states that moderate level of physical exercise is associated