Should we get paid exercise breaks at work?
Researchers are launching a study at Nepean Hospital to determine if providing healthcare workers with paid 30-minute exercise breaks can improve physical and mental health outcomes. The initiative aims to combat the high costs of physical inactivity, which contributes to absenteeism and chronic disease.
Why it matters
Workplace wellness interventions are increasingly viewed as essential strategies for improving public health and reducing the economic burden of lifestyle-related diseases.
Researchers believe targeted measures to address physical inactivity could improve Australia's cardiovascular health, mental health, and physical wellbeing. Heart disease is a key health issue in Australia, with more than one million Australians aged 18 and over (6.4 per cent of the adult population) living with one or more conditions related to heart, stroke or vascular disease in 2024, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Regular exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease by up to a third, while helping to lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, and strengthen the heart muscle. The Heart Research Institute says physical inactivity costs the Australian economy over $2 billion annually. Cardiologist Dr Faraz Pathan says physical inactivity is a "costly exercise", and that scale-able solutions are needed.
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