Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Colm Burke today launched the Irish Physical Activity Research Collaboration (I-PARC) conference on physical activity.
Co-chaired by the Department of Health, the event features representatives of Government Departments, agencies and academic institutions, with the aim of aligning research and policy to increase population levels of physical activity.
It takes place alongside the I-PARC-sponsored annual meeting of the European Network for the Promotion of Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) which is being held at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland this year.
Minister Burke said:
“I’m delighted to see so many experts attending this year’s conference and my hope is that Irish and international participants can effectively explore how different sectors can work together towards our common goal.
“There are so many benefits to physical activity, and conversely, so many consequences to physical inactivity, and I’m particularly interested in its physical and mental health impacts. This conference will feature contributions from a wide range of stakeholders across sport, transport, education, justice, environment and other sectors, examining how we can use best practice and research to create supportive environments that promote increased physical activity among all ages.”