AIA Study Reveals NZ’s ‘Fittest City’

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Wellington has been named New Zealand’s ‘fittest city’, a newly released study co-authored by Dr Caroline Shaw from the University of Otago and Professor Alistair Woodward at the University of Auckland has found.

The research revealed Wellingtonians walk more and take more trips by public transport than other New Zealanders.

The ‘Fittest City’ study was released as part of the New Zealand launch of AIA Vitality, which has reached its fifth anniversary in Australia.

Professor Woodward noted that levels of walking, cycling and public transport were used to estimate the effects on health and the environment in New Zealand’s six largest centres.

AIA Australia and New Zealand CEO, Damien Mu

AIA Australia and New Zealand CEO, Damien Mu, says AIA Vitality was launched and the Fittest City report produced to help New Zealanders lead healthier, longer and better lives.

“We are going to be able to transform the role that we play in our customers’ lives and in society, from simply being a payer of claims, to a partner in their ongoing health and wellbeing,” Mu said.

“Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes account for 90 percent of premature deaths in New Zealand. All of these can be greatly influenced by lifestyle  behaviours and positive changes, including even small increases in physical activity and other healthy choices,” he explained.

The report shines a light on how people are moving less globally and shows how New Zealanders can increase their base level of fitness and how technology can help to address the global pandemic of physical inactivity, by motivating people to move more.

AIA New Zealand CEO, Nick Stanhope

AIA New Zealand CEO, Nick Stanhope, says, “Ten percent of all deaths worldwide are caused by physical inactivity. While physical inactivity may be a problem for every country, us Kiwis are not as fit as we may believe. We need to get moving more.

“But the good news is that healthier living need not be difficult or unattainable. By making small changes we can make a world of difference,” he said.

Click here to view the full report.