Inside AIA Vitality Zones

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You don't know how long you've got,so you really do need to be on top of it.

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as much as you can be,

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it gives you a reason to liveand to keep going, doesn't it?

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If you enjoy life.

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Hi, I'm Shane Crawford, I'm an AIA ambassador

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and you have found me here in Manningham,which is in Melbourne's north east,

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where it's been recently revealedthat they are some of the healthiest

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in all of Australia.

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So I'm here to uncover the secrets onwhy the residents are living

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a healthier, longer, better life. As a lifehealth and wellbeing insurer.

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AIA Australia is on a mission to make Australia the healthiest country

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it can be.

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That's why they've uncovered Australia's healthiest locations

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the AIA Vitality Zones.

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AIA Vitality Zones research has uncoveredextensive data across everyday behaviors

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like eating physical exercise, planning,

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our interaction with the environment and our mental health.

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Manningham and Nillumbik in outerMelbourne, Victoria have some of the

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lowest rates of health riskfactors, illness and preventable deaths.

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But it's not just this factthat makes them healthy.

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AIA Vitality Zones are thrivingwhen it comes to their mental

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wellbeing, exercise, preventative mindset,nutrition and their environment.

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It's further out from the city,which I guess plays a role.

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There's a lot of, I guess

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green space around and you see peoplejust in the morning, just even on walks.

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A lot of that population is attending a lot of exercise classes

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and wellbeing classes.They do lots of yoga and Pilates and dance.

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So yeah, it's a lot of fitness.And walk! Walk the dog.

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AIA Vitality Zones engagein similar levels of physical activity

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as the rest of Australia.

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What they do differently is more moderateexercise more often.

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They're doing it consistently.From parks, reserves,

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walking and cycling tracks,community spaces and facilities.

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Residents in the AIA VitalityZone of Manningham are moving more

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and they're even doing karate.

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We did a trial sessionand the residents loved it,

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and from there it'sjust kind of taken on a life of its own.

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I always ask the question, you know,what do you get out of it?

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What do you enjoy the most?

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And the feedbackundoubtedly is it's the exercise

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and it's the social element as well.

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Prioritising prevention and being proactive abouthealth and wellbeing are

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behaviors embraced by AIA Vitality Zones.

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They get higher levels of sleep each monthand are more health literate

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and confident in communicating their health care needs.

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Vitality Zones are more likely to accesshealth care, with the highest rates

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seen in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales.

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It bring your elbow in.

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Walking into this dojo is like you're pressing a reset button on me.

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No matter how my day was, no matter

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what's in my mind, as soon as I stepon these mats, it just kind of goes quiet.

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A lot of people are trainingfor mental health reasons,

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and that's what I'm really passionate about.

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So that's why I love being in the industry.

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People come in and they catch up.

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Guys train together, girls train together.

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So it's become definitely a social aspect as well.

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Nutrition is a standout characteristic of AIA Vitality Zones

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who understand the importanceof preparing nutritious meals at home,

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opting for healthy foodchoices, and limiting portion sizes.

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The farm is 100 acres big.

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This orchard actually originatedback in the 1850s.

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I've grown many, many different varieties,so I've recreated the whole orchard.

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Australians living in Vitality Zones are eating healthier.

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They're doing this by small changes.

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They're simple and are small swapsthat can have a huge impact.

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More encouragement from me would be of eating

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fruit and veg seasonal. To actually come out and have a look

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and actually look for themselveswhere things have actually grown.

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So what is it that makes theseVitality Zones healthier places?

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The answer, it's not one single action,but a multitude of positive behaviors

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that ultimately make them the healthiest in the country.

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If you don't look after yourself,who else is going to?

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You've only got one body.