The Health Promotion Unit works together with local community-based health services and consumers to run programs that help people have more understanding of and control over their health and well being.  Programs are available for the community, patients, clients as well as staff of Bendigo Health.

A persons health can be affected by many things including:

• Their understanding of their illnesses
• Their lifestyle
• The environment and community they live in
• Federal, state and local health policies
• The health services they have access to

Health promotion programs try to improve the community's health by focusing on activities in areas that can prevent risk factors in any of the above.  This gives people a better chance of having or maintaining optimum health.

Current health promotion programs include:

• Preventing periodontal disease in people over 50 yrs
• A project looking at child nutrition for 2 - 8 year olds
  Also see:Bendigo Health's healthy eating and physical activity for children resources and projects
• A project looking at maintaining a healthy weight for men aged 25 and over
• Minimising smoking within this community

The Health Promotion Unit also coordinates activities for staff to help make their time at work more enjoyable.  Activities including pedometer challenges and ride/walk to work days encourage staff to meet other employees, have some fun and camaraderie with their work team that is not work dependant.  These activities are designed to reduce stress and make staff feel valued within the Bendigo Health organisation.