Healthy Living Every Day: Making the Connections
In 2012-2013, many of us were invited to take part in the Our Singapore Conversation (OSC) to share views on the Singapore we envision in 2030. Amongst the issues raised, health care surfaced as one of the top concerns. Thankfully, many realised that most of these concerns could be mitigated by leading a healthy lifestyle.
With a constantly evolving health landscape, there is a continuing need to review what we are doing in order to harness new opportunities and deal with emerging challenges. We can only achieve this if we move forward together as a community. The Healthy Living Master Plan Taskforce was formed in September 2012 to look into making healthy living accessible, natural, and effortless for all Singaporeans. This whole-of-government and whole-of-society effort is chaired by Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, with representatives from various public agencies and the community.
In crafting a Healthy Living Master Plan (HLMP) that is inclusive and resonates with everyone, the Taskforce sought feedback, views, and ideas from Singaporeans from all walks of life. Many of you shared what it means to live healthily, your aspirations and challenges for healthy living, in the environment where you live, work, and play. There were also good ideas on encouraging and motivating individuals to practise healthy living habits. These ideas included having free access to physical infrastructure that is closer to home and for healthy living options to be more affordable. A substantial number of Singaporeans indicated that social ties and the presence of role models can be good motivators for behavioural change.
The Master Plan envisages healthy living as accessible, natural, and effortless for all Singaporeans. In this Vision, Singapore in 2020 will have healthy living at the "doorstep" of every home, workplace, and school. We will scale up and improve amenities and services, making healthy living pervasive and a way of life. Singaporeans can move from neighbourhoods to offices and schools embracing healthy living as a part of everyday routine. We will bring together the various stakeholders, both from the public and private sectors, and citizens working towards this vision. We can achieve this by working on the 3Ps of Place, People and Price (3Ps):
a) Place - a conducive environment for healthy living
b) People - a socially inclusive community for healthy living
c) Price - affordable options for healthy living