Participating in regular physical activity has been found to have a significant impact on a person's overall wellness.
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However, in Tasmania about 40 per cent of children do not get the level of physical activity recommended by national guidelines.
In adolescents this rises to 80 per cent, while about 70 per cent of adults are not active enough.
For Harvey Lennon, the group chief executive for the Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania, maintaining a healthy weight and staying active has always been a challenge.
With a busy and demanding career, Mr Lennon admitted he didn't prioritise his health, until he had to.
At his heaviest he weighed in at almost 110 kilograms, when ideally for his height, he should be under 80 kilograms.
"I have probably had a bit of a weight issue all of my life. Since I was a baby, basically," he explained.
"My weight has gone up and down a bit. I was obese about two years ago and I had been for some time.
"It was starting to cause issues with my back, my blood sugar levels were starting to get elevated.
"There were a few things in my life at that time which acted like wake-up calls and I knew it was time to act.
"I had tried a heap of diets, but because my life is fairly busy around functions, events, meetings and so forth, it can be hard to organise your life around being healthier."
Research from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that small increases in levels of physical activity could have major positive health impacts for the whole population.
The Australian Burden of Disease study explored the health impact or 'burden' of a lack of physical activity in terms of years of healthy life lost through living with an illness, injury, or through dying prematurely.
Using data from 2011, the report found that 2.6 per cent of the total disease burden in Australia was due to physical inactivity.
When combined with factors such as obesity, the burden increased to 9 per cent - a figure equal to tobacco smoking - the leading risk factor for disease burden in Australia.
The report also found that if everyone did an extra 15 minutes of brisk walking, five days a week, the disease burden due to physical inactivity in the population would reduce by about 13 per cent.
It was a similar approach that helped Mr Lennon lose 25 kilograms over about six months.
His 'simplistic' method included making small, but effective, lifestyle changes including cutting out snacks and getting more active.
"The two key things I started doing was eating with more discipline, so three meals a day and trying not snack in between," he said.
"Then I started doing a lot more walking. I do a little bit of running, but a lot of walking.
"I start most days with some protein, eggs on toast and that helps me get to lunchtime without needing a snack.
"As soon as you start snacking, your blood sugar goes up and down and you crave more. It's a vicious cycle."
Physical inactivity remains a leading risk factor for a range of chronic diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
These diseases also stand to gain the biggest reduction in burden, if people adopt more active lifestyles.
The AIHW report found that physical inactivity was responsible for 19 per cent of the diabetes burden, 16 per cent for bowel and uterine cancer and 14 per cent for dementia.
Physical inactivity was also responsible for 11 per cent of the breast cancer and coronary heart disease burden, and 10 per cent of the stroke burden.
While his weight still fluctuates, Mr Lennon said since adopting a healthier lifestyle he had more confidence as well as a greater appreciation for life.
"I have much more energy, I focus better. Just generally I think you feel good," he said.
"I am probably never going to be a super fit person and I am not a gym junkie or anything like that.
"I just want to feel good about myself and to have the confidence that comes with being in reasonable shape.
"Whatever you do it has to be simple and something that you build into your daily life and into your daily routine.
"You will feel more energetic and I think it is better for your own personal relationships as well.
"Every now and then we all digress a little, but I think, 'don't give up if you have had a bad day'. If you fall off the bike, just get back on and you will feel better for it.
"Importantly, you will enjoy life more if you are healthy. Everybody, I think, accepts that."
