Welcome to the Holsworth Research Initiative. Part of La Trobe University’s Rural Health School, the Initiative aims to tackle alarming rates of insufficient physical activity leading to chronic disease, particularly among rural and regional Australians.
Our donors
Our Initiative is named in honour of Bendigo residents, Dr William and Mrs Carol Holsworth, who have made a philanthropic donation to help establish the Initiative. The Initiative aims to research ways to improve physical activity in rural and regional Australians, under three key themes, Human Performance, Active Individuals and Active Communities.
When we launched the Initiative in late 2019 we did not foresee the COVID-19 outbreak, which has proved a set back for our research program and our plans to open an exercise physiology clinic on the La Trobe Bendigo campus. However we are now getting our back on track and in coming months we’ll put the spotlight on our researchers and their projects.
Promoting the benefits of exercise
As Dr Holsworth noted, when launching the Initiative:
One of the obstacles in (the Bendigo) region is capacity and less opportunities for individuals to undertake this research. We’re trying to motivate people to become more active and get the benefits of physical exercise and activity.
As Director of the La Trobe Holsworth Research Initiative, Professor Michael Kingsley, said:
Whether we exercise every day, or barely leave our homes, the vast majority of us aren’t active enough, or doing the most efficient and effective forms of exercise. This research will look at what people across the whole activity spectrum are currently doing and why – and how we can improve things to help them lead happier and healthier lives.
In the post-COVID-19 world, this research aim is even more important! We look forward to sharing our research with you over the years to come.
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