Corporal practices/physical activity and public policies of health promotion

Abstract

Health promotion, understood as a strategy for the social production of health, must articulate and permeate public policies which influence the future of the urban quality of life. This great challenge involves intersectoral arrangements in public management, population empowerment, development of skills and competences, qualification, access to information, stimulus to an active citizenship, among other factors, so that the population recognizes its problems and their causes, and is able to claim for healthy public policies. To achieve this purpose, it is necessary that the government puts into operation a form of public management which takes into account the improvement in life, work, and cultural conditions, establishing a harmonious relationship with the environment and with the body. This relationship must involve social participation in joint management and in democracy. In this context, the insertion of a program of physical activities and corporal practices directed to the population must be based on a conception of Health Promotion supported by educational processes that go beyond knowledge transmission. It must be focused on facing difficulties, on the strengthening of the identity, and on the incorporation of creative solutions as well as healthy learning. The main objective of this paper is to reflect on health promotion policies related to corporal practices/physical activity and to provide a brief description of the activities developed in this area in the city of São Paulo.