Financial investment in physical activity projects as an implementation strategy of national policy of health promotion in Brazil

In 2006, Minister of Health of Brazil published the National Policy of Health Promotion which objectives to promote life quality and to reduce risk factors and vulnerabilities related with social determinants of health. Based on the principles and guidelines, were elected priorities: healthy diet, physical activity, tobacco control and prevention, morbidity and mortality reduction caused by alcohol and other drugs abusing, morbidity and mortality reduction caused by traffic injury, prevention of violence and sustainable development. The financial investment in physical activity intends to stimulate and structure projects in 27 states and municipalities which reduce sedentary levels of population. Minister of Health of Brazil adopts as an implementation strategy for physical activities projects a specific public call for proposals. In the first call, 2006, the result was 132 projects in the five macro-regions of the country, with one investment of US$ 2,5 million. The second one, in 2007, financiered 209 projects with US$ 8.3 million. All the states and municipalities financing were included in the National Physical Activity Network at Health System and were stimulated to guarantee sustainability and extending of the projects with their own resources what occurs in agreement with Single Health System directives and juridical principles. This year, Minister of Health innovated and gave to the municipalities and states the opportunity to enlarge the themes of Health Promotion investment. At the same time, ratified the commitment with sustainable expand of the Physical Activity Network at Health System, until the end of the year the expectation is financing 400 projects with more than US$ 13 million, that financial support put Health Promotion in the core of Brazilian Health System.