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. 2021 Aug;125(8):1023-1030.
doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.05.011. Epub 2021 May 25.

Promoting health-enhancing physical activity in Europe: Surveillance, policy development and implementation 2015-2018

Stephen Whiting  1 , Romeu Mendes  2 , Sara Tribuzi Morais  3 , Peter Gelius  4 , Karim Abu-Omar  4 , Lea Nash  5 , Ivo Rakovac  6 , João Breda  6
Affiliations

Promoting health-enhancing physical activity in Europe: Surveillance, policy development and implementation 2015-2018

Stephen Whiting et al. Health Policy. 2021 Aug.

Abstract

In the European Union (EU), the low levels of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) and high levels of sedentary behaviour are a concerning public health issue common to all Member States. In 2013, the Council of the EU recognized the need for more data related to HEPA to support policymaking across the region and proposed a monitoring framework that included 23 indicators covering different themes relevant to HEPA promotion in the EU context. In 2014, the EU Physical Activity Focal Points Network was established to support the implementation of the monitoring framework and in 2015 and 2018 surveys were conducted to collect epidemiological and policy information related to HEPA for each Member State. This paper aims to provide an update on the status of HEPA policies and surveillance in the EU and describe the changes that have occurred since 2015. In 2018, all countries had implemented more than 10 indicators, 8/28 had implemented 20 or more indicators, and only one country had completed all 23 indicators. From 2015 to 2018, 19 indicators improved, one remained unchanged, and three regressed. From the country perspective, 17 improved the number of accomplished indicators, five maintained the indicators, and five worsened the number of indicators. Overall, there has been a clear increase in the number of countries implementing HEPA policies and strategies across the different sectors, although some heterogeneity between Members Sates was still observed. Implementation of regional physical activity strategies and the establishment of the EU-wide monitoring framework appears to have had an overall positive impact on HEPA policy development and implementation.

Keywords: Europe; Exercise; Health; Physical activity; Policy; Sports.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest None declared.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Number of implemented indicators across health-enhancing physical activity thematic areas by the European Union Member States. Map Source: EuroGeographics. Note: The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the European Union concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Comparison of the proportion of implementation of each health-enhancing physical activity indicator between 2015 and 2018.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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