1. POPULATION APPROACHES TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROMOTION
Week 5

2. What you need to know
Population approaches to promoting physical activity
Strategies and examples of each:
Policy
Environmental
Mass media

3. Promoting Physical Activity
Two main categories of physical activity promotion
Individual approaches
Strategies to achieve individual behaviour change
Most research has focused on changing individual behaviours
Eg: theoretical models of individual behaviour change, print and web-based approaches, counselling
Population approaches
Strategies to achieve changes in large populations
Came about due to Ottawa Charter in 1986
Important to target large groups of people for health benefits
Eg: policy, environmental, mass media

4. Individual v. Population Approaches
Theoretical models (eg: Stages of Change)
Print and web-based media
Counselling
Population
Policy strategies
Environmental strategies
Mass media
Let’s focus on population approaches to physical activity promotion…

5. Policy Strategies Policy Legislation: formal, documented, governed
Laws, regulations, formal or informal rules, understandings
Guide individual and collective behaviour
Eg:
Legislation: formal, documented, governed
Eg: seat belt
Organisational policy: implemented in specific organisations
Eg: smoke-free schools

6. Environmental Strategies
Tailoring
Align strategy with the setting
Eg: bike rack in rural school v. urban school
Removing impediments to activity
Remove heavy traffic, stranger danger
Eg: install speed humps, 40km/h zones, Neighbourhood Watch program
Introducing new resources and facilities
Eg: Gyms/showers at workplace, footpaths/bike trails, playgrounds
Educational programs
Environmental programs are more effective when supported by educational programs
Eg: benefits to work output if you exercise linked with introduction of gyms at workplaces

7. Mass Media Strategies
Strategies that reach a group of people using a medium other than personal contact
The main benefit to the potential to advocate to large numbers of people at a low cost
Examples
Television broadcasts
Radio broadcasts
Billboards
Print media
Commercials at cinemas
Web-based interactive information

8. Mass Media Strategies Key roles
Increasing awareness of physical activity as a public health issue
Providing information on health benefits
Providing information about other non-health benefits
Providing information on the consequences of inactivity
Increasing interest in physical activity
Raising awareness of community-based programs
Motivating individuals to take action