Conference Agenda

Background and Aim: Place-based partnerships are increasingly responsible for co-ordinating action to increase physical activity and reduce health inequalities. However, regional decision-making is often constrained by fragmented and inaccessible evidence. In Wales (UK), five Regional Sport Partnerships lead local physical activity and health promoting strategies. This project aimed to develop “State of the Region” reports for two Sport Partnerships, synthesising data on physical activity, health and sport to provide accessible regional intelligence to support policy and strategic planning. Methods: Two Sport Partnerships in Wales commissioned the Welsh Institute of Physical Activity, Health and Sport (WIPAHS) to undertake a regional data review. Development involved two phases: i) a stakeholder survey exploring access to and use of data; and ii) collation, analysis and visualisation of multiple datasets relating to physical activity, health and demographic inequalities, producing region-specific indicators, trend summaries and accessible data visualisations. Results: Stakeholders reported strong interest in using data but limited confidence in locating and interpreting datasets, with many requesting training and clearer access to regional insights. This led to the development of a series of training workshops. A key barrier was the lack of alignment between existing surveillance: datasets use inconsistent terminology and definitions (e.g, physical activity, exercise, fitness), limiting the ability to combine evidence and generate comparisons. Conclusions: Regional data synthesis can strengthen evidence-informed policy and strategic planning for physical activity. However, improving surveillance alignment and strengthening regional capacity to access and interpret data are critical for enabling partnerships to translate evidence into effective policy and practice.