Conference Agenda

Purpose: To explore the single-item physical activity (SIPA) question for adults in national population surveillance and in community-wide physical activity (PA) program evaluation. Given diverse changes to self-report measures, and increased pressure for device-based surveillance, the SIPA is explored for adoption in European PA surveillance systems. Previous research has shown the SIPA measure (days/week of 30mins MVPA) has similar reliability (0.6-0.8) and validity (0.3-0.5), similar to established self-report PA measures.

Methods: Analysis of the SIPA in three population-wide surveillance systems (Ireland, New Zealand, Australia), and in the evaluation of four large community-wide PA programs. The research questions were [i] whether the SIPA could correctly classify populations meeting PA guidelines established through existing self-report survey measures [using epidemiological methods - ROC curve analyses], and [ii] demonstrate the impact of community PA/sport programs.

Results: The SIPA can correctly classify populations as meeting physical activity guidelines (AUC values: New Zealand 0.81, Ireland 0.84, Australia 0.93, with Youden’s index 0.54-0.71). In the four large community programs, change in physical activity of between 0.2 days and 1.2 days was observed, indicating measurement responsiveness.

Conclusions/policy relevance: The single-item PA question is affordable, low respondent burden, has acceptable measurement properties for long-term adoption by national and regional PA surveillance surveys. In addition it is an inexpensive option for use in non-health data collections, and for standardised, comparable assessment of the impact across community-wide PA programs.

Acknowledge 14 co-contributors providing country/project data for this analysis: K.Owen/ S.Messing/ B.Cullen/H.Macdonald/ L.Nettlefold/ J.Richards/ C.Vandelanotte/ J.Van Buskirk/A.van Itallie/P.O’Halloran/ M.Nicholson/ E.Staley/ E.Randle/H.McKay

Background: Visually impaired (VI) individuals are often reported as having lower levels of physical activity (PA) than their sighted peers.

Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to identify and synthesize available literature on the barriers and facilitators to PA among VI individuals. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of factors influencing PA levels in this cohort.

Methods: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies involving VI adults (≥18 years old) published in English language were included. A comprehensive search strategy identified relevant studies in EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, and included studies published between October 2004 and October 2024 using search words related to barriers and facilitators to PA in VI individuals. The quality of studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool (MMAT). Extracted data was coded and analysed thematically. Resulting themes were mapped onto a Socioecological model (SEM) across intrapersonal, interpersonal, organisational, social, policy, and community levels.

Results: This review included 18 studies (10 qualitative, 6 quantitative and 2 mixed-methods studies). Synthesis identified 28 themes (14 barriers and 14 facilitators), across all levels of the SEM. The most cited barriers were under the community level (n=12), while facilitators were predominately identified under the interpersonal level (n=10).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that there are multiple interconnected barriers and facilitators to PA among this cohort. A systems-based approach is required to tackle this issue involving multiple levels of action from public awareness to infrastructure design and inclusive adapted opportunities to engage in PA.

Purpose
Systems approaches are increasingly promoted in international public health policy, including through the WHO Global Action Plan on Physical Activity, to address complex challenges such as physical inactivity and health inequalities. However, there is limited empirical understanding of how these approaches are understood and enacted. This study asks: how are systems approaches within physical activity policy interpreted and operationalised across national contexts?

Methods
Semi-structured online interviews will be conducted with 10 national-level policy actors within government or national agencies, working in physical activity policy. Participants will be purposively sampled to capture variation in national approaches. Interviews will explore interpretations of systems approaches, how these are reflected in national policy, and contextual influences on implementation. Interviews will be transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis, supported by review of national physical activity policy documents.

Results
Comparative analysis will identify key dimensions shaping national approaches, including governance arrangements, policy framing and cultural contexts. The analysis is expected to illuminate how these dimensions influence the extent to which systems thinking is reflected in policy design and implementation, including whether approaches remain programmatic or address relational dynamics. Insights will inform the development of a preliminary diagnostic framework, which aims to complement existing global surveillance of physical activity policy by providing means to interpret national approaches, highlighting strengths, gaps and opportunities for action.

Conclusions
By examining variation across national contexts, this research aims to contribute to context-sensitive understanding of systems approaches and provide insights to support more effective design and implementation of physical activity policy.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to draw on a policy perspective to understand how systems thinking and specifically the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity (GAPPA) can be used in real world settings to tackle physical inactivity.

Project Description: The WHO identifies that 27% of adults are not physically active and 80% of young people do not meet the required levels of physical activity with non- participation worse among certain populations. In Wales, inactivity follows this pattern, with too few adults physically active and children also at risk of not meeting the national targets. Evidence show this to be an increasingly intractable public policy issue which is often referred to as a ‘wicked issue’ in which ‘hard to reach groups’ including women and girls; people with disabilities; those living in poverty and ethnic minority communities record even lower activity levels.

Methods: Research was undertaken in Wales over two phases between 2024 and 2025. It involved mixed methods research in a real-world setting. Findings are drawn from the quantitative and qualitative research and offer insights into understanding systems thinking from a policy perspective.

Conclusions and implications: Adopting a policy perspective to understand physical inactivity is seen as an opportunity. There is a need to navigate a complex policy landscape which examines both formal and informal analysis. There are synergies in adopting GAPPA as it helps shift the analysis away from a binary approach of either top-down or bottom-up policy analysis towards one which realises the connectedness of the system.

Background

This study examines the feasibility of integrating a Physical Activity (PA) intervention into Switzerland’s Disability Insurance (DI), a compulsory social insurance aimed at rehabilitating individuals with chronic disabilities. Although PA is known to enhance health and support reintegration by mobilising preserved capacities, its role within SI systems remains underexplored. This exploratory case study investigates how PA could be implemented as an innovative reintegration measure for DI beneficiaries Switzerland.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with officials from the cantonal DI offices of Fribourg, Geneva and Vaud. The interview guide addressed participants’ professional trajectories, beneficiary profiles, existing interventions, and legal and practical possibilities for introducing PA programmes. Special attention was paid to interviewees’ conceptions, practices and attitudes toward PA. Interview transcripts were analysed through qualitative discourse analysis informed by categories derived from the Swiss DI Act.

Results

Findings indicate that the Swiss legal framework provides sufficient flexibility to incorporate PA as a socio-professional reintegration measure. Respondents highlighted the strong alignment between DI objectives and PA promotion. PA may be particularly suitable during the first year of DI support and for young adults. However, wider adoption of PA programs would require addressing professionals’ attitudes and raising awareness of complementarities between DI goals and PA promotion.

Conclusions

Socio-professional PA interventions could reach 200,000 Swiss DI beneficiaries. As vulnerable groups face elevated risks of multimorbidity, ensuring long-term access to low-cost intervention requires social welfare actors to recognise shared interests between social insurance and PA promotion and support their integration into DI practice.

Funding

UNIL

Background:
Nature-based interventions (NBIs) contribute to the prevention of non-communicable diseases and support health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA). While NBIs are increasingly integrated into healthcare systems, stakeholder engagement and role remain underrepresented. This scoping review aimed to map and synthesise evidence on stakeholder involvement in the development and implementation of nature-based interventions within healthcare contexts.

Methods:
A six-stage scoping review framework was applied in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE (ProQuest), Nursing & Allied Health Database (EBSCO), Scopus, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria addressed stakeholders (Population), nature-based interventions (Concept), and healthcare settings (Context). The final stage included semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals (N = 6). Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results:
From 2,152 screened records and 109 full texts, 28 studies were included. Identified stakeholders comprised healthcare professionals, link workers, community organisations, environmental practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and service users. Engagement across development and implementation stages enhanced accessibility to green spaces, contextual adaptation of HEPA programmes, and cross-sector coordination. Barriers included fragmented governance, limited funding, unequal access to green spaces, and insufficient integration of 24-hour movement behaviour principles.

Conclusions:
Effective stakeholder engagement is essential for integrating NBIs into healthcare to promote HEPA and address non-communicable diseases. Cross-sector collaboration, equitable access to green spaces, and sustainable governance structures are critical for embedding nature-based HEPA strategies within 24-hour movement frameworks and urban health policies.

Background and aim of the study: In Australia, injury is one of the main barriers to women’s participation in organised sport and physical activity, yet its role among physically inactive women remains poorly understood. This study aimed to describe the demographic characteristics of women reporting injury as a barrier, identify affected body regions and participation impacts, and examine associations with injury-affected status.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by women aged≥18 years who participated in social sport programs in Victoria, Australia. Data included demographic, physical activity and injury-related measures. Analyses included physically inactive women who undertook ≤150 minutes of physical activity per-week and had complete injury-status data. Descriptive statistics characterised participants; logistic regression examined associations with injury-affected status.

Results: Of 1,339 physically inactive women (82.7% of respondents), 279 (20.8%) were injury-affected. The knee (39.0%), lower back (29.9%), and ankle (24.7%) were the most common injury sites. Univariate associations were observed for geographical location, education, income, parental status, and regular physical activity confidence; in the multivariate model, only lower income and lower confidence remained associated with higher odds of injury-affected status (OR=1.84–3.28, p<0.05).

Conclusions: Injury/pain was reported as a barrier by one in five physically inactive women participating in social sport, with socioeconomic disadvantage and low physical activity confidence associated with injury-affected status. Health-enhancing physical activity initiatives should incorporate tailored, gender-responsive injury prevention and management strategies that address structural inequities and build confidence for sustained participation.

​Support/Funding Source: VicHealth and participating VicHealth-funded sport organisations.