A retrospective analysis of policy development on compliance with World Health Organization's physical activity recommendations between 2002 and 2005 in European Union adults: Closing the gap between research and policy

MAYO, X., DEL VILLAR, F., IGLESIAS-SOLER, E., LIGUORI, G., MANN, S. and JIMENEZ GUTIERREZ, Alfonso (2018). A retrospective analysis of policy development on compliance with World Health Organization's physical activity recommendations between 2002 and 2005 in European Union adults: Closing the gap between research and policy. BMC Public Health, 18 (1), p. 1081.

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Open Access URL: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5986-4 (Published version)
Link to published version:: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5986-4

Abstract

© 2018 The Author(s). Background: Physical inactivity (PIA) is a mortality risk factor defined as performing lower levels of physical activity than recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). After 2002, the WHO released the WHA55.23 Resolution and the Global Strategy which produced several changes in policymaking, but with no subsequent analyses of the impact of these changes in European Union (EU) policymaking while examining PIA prevalence. Methods: PIA of 31,946 adults as a whole sample and country-by-country were analyzed in the 2002 and 2005 EU Special Eurobarometers. PIA prevalence between countries was performed with the χ2 test and PIA between both years and between genders was analyzed with the Z-Score test for two population proportions. A retrospective analysis of national plans was performed to interpret the suitability of such policy documents, considering changes in PIA prevalence. Results: Differences in PIA prevalence were observed between countries (p < 0.001) and years (p < 0.001) for the whole sample and men and women separately. Within-country samples showed no differences for Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Portugal, and Spain (p > 0.05). When considering gender, there were no gender reductions in subsamples for Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and United Kingdom, neither in Luxemburg for men, nor in France and Italy for women. When analyzing gender differences across the entire sample, PIA was higher in women than men for both years (p < 0.001). Greece and Luxemburg did not release national plans for promoting physical activity. Conclusions: While large differences in PIA prevalence between EU countries prevailed, the overall PIA descended between both years for the whole sample, men, and women. While this points out a general suitability of policymaking for reducing PIA, not all countries reported reductions in PIA for men, women, or both genders. Also, PIA levels were higher for women in both years, suggesting a less than optimal policy implementation, or lack of women-specific focus across the EU. This analysis helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of PIA policymaking in the EU and provides researchers with targeted intervention areas for future development.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Physical inactivity; National guidelines; Policy documents; Policy delivery; National guidelines; Physical inactivity; Policy delivery; Policy documents; Adult; European Union; Exercise; Female; Guideline Adherence; Guidelines as Topic; Health Policy; Humans; Male; Policy Making; Research; Retrospective Studies; Sedentary Behavior; Sex Factors; World Health Organization; Humans; Exercise; Retrospective Studies; Sex Factors; Research; European Union; Health Policy; Adult; World Health Organization; Policy Making; Guideline Adherence; Female; Male; Guidelines as Topic; Sedentary Lifestyle; 1117 Public Health and Health Services; Public Health
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5986-4
Page Range: p. 1081
SWORD Depositor: Symplectic Elements
Depositing User: Symplectic Elements
Date Deposited: 24 Aug 2020 11:50
Last Modified: 17 Mar 2021 23:33
URI: https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/26513

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