By John Considine
A recent paper from the British Journal of Sports Medicine includes a frank assessment of the research into the economics of physical inactivity. The 16 authors ask, and answer, the question: “what is the evidence to indicate that interventions can provide value for money?” They imagine a situation where policy makers ask this question of the exercise medicine community. And, the answer is … “to date we have limited high-quality health economic evidence for accurately ascertaining the value for money of various intervention strategies targeted at physical activity”.
However, the authors are positive about the potential for new and improved work. For example, the difficulties with self-reported physical activity can now be overcome with instruments such as “pedometers, accelerometers and devices such as ActivePA1 or GPS”. Technology can also aid in lowering the cost of community campaigns, e.g. via mass-media and other social media.
Given the research to date, the paper presents the seven best investments for promoting physical activity. These are (1) schools programmes; (2) transportation policies and systems; (3) urban design and infrastructure; (4) physical activity built into primary prevention strategies; (5) public education; (6) community programmes and (7) ‘sport for all’. When one thinks about it they seem to make a lot of sense.
However, the authors are positive about the potential for new and improved work. For example, the difficulties with self-reported physical activity can now be overcome with instruments such as “pedometers, accelerometers and devices such as ActivePA1 or GPS”. Technology can also aid in lowering the cost of community campaigns, e.g. via mass-media and other social media.
Given the research to date, the paper presents the seven best investments for promoting physical activity. These are (1) schools programmes; (2) transportation policies and systems; (3) urban design and infrastructure; (4) physical activity built into primary prevention strategies; (5) public education; (6) community programmes and (7) ‘sport for all’. When one thinks about it they seem to make a lot of sense.
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