Cavill, N 2010, National-level approaches to increasing participation in health-enhancing physical activity , PhD thesis, University of Salford.

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Abstract

Increasing participation in regular physical activity is a key public health goal in many countries, but there is little consensus among experts on effective, national population level strategies to change physical activity behaviour. This thesis brings together the findings from thirteen published articles, reports and book chapters, from a variety of disciplines and methodologies. It explores how public policy can be modified to support physical activity; the potential role of social marketing; the supportive changes that can be made to the natural and built environment; and interventions focused on increasing rates of walking and cycling. Evidence is presented in the context of the social ecological model, which describes multiple-level influences on health. The thesis shows that there is unlikely to be any single, simple, neat solution to the problem of physical inactivity. Shaping more active societies requires a comprehensive, system-wide, ecological approach, based on the best available evidence. Action should be taken that combines changes to public policy and the environment with social marketing, and a focus on walking and cycling. This needs to be based on a clearer understanding of the importance of physical inactivity, and a clearer and stronger commitment to tackle the problem at a societal level.

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