Our society has reached a pinnacle in physically inactive behavior, affecting all age groups and people from all socio-economic levels. This inactive lifestyle contributes to increasing health issues, decreased participation in society, work disability, and social isolation. Despite numerous efforts, effects of current programs are short-lived. This highlights that the sustainability of active behavior should be the target to change into an active lifestyle.
In our interdisciplinary project (psychology, pedagogy, sociology, data science) we will focus on one’s social network. Social networks (partners, peers, close others) have thus far not been systematically included into physical activity programs, despite its known crucial role on persistent changes in behavior. As second innovation we will target physical activity changes during major life transitions. These transitions bring about new roles, demands, and responsibilities and are known to have a major impact on people's active behavior.
In three studies we will focus on important life transitions: 1) children going from primary to secondary education, 2) adolescents starting an employment career, 3) combining mid-career with transition into parenthood. Next to the social network we will also scrutinise individual factors (motor proficiency, preferences, socioeconomic status) and the environmental context. We will use both, existing data-bases and collect new data on changes in activity during life transitions.
In close co-creation with our key-partners representing policy makers, sport providers, practitioners, and companies we will develop a tool that gives professionals (such as GPs, ‘buurtsportcoaches’, and teachers) an individualised advice on how to stimulate persons to become and remain physically active.
We envisage that our unique interdisciplinary approach that focusses on major life transitions in combination with the social network of the individual, and its subsequent implementation into practice, will eventually lead to the much needed solution to the widespread inactivity of people.
