Changes to men’s walking and the contribution of walking to self-reported physical activity in the EuroFIT programme

Bibliographic Data

ID21323561
AuthorsØystein Røynesdal (0000-0002-9098-7261, NLA University College, corresponding author), Eivind Andersen (0000-0003-1718-6430, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences), Hugo V Pereira (0000-0001-5710-524X, Hospital da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal), Sally Wyke (0000-0002-7509-8247, University of Glasgow), Cindy M Gray (0000-0002-4295-6110, University of Glasgow), Judith G M Jelsma (0000-0001-7943-9160, Amsterdam University Medical Centers), Judith GM Jelsma (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Kate Hunt (0000-0002-5873-3632, University of Stirling), Nanette Mutrie (0000-0002-5018-6398, Moray House School of Education and Sport, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK), Marlene N Silva (0000-0003-4734-0283, CIDEFES – Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon, Portugal), Marit Sørensen (0000-0002-4878-6191, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences), Glyn C Roberts (Norwegian School of Sport Sciences), Hidde P van der Ploeg (0000-0002-3719-5249, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Femke Van Nassau (0000-0002-3726-550X, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
Year2025
Volume84
Issue3
Pages293-307
Publication date2025-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Education Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0017-8969 • E-ISSN: 1748-8176
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00178969251323509
OpenAlexW4408550147
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited34

Objective: Gender-sensitive approaches to increasing men’s physical activity (PA) through sports settings have shown promise across cultural contexts. We examined changes to men’s walking and the contribution of walking towards self-reported PA after participating in the men-only European Fans in Training (EuroFIT) programme before exploring men’s experiences of sustaining walking to explain the quantitative findings. Design: A sequential mixed-methods design was used to collect self-reported PA questionnaire data as part of a randomised controlled trial at baseline, post-programme and 12-month follow-up, together with focus groups with participants. Setting: EuroFIT was delivered by football club/community coaches to overweight fans in football clubs across England, the Netherlands, Portugal and Norway. Results: Linear regression modelling demonstrated that self-reported walking was significantly higher at both post-programme (426 metabolic equivalents [METs], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 287–565, p < .001) and at 12-month follow-up (343 METs, 95% CI: 205–482, p < .001) in all countries in favour of the intervention group, despite a large decline in Norway from post-programme to follow-up. The contribution of walking towards total PA did not change after participating in EuroFIT. Qualitative analysis indicated that most men were positive about walking and had embodied learning from the EuroFIT programme, but also that some men also considered walking a transitional activity towards other more intensive forms of PA. Conclusion: EuroFIT succeeded in helping overweight, male football fans increase walking as part of their self-reported total PA. Although the percentage of walking in relation to total PA remained the same for participants in both groups, EuroFIT helped men to integrate walking into their daily lives

Developmental psychology · Physical activity · Physical medicine and rehabilitation · Physical therapy · Cardiovascular and exercise physiology · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Physical Activity and Health · Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access