Scaling up physical activity interventions across the globe: stepping up to larger and smarter approaches to get people moving

Abstract

The global pandemic of physical inactivity requires a multisectoral, multidisciplinary public health response. Scaling up interventions that are capable of increasing population levels of physical activity across the varying cultural, geographic, social and economic contexts around the world is challenging, but feasible. In this paper, we review the factors that could help to achieve this. We use a mixed-methods approach, including a systematic literature review complemented by an adapted qualitative Delphi process, to comprehensively examine these factors, drawing on the best available evidence from both 'evidence-to-practice' and 'practice-to-evidence' traditions. Policies to support active living across society — particularly outside the healthcare sector — are needed, as demonstrated by some of the successful examples of scale-up identified in the paper. Researchers, research funders, and practitioners and policymakers in culture, education, health, leisure, planning and transport, as well as civil society as a whole, all have a role to play. We should embrace this challenge of taking action to a higher level, aligning physical activity and health objectives with broader social, environmental and sustainable development goals.