A Structural Approach to Implement the Role of 'Physical Activity Counselors' in Sports and Exercise Promotion
Condition: Sedentary Lifestyle
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 4

Summary: 
      The primary aim of this study is to investigate how a physical activity counselor can offer
      an added value in the sports and exercise promotion in Flanders. The investigators will
      explore if the physical activity counselor, in collaboration with the setting of general
      practitioners and social-cultural associations, can refer sedentary people and persons who
      are active in a non-organized context, into systematic participation in sports and/or
      exercise. Additionally, the investigators want to determine if the physical activity
      counselor will succeed in referring the target population to the local supervised and
      structured sports and exercise activities.
    

Detailed description: 
      Being regularly physically active is a basic component of a healthy lifestyle. However, a
      large amount of the Flemish population does not reach the prescribed guidelines and cannot
      enjoy the health benefits related to an active lifestyle. One part of the population is
      physically active but makes no use of the existing, structured and supervised exercise and
      sports programs. Therefore the chance on lifetime participation in sports and exercise is
      quite low in this group. Another group consists of sedentary people that does not participate
      in any exercise or sports activity at all.

      A physical activity counselor can possibly deliver a crucial service for the above mentioned
      groups. He/she can design an individualized sports- or exercise approach and program. In the
      short term, the physical activity counselor can guide the participant into his first success
      experiences regarding exercise and sports. In the long term, the chance of remaining
      physically active will increase by improving the understanding and the self-confidence of
      these participants.

      However it is questioned how the physical activity counselor can reach these target groups in
      an efficient way, as the traditional sports and exercise promotion seems to have no impact on
      these persons. A first alternative may be the setting of the general practitioners. The
      general practitioner is, as a care provider in primary health care, in a good position to
      refer sedentary people or those who are active in a non-organized context to a physical
      activity counselor for 'minimal' coaching. A second alternative can be the setting of the
      social-cultural associations (e.g. seniors association, women association, neighborhood
      actions, …). The social context and the local networks in these associations facilitate the
      proper forms of motivation to exercise with other people and to adapt to a healthy lifestyle.
    

Intervention name(s): General Practitioners; Social-cultural organizations
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): The general practitioner can refer his patients to a physical activity counselor for an individual coaching (intake session with development of program and pretesting, follow up by e-mail or phone (max 4x), personal contact moments (max 3x) and exit session with evaluation and posttesting).; In the social-cultural organization, members can sign in for group sessions led by the physical activity counselor (intake session with development of program and pretesting, follow up by email or letters (max 4x), personal contact moments (max 4x) and exit session with evaluation and posttesting).
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Physical activity counselor; Active and healthy lifestyle; General Practitioner; Social-cultural Organization