Carrying out Physical Activity as Part of the Active Forests Programme in England: What Encourages, Supports and Sustains Activity?-A Qualitative Study.

Liz O’Brien

doi:10.3390/ijerph16245118

Abstract

The Active Forests programme was developed through a partnership between Forestry England and Sport England. A three-year pilot programme focused on five forest sites ran from 2014. It was mainstreamed in April 2017 and is now running on eighteen forest sites in England in 2019. The aim of the programme is to encourage a physical activity habit, and participants can get involved in a wide range of activities from Nordic walking to mountain biking, Pilates, running, and Bootcamp in different scenic forests. The aim of the research was to identify the motivations, benefits and the overall experience participants had from their forest physical activity. As part of the programme, qualitative data was gathered through in-situ participant observation, and interviews or focus groups. One hundred and twenty people were involved in the research. The findings identify some of the key elements of the programme that encourage, support and in some instances help to sustain or change physical activity. These include participants gaining a wide range of wellbeing benefits; appropriate targeted activities; opportunities for progression; social connections; providing challenge; and a supportive atmosphere. There is evidence of participants sustaining and changing physical activity practices, however attribution of this to the Active Forests programme is not straightforward. The programme is also explored through the lens of social practice theory and its concepts of materials, competence, and meanings. The research highlights how a targeted physical activity programme can reach and involve a broad range of people from the already physically active to those who are less active.

Highlights

The British Heart Foundation states that physical inactivity is a global health crisis [1].Approximately 39% of United Kingdom (UK) adults are not meeting the recommendations of physical activity which is 150 min of moderate to vigorous intensity activity per week and two or more days of strength activities
The results are presented under the key thematic headings of motivations, enablers, benefits and practices; links to social practices theory are identified in the discussion section
The evidence highlights that motivations for people to be physically active in a forest environment and the benefits they gained were often very closely linked

Summary

Introduction

The British Heart Foundation states that physical inactivity is a global health crisis [1].Approximately 39% of United Kingdom (UK) adults are not meeting the recommendations of physical activity which is 150 min of moderate to vigorous intensity activity per week and two or more days of strength activities. The British Heart Foundation states that physical inactivity is a global health crisis [1]. The direct financial cost of physical inactivity to the UK is estimated to be £1.2 billion each year [1]. Physical activity can help to reduce cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, colon, and breast cancer, depression and dementia [2]. Heath et al [3] in a review of physical activity interventions found that programmes that promote physical activity can increase effectiveness if health agencies form partnerships and coordinate with several organisations; if environmental spaces can be created or enhanced to be conducive to access for physical activity; and if programmes increase social support for physical activity. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence provide national guidelines and advice to improve health and social care. Its guidelines on physical activity, walking and cycling, suggests that interventions to improve this type of activity

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Conclusion