Managing sport-for-development and healthy lifestyles: The sport-for-health model

Nico Schulenkorf,Katja Siefken

doi:10.1016/j.smr.2018.09.003

Nico Schulenkorf, Katja Siefken

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2018.09.003

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Abstract

With increased globalization and modernization of people’s lives, lifestyle behavior has changed substantially in many countries around the world. This change has brought two key behavior modifications: a reduction in physical activity and an increase in unhealthy eating patterns. Consequently, non-communicable diseases have overtaken communicable diseases as a key health risk area. In response to this issue, healthy lifestyle initiatives and sport-for-development (SFD) programs are now implemented across the world, including projects in the heavily affected Pacific Islands region. In this paper, the authors critically reflect on their lived experiences and the underpinning management processes of the Wokabaot Jalens, a health-focused SFD initiative in Vanuatu. The authors propose the sport-for-health model as a flexible conceptual tool that establishes the nexus between sport management, health promotion, sociocultural development, policy, and sustainability. The authors provide practical and theoretical implications and suggest that the model can underpin and conceptually support other SFD initiatives—and specifically health-related development projects—in the Pacific region and beyond.

Highlights

In recent decades, a remarkable shift in lifestyle1 behavior has occurred around the world
Approximately 44% of all deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) occur before the age of 70, and according to the WHO (2018a), targeted initiatives that focus on reducing key risk factors could prevent up to 80% of
The pacific island countries are affected by the consequences of lifestyle changes and the resulting NCD crisis; for example, recent health surveys indicate that nations such as American Samoa, Tokelau, and Nauru have overweight and obesity rates of between 82 and 93.5% and diabetes rates of up to a staggering 47.3% (World Health Organization for the Western Pacific Region [WPRO], 2007a, b, c)

Summary

Introduction

A remarkable shift in lifestyle behavior has occurred around the world. The combination of technical knowledge (provided by sport and health management experts) as well as the cultural knowledge (provided by local communities) plays a key role in achieving relevant, meaningful, and sustainable development outcomes (e.g., Schulenkorf, 2012; Sherry, Schulenkorf, & Chalip, 2015) This argument is supported by sport for development theory, which highlights the need for an inclusive, collaborative environment to best manage the organizational and impact assessment aspects of SFD across time and space (Lyras & Welty Peachey, 2011). The new model will have an explicit focus on healthy lifestyles—including regular physical activity and healthy diet—that are seen as critical elements for community development in the Pacific region and beyond This explicit focus makes the model distinct from previous conceptual and theoretical proposals in the SFD space where programs have tended to contribute implicitly to health through the staging of sport projects or events. The authors remained open to emerging patterns and trends throughout the ongoing analysis process, which—after critical discussion and reflection on their lived program experiences—led to the development of sustainability as the fifth critical aspect

The sport-for-health model

Findings

Final remarks