Promoting Physical Activity at the Community Level: Insights into Health Promotion Practice from the Laval Walking Clubs Experience

Abstract

In an effort to develop a model of best practices, we deconstruct a successful initiative to promote physical activity at the community level that originated from a public health directorate located in a suburban city adjacent to a metropolis. The main thrust of the intervention consisted of creating walking clubs throughout the area of the public health directorate to provide an alternative physical activity service to sedentary adults. The deconstruction of the initiative and its associated procedures was developed through an extensive interview of the public health official in charge of the initiative and through an examination of archival materials. We conclude that a model of best practices to promote physical activity at the community level should be ecological and therefore should include intervention components to mobilize the community around physical activity, coordinate existing municipal and community organizations, and provide ongoing support to volunteer club directors.