Is walking netball an effective, acceptable and feasible method to increase physical activity and improve health in middle- to older age women?: A RE-AIM evaluation

Participant Experiences With a Community-Based, "Older Adult" Walking Football Initiative in Australia: A Qualitative Exploration

Despite the growing popularity of walking sports, little is known about who is attracted to them, and what skills, motivations, and experiences encourage ongoing participation. The aim of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of walking football in Australia. The authors first conducted semistructured interviews with 53 older adults (M = 62.37 years, 30.19% female) participating in walking football in Australia. Next, they conducted thematic analysis to develop themes that represented participant perspectives. Results indicated that walking football led to several physical benefits, but the social and mental benefits seemed to be more closely associated with continued participation. The slower pace of walking football created a valuable option to engage in physical activity among those with injuries or severe health issues, as well as older adults concerned about injuries. The slower pace also shifted the focus of walking football away from fitness and ability, and toward technique and skill development, and this focus, along with the mix in abilities, led to informal coaching and mentoring roles which were highly valued among older participants. Participant views about competition in walking football were diverse, with some expressing a mild concern. Understanding such diverse experiences of walking football helps to better understand how different aspects of the sport influence the perceived benefits and likelihood of continuing for different people. Using these findings to further develop walking sports in Australia could have large impacts on the health and well-being of older people.

A 3-Month Modified Basketball Exercise Program as a Health-Enhancing Sport Activity for Middle-Aged Individuals

Recreational team sports have received great acceptance lately, in different populations, indicating encouraging results in health-related quality of life. This study examined the efficacy of a 3-month basketball exercise program on selected indices of health (body mass-BM, body fat-BF, blood pressure-BP), functional capacity (flexibility of lower and upper limbs, balance), and physical fitness (maximum strength of lower limbs, trunk and handgrip, aerobic capacity) in middle-aged individuals. Forty middle-aged individuals (males and females; 40-55 years old) were randomly divided into (a) exercise (EG; n = 20) and (b) control groups (CG; n = 20). The EG followed a 3-month modified basketball exercise program (2 times/week; 24 training units), including different basketball drills with and without the ball (dribbling, passing, pivot, stops, etc.), to improve participants' health and physical fitness. Repeated measures ANOVA showed that the EG significantly increased their flexibility (17.23-74.88%; p < 0.001), static balance (44.76-54.69%; p < 0.001), and strength of lower limbs and trunk (11.67-13.13%; p < 0.001), while reducing BP (7.31-12%; p < 0.001), heart rate and RPE (5.30-34.37%; p < 0.001), and time during time-up-and-go test (-10.91%; p < 0.001). Handgrip strength, BM, and BF did not change following the program in the EG (p > 0.05). In the CG, the above variables remained stable. In conclusion, this program may be used to eliminate the detrimental effects of aging on health, functional capacity, and physical fitness parameters.

What determines participation in sport for older adults in England: A multilevel analysis of Active Lives data

Physical inactivity within an ageing population is an ongoing public health concern for policymakers. Engagement in sport forms a foundation of policy designed to encourage physical activity participation and improve health and wellbeing. This study aimed to (i) understand the extent to which older adults participate in sport and the (ii) correlates that predict this involvement within an English population sample of older adults. A further aim was (iii) to examine the extent in which sports participation may vary due to the opportunity provided across Active Partnerships in England. To address this, a multi-level analysis framed through COM-B was conducted of the 2021 English Active Lives dataset (i.e., during the COVID-19 pandemic). The Active Lives survey provides population-level insight into sport, exercise, and physical activity participation across England. It samples upwards of n = 180,000 participants beyond the age of 16 years and asks questions on factors that influence participation. Our findings drawn from a sample of n = 68,808 older adults (i.e., >60-years of age) indicate that when accounting for variation across regions sports participation was significantly predicted by age (β = -.246, p = .040) and multiple deprivation (β  = .706, p = .030). Further, our analysis suggests sports participation across regions is associated with changes in the perceptions of opportunity to participate (β = -28.70, p = .001). As the UK transitions from the COVID-19 pandemic, findings have implications for the promotion of sports participation for older adults, in that local, regional, and national stakeholders must do more to change perceptions of social and physical opportunity within an ageing population. This may be achieved through adaptations to the recreational sporting landscape, raising awareness, and supportive policy changes on a national level.

Predictors of intentions of adults over 35 years to participate in walking sport programs: A social-ecological mixed-methods approach

There is a growing need to identify acceptable and feasible opportunities to engage adults over 35 years in physical activity. Walking sports may be a potential means to engage adults in sport; however, there is limited evidence regarding appeal and feasibility to support its implementation and delivery. Using a two-step mixed-methods approach, we aimed (1) to quantitively identify significant predictors of intentions of adults over 35 years to participate in walking sports and (2) to understand why and how these identified predictors may be contextually relevant to the target group. In phase one, 282 adults over 35 years (M_age  = 46.08, SD = 9.75) without prior experience of walking sports completed an online questionnaire assessing personal, psychosocial, program-related, and environmental predictors, and intentions to participate in walking sports. Hierarchical multiple linear regressions showed that perceived health status, attitudes, subjective norms, and distance of venue were significant predictors of intentions. In phase two, interviews with a subset of 17 participants indicated that, when implementing walking sport programs, program labeling, fear of the unknown, and individual differences in the appeal of walking sport warrant consideration. Together, these findings offer insight into the complex interplay of personal, psychosocial, program-related, and environmental predictors of adults' intentions to participate in walking sports. Addressing these elements of a walking sport program would make such programs more appealing to potential participants, and ultimately, more feasible and sustainable to conduct in the long run.

"More than just a walk in the park": A multi-stakeholder qualitative exploration of community-based walking sport programmes for middle-aged and older adults

In spite of the large-scale growth of walking sport (WS) programmes globally, limited research has explored the experiences of the key stakeholders involved in such programmes (i.e. decision-makers, facilitators, and players). We aimed to explore stakeholder experiences of community-based WS programmes to better understand the appeal of such sport options for middle-aged and older adults, and propose tentative recommendations for the feasibility and sustainability of these types of programmes. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 stakeholders who were involved with WS programmes in Australia as decision-makers, facilitators, and/or players. Data were analysed with reflexive thematic analysis. Four key themes pertaining to the WS experience were identified - 'a renewed lease of life', 'navigating ageing stereotypes', 'tension between organisational demands and players' needs', and 'WS facilitators as catalysts of success'. Specifically, we found that WS participation enabled a positive ageing discourse for middle-aged and older adults. WS players had to negotiate stereotypes that, at times, were perceived as participation barriers. We also noted some tensions between the demands of sport organisations and the needs of middle-aged and older adults regarding sport participation. Finally, we also noted the importance of the facilitators' role in increasing accessibility of, and long-term participation in, such programmes. We suggest that to offer feasible and sustainable community-based WS programmes across Australia, incompatibilities across various stakeholders' perspectives need to be addressed.

A Call for Action on Chronic Respiratory Diseases within Physical Activity Policies, Guidelines and Action Plans: Let's Move!

Global policy documents for the promotion of physical activity (PA) play an important role in the measurement, evaluation, and monitoring of population PA levels. The World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines include, for the first time, recommendations for specific populations, including individuals living with a range of non-communicable diseases. Of note, is the absence of any chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) within the recommendations. Globally, CRDs are highly prevalent, are attributable to significant individual and societal burdens, and are characterised by low PA. As a community, there is a need to come together to understand how to increase CRD representation within global PA policy documents, including where the evidence gaps are and how we can align with PA research in other contexts. In this commentary, the potential for synergy between evidence into the relationships between PA in CRDs globally and the relevance to current policies, guidelines and action plans on population levels of PA are discussed. Furthermore, actions and considerations for future research, including the need to harmonize and promote PA assessment (particularly in low- and middle-income countries) and encompass the synergistic influences of PA, sedentary behaviour and sleep on health outcomes in CRD populations are presented.