Promotion of Physical Activity in Cooperation of the State and the Voluntary Sector: Basic Study of the Sport for All Development Plan in Estonia 2011 – 2014

Promotion of physical activity in cooperation of the state and the voluntary sector: Basic study of the Sport for All Development Plan in Estonia 2011 – 2014

Peeter Lusmägi

The Estonian Olympic Committee

University of Tallinn, Estonia

Author’s contribution:

A) conception and design of the study

B) acquisition of data

C) analysis and interpretation of data

D) manuscript preparation

Annotation. The cost of treatment of diseases caused by insufficient physical exercise and unhealthy lifestyle nowadays is continuously increasing. Only 36% of adults are getting sufficient regular physical exercise in Estonia. This number is small compared to other countries of the European cultural environment, as in Scandinavian and Central European countries, more than half of the population consider themselves regular sports amateurs. The objective of this article is to describe the presumptions of the Sport for All Development Plan 2011 – 2014 which has been prepared in cooperation of the central government of the state and the voluntary sector, and to analyse the proposals made by 115 experts who participated in focus groups for increasing physical activity among the population of Estonia. Relying on the socio-ecological model, the study results in instructions which the public and voluntary sectors should implement on individual, interpersonal, organisational, community and political levels in order to achieve the goal specified in the development plan, to involve 45% of the Estonian population in regular exercise by the year 2014.

Keywords: physical activity, socio-ecological model, environment, health improvement, state endorsed programs

Introduction

Physical exercise may be considered as an inseparable component of the sustainability and wellbeing of the society, fulfilling the functions of the improvement of health and physical capability, socialisation, and improvement of economic efficiency. At the same time, physical exercise also satisfies the generally increasing need of the society for efficient rest, communication, self actualisation, etc.

In Estonia, sports federations have lately started to show signs of increased activity, new exercise formats are being implemented, and several top-level events are emerging and expanding, however, not even half of the population has been involved in physical exercise so far. Studies conducted in Estonia during the course of the last 10 years indicate relatively low levels of physical activity in the population (Culture consumption studies 2003; Studies of national health behaviour 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011).  In a study ordered by the central government of the United States of America, scientists concluded that a positive effect on human health can be achieved through at least 150 minutes of moderately intensive or 75 minutes of intensive physical exercise a week (The Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee, 2008).

Based on the Eurobarometer study, 39% of the Estonian population is not involved in any kind of physical exercise. In Sweden, the respective indicator was 6%, in Finland 7%, in Denmark 18%, in Slovenia 22% and in Ireland 26% (Eurobarometer, 2010). Physical exercise has failed to become an everyday routine for most of the people in Estonia.

Increasing physical activity requires a change of thought from all people involved as well as current knowledge of the possibilities of physical exercise. In the year 2005, I cooperated with professor emeritus Mait Arvisto of the University of Tallinn and officials Tõnu Seil and Margus Jurkatamm of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Estonia to develop the Sport for All Development Plan 2006-2010 which the government of the Republic of Estonia endorsed with its regulation on 30.03.2006. As a result, the financing of the area of physical exercise increased during the period of 2005 – 2008 to a level of 0.99 million Euros, i.e. by 35%, and several new activities were initiated: campaigns, physical exercise training courses, publishing, and Internet based programs. By the beginning of the year 2010, the number of people regularly involved in physical exercise (at least twice a year, 60 minutes in total) has increased to a level of 36% of the adult population, i.e. approximately six per cent.

The objective of the article is to describe the preconditions of the document “Sport for All Development Plan 2011 – 2014”, established for the next four years, and analyse the problems of this field as pointed out by various interest groups as well as the preferred development possibilities. The development plan was prepared as per order of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Estonia over the period of 2010 – 2011; for which reason I cooperated with employees of the ministry, Tiina Beljaeva and Mall Maasik.

Based on the recommendation of the State Chancellery to pay more attention to the involvement of organisations dealing with the promotion of health and physical exercise, we decided to use focus group interviews as a qualitative method for making the development plan. We conducted ten interviews with 115 participants from various sports organisations (federations, associations, organisers of major events, clubs) and the social sphere (the Ministry of Social Affairs and its sub-offices, health promoters). By reviewing the theoretical framework and conducting interviews we were looking for answers to the following research questions: What are the expectations of the interest groups regarding the goals and fields of activity of physical exercise in Estonia for the period of 2011 – 2014?

In the first chapter of the article I will describe the socio-ecological model which we used as the basis for conducting focus group interviews and preparing the development plan for physical exercise. In the second chapter I will explain the research analysis methods and in the third provide a description of the expectations of the interest groups regarding the objectives and areas of activity of the Sport for All Development Plan 2011 – 2014.

Theoretical grounds

Socio-ecological model

During the course of preparing the Sport for All Development Plan 2011 – 2014, I was guided by the socio-ecological model which demonstrates that by influencing political decisions on the local or central government levels it is possible to facilitate a broader acceptance of physical exercise or other individual patterns of behaviour, for example (Green & Kreuter, 1999).