#8Investments toolkit provides a roadmap for physical activity investment

A call to action for everyone, everywhere, including professionals, academics, civil society and decision makers, to embed physical activity in national and subnational policies

The International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) has released a series of reports, social media toolkits and podcasts highlighting 'Eight investments that work for physical activity'. The #8Investments toolkit is designed to provide a concise roadmap for physical activity investment and action around the world. 'It is a call to action for everyone, everywhere, including professionals, academics, civil society and decision makers, to embed physical activity in national and subnational policies', say the authors.

The toolkit focuses on increasing physical activity across settings, in schools, workplaces and healthcare, through inclusive sport and recreation for all, and investment in active transport systems and healthy built environments.

We have learnt from smoking and other public health concerns. In order to get change, we need to agree on what works and be clear in our messaging of this. This is what the #8Investments is designed to do

Access the main report here

Regarding the latter, the report cites a paper in the Lancet series on urban design, transport and health that recommends cities to actively pursue compact and mixed-use urban designs that encourage a transport modal shift away from private motor vehicles towards walking, cycling, and public transport. 

Readers are encouraged to advocate for a more physically active world by reading, sharing and endorsing the #8Investments documents, along with a suite of resources to support advocacy efforts.

ISPAH President, Professor of Active Living Environments at the University of Southern Denmark, Jasper Schipperijn commented “Globally, one in four adults and four in five adolescents are insufficiently active, accounting for more than five million deaths annually. It costs the global economy billions of dollars. In contrast to other public health concerns, such as tobacco control, progress in physical activity promotion has been slow. For example, the rate of smoking has continued to decline, but physical inactivity has stagnated over the last 20 years. So much so, that physical inactivity now poses a very similar population health threat as tobacco smoking,' Professor Schipperijn added.

'We have learnt from smoking and other public health concerns. In order to get change, we need to agree on what works and be clear in our messaging of this. This is what the #8Investments is designed to do,' Professor Schipperijn added.