Using concept mapping in the development of the EU-PAD framework (EUropean-Physical Activity Determinants across the life course): a DEDIPAC-study.
A large proportion of European children, adults and older adults do not engage in sufficient physical activity (PA). Understanding individual and contextual factors associated with PA behaviours is essential for the identification and implementation of effective preventative environments, policies, and programmes that can promote an active lifestyle across life course and can potentially improve health. The current paper intends to provide 1) a multi-disciplinary, Pan-European and life course view of key determinants of PA behaviours and 2) a proposal of how these factors may cluster.



After gathering a list of 183 potential PA behaviours-associated factors and a consensus meeting to unify/consolidate terminology, a concept mapping software was used to collate European experts' views of 106 identified factors for youth (<19 years), adults (19-64 years), and older adults (≥65 years). The analysis evaluated common trends in the clustering of factors and the ratings of the distinct factors' expected modifiability and population-level impact on PA behaviours across the life course. Priority for research was also assessed for each cluster.



The concept mapping resulted in six distinct clusters, broadly merged in two themes: 1) the 'Person', which included clusters 'Intra-Personal Context and Wellbeing' and 'Family and Social Economic Status' (42 % of all factors) and 2) the 'Society', which included the remaining four clusters 'Policy and Provision', 'Cultural Context and Media', 'Social Support and Modelling', and 'Supportive Environment' (58 % of all factors). Overall, 25 factors were rated as the most impactful on PA behaviours across the life course and being the most modifiable. They were mostly situated in the 'Intra-Personal Context and Wellbeing' cluster. Furthermore, 16 of them were rated as top priority for research.



The current framework provides a preliminary overview of factors which may account for PA behaviour across the life course and are most relevant to the European community. These insights could potentially be a foundation for future Pan-European research on how these factors might interact with each other, and assist policy makers to identify appropriate interventions to maximize PA behaviours and thus the health of European citizens.
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, P.za Lauro de Bosis, 15, 00135, Rome, Italy. giancarlo.condello@gmail.com.
Giancarlo
0000-0001-5092-3258
G
Condello
Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.|Institute of Sport, Exercise & Active Living, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
Fiona Chun Man
FC
Ling
Department of Psychology and Educational Science, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Antonino
A
Bianco
Institute for Applied Health Research, School of Health and Life Science, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK.
Sebastien
S
Chastin
Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Greet
G
Cardon
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics -Research Centre for Food and Nutrition, Rome, Italy.
Donatella
D
Ciarapica
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, P.za Lauro de Bosis, 15, 00135, Rome, Italy.
Daniele
D
Conte
Department of Human Sciences, Society, and Health, University of Cassino and Lazio Meridionale, Cassino, Italy.
Cristina
C
Cortis
Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Marieke
M
De Craemer
Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
Andrea
A
Di Blasio
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, P.za Lauro de Bosis, 15, 00135, Rome, Italy.
Masar
M
Gjaka
Department for Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.
Sylvia
S
Hansen
School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR)-Public Health Section, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Michelle
M
Holdsworth
Department of Epidemiology and Prevention. IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo: NEUROMED, Pozzilli, Italy.
Licia
L
Iacoviello
Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
Pascal
P
Izzicupo
Molecular Epidemiology Group, Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany.
Lina
L
Jaeschke
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, P.za Lauro de Bosis, 15, 00135, Rome, Italy.|Counselling and Evaluation of Social and Health Policies - CEVAS, Rome, Italy.
Liliana
L
Leone
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, P.za Lauro de Bosis, 15, 00135, Rome, Italy.
Livia
L
Manoni
Department of Applied Sciences in Physical Activity and Management, Catholic University of Valencia "San Vicente Mártir", Valencia, Spain.
Cristina
C
Menescardi
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, P.za Lauro de Bosis, 15, 00135, Rome, Italy.
Silvia
S
Migliaccio
Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine Rhône-Alpes, University of Lyon1, Lyon, France.
Julie-Anne
JA
Nazare
Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine Rhône-Alpes, University of Lyon1, Lyon, France.
Camille
C
Perchoux
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, P.za Lauro de Bosis, 15, 00135, Rome, Italy.
Caterina
C
Pesce
Department of Sustainable Urban Mobility & Safety, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek/Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Frank
F
Pierik
Molecular Epidemiology Group, Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany.
Tobias
T
Pischon
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics -Research Centre for Food and Nutrition, Rome, Italy.
Angela
A
Polito
Section of Hygiene - Institute of Public Health; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "Agostino Gemelli", L.go F. Vito, 1-00168, Rome, Italy.
Anna
A
Puggina
Department of Human Sciences, Society, and Health, University of Cassino and Lazio Meridionale, Cassino, Italy.
Alessandra
A
Sannella
Department for Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.
Wolfgang
W
Schlicht
Institute of Epidemiology I, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich/Neuherberg, Germany.
Holger
H
Schulz
Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine Rhône-Alpes, University of Lyon1, Lyon, France.
Chantal
C
Simon
Molecular Epidemiology Group, Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany.
Astrid
A
Steinbrecher
Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
Ciaran
C
MacDonncha
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, P.za Lauro de Bosis, 15, 00135, Rome, Italy.
Laura
L
Capranica
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D032921:Consensus; D004777:Environment; D005060:Europe; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012106:Research; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
Active lifestyles; Adults; Factors; Older adults; Priority for research; Youth