Needs Assessment
Contents |
>> Next: Research Design
Background
SPARC is the main government agency responsible for promoting physical activity in New Zealand.
Awareness of the importance of physical activity is already high. The Push Play media campaign has been successful by international standards in raising awareness of the "30 minutes a day" message.
A four-year evaluation has demonstrated that awareness of the "30 minutes a day" message increased significantly in the adult population, rising from 13% to 52% from 1999 to 2002 (Bauman et al., 2003). There were also significant increases in intention to do more (thought, talked about doing more).
Active vs. insufficiently active
Separately reported in the Sport and Physical Activity Survey (SPARC, 2003), 84% of adults agreed that 30 minutes a day of physical activity is enough to benefit health. Prevalence data from the Sport and Physical Activity Surveys shows that the proportion of adults who are physically active1 increased from 67% to 70% between 1997 and 2001 (a 3% increase = 150,000 more active).
However, this means 30% of adults (900,000 adults) are still insufficiently active as measured by the 2.5 hour threshold.
In addition, when SPARC measures the proportion of adults who are active at the higher threshold of regular activity (30 minutes a day five times per week), only 40% are regularly active meaning that the majority (60%) of adults are insufficiently active.
The "why" and "why not" behind physical activity behaviour
On stepping back from the data, it was clear that SPARC had a lot of information about physical activity behaviour in terms of what activity levels are and who is, or is not active, and about awareness (knowledge of messages). However, an important piece of the puzzle was missing - the "why" and "why not" behind physical activity behaviour.
The current study is the first time SPARC has analysed a comprehensive range of determinants based on a combination of behaviour, demographic and psychological variables, rather than just asking a group about barriers and motivation that are not clearly linked to behaviour.
Objectives
SPARC’s underlying campaign objective is to increase the percentage of the population who:
- Do at least 30 minutes a day on five or more days per week (i.e. are regularly physically active), or
- Undertake a total minimum of 2.5 hours per week moderate intensity physical activity.
It is intended that the campaign that develops from this research project will target segments of the following groups as defined through SPARC Facts results (SPARC, 2003):
- The 30% of the population who are active 2.5 hours per week but not 30 minutes per day for the minimum of five days (i.e. not regularly active)
- The 20% of the population who are insufficiently active (do some activity, but less than 2.5 hours of physical activity per week - note that this excludes the 10% who do no activity).
And/or:
- The 15% of the population who either talked about getting more active as a result of the Push Play programme (4%) or thought about getting more active (11%), but did not do so. Note that this 15% may include active people who thought about getting more active.
Footnote: 1 "Active" adults were those taking part in at least 2.5 hours of sport/leisure-time physical activity in the seven days before the interview.
Contents | >> Next: Research Design
Updated | 22 Mar 2007.
Skip page tools.
