Physical Activity Research
This section provides details of recent and ongoing research in physical activity and health.
Existing Collaborations
National Physical Activity Research and Evaluation (NPARE) group
This group has been established at the request of the Scottish Government to pull together those organisations in Scotland who are involved in the promotion or provision of physical activity opportunities for the Scottish population. The aim of the group is to identify, pool funding and commission areas of research which all organisations have a vested interest in.
The first exploratory meeting was held in August 2008 at which there was overwhelming consensus to take this group forward. The group is now (2009) in its second year and has successfully funded three PhD positions in Scottish academic institutions (administered through SPARColl) and is currently in the process of commissioning several research projects around encouraging people to use the environment for physical activity. Further details of NPARE research will be available shortly both here and on the SPARColl website.
Scottish Physical Activity Research Collaboration - SPARColl
SPARColl (external link) is managed and facilitated by NHS Health Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government.
Visit the SPARColl publications page (external link) for recent outputs.
Physical Activity Research Publications
- Physical Activity and black & minority ethnic groups: A qualitative study of South Asian people living in Scotland (October 2008).
- REACH Mapping exercise of initiatives to increase physical activity amongst Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups (with a database of organisations)(March 2008).
- Play@Home Evaluation Framework Report
- NHS Fife Play@Home Research Report (July 2001)
- Evaluation of Play@Home Presentation: Quantitative and Qualitative Research(June 2000)
- NHS Highland Play@Home (2002-05) Final Report
- NHS Fife National Evaluation of Play@Home Programme Report (February 2006)
- Physical Activity and Mental Health & Wellbeing: An Evidence Briefing (May 2008)
- Physical Activity and Adolescent Girls: Workforce Training Needs Analysis (March 2008)
- Training Needs Assessment in Response to the Need for the Provision of Physical Activity in Pre-school Children (December 2007)
- Interventions to Promote Walking: Systematic Review (SPARColl) Summary for Practitioners (May 2007)
- Training needs assessment of those involved in the promotion of physical activity with older people (50+)(October 2006)
- Physical activity advising in primary health care in Scotland: An overview of knowledge, attitudes and current practice amongst primary health care staff (July 2004)
Physical Activity Data Sources
- Physical Activity in Scottish Schoolchildren (PASS) Project: Physical Activity among adolescents in Scotland Final Report (2008)
- Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (external link)
Reviewed 27 January 2010