Details

Purpose: Present the recently published ‘necessity- versus choice-based physical activity models’ framework (Salvo et al., Annual Review of Public Health; scheduled publication date: April, 2023, i.e., before ISBNPA 2023), underscoring its applications for contextually-relevant physical activity research and promotion globally. 

Rationale: Based on prevalence data, it may appear that the problem of physical inactivity is of similar proportions across regions and countries. Such a conclusion over-simplifies the reality of how and why people engage in physical activity across the world. Given its origins in high-income countries (HICs), the field of physical activity and public health has broadly followed a ‘choice-based model’, with research and promotion efforts being commonly framed around questions of individual responsibility  (“why do people choose to be active?” or “how can we make the active choice the easy choice?”). For many across the world, however, physical activity is not the result of autonomous, free choices. Rather, it occurs due to the necessity of earning a living wage through work requiring physical labor; or to get from one place to another when car ownership is beyond one’s financial possibilities. 

Objectives: 1) Describe the ‘necessity- vs. choice-based physical activity models’ framework; 2) Demonstrate the utility of the framework for guiding contextually-responsive physical activity research and promotion in LMICs.

Summary:  Dr. Deborah Salvo, will present the framework.  Drs. Olga L. Sarmiento and Deepti Adlakha will present real-world applications of the framework in LMICs. Dr. Sarmiento will present findings from a natural experiment examining the impact of novel urban transport infrastructure on physical activity among dwellers of informal settlements in Bogota, Colombia. Dr. Adlakha will describe a quantitative study examining the influence of motor-vehicle access on physical activity among adults of Cuernavaca, Mexico, and Chennai, India. Drs. Alejandra Jauregui and Rodrigo Reis (discussants) will reflect on a) how do we ethically promote active transportation in settings with a predominant necessity-based model of physical activity? (Jauregui); and b) what is the applicability of this framework for special-interest groups/settings in HICs (e.g., immigrants, ethnic urban enclaves, low-income groups)? (Reis). Dr. Deborah Salvo will facilitate an open discussion with session attendees. 

Format: In-person session (first preference), with: a) a welcome/introduction message by the session chair (5 minutes), b) three 10-15-minute presentations, c) 2 discussants (10 minutes total) and d) an interactive discussion with the audience, facilitated by the chair (15-20 minutes). 

Interaction: If needed, this can easily be delivered online.

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