Diag’ACT : Territorial Diagnosis on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior : ‘Path’ and ‘Territory’ Approach

Context:In order to empower local stakeholders to address the issues of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) by providing them with knowledge, benchmarks, and data specific to their territories, the French National observatory of physical activity and sedentary behavior (Onaps) has developed and implemented a method for local diagnosis. This method aims to provide stakeholders with decision-making elements and to design an action plan tailored to each territory. This approach pursues four objectives: i)Analyze the adequacy between the offer of physical and sports activities, practices, barriers, and population perceptions, ii)Identify existing best practices and resources to mobilize, iii)Raise awareness and break down barriers between stakeholders, iv)Identify levers to integrate these findings into territorial documents and tools.

Evaluation:In order to assess the adequacy between the current offer, needs, territorial inequalities, and action levers, the indicators considered in the diagnosis, allowing the monitoring of their evolution, are: planning documents integrating actions in favor of physical activity, data on facilities, sports clubs, licensed sports practice, travel flows and mobility (context and type), associative offer, levels of PA and SB of the population, practices of local stakeholders, health indicators related to PA and SB.
Conclusions:24 recommendations were presented: 9 focus on the management of a territorial sports project, active mobilities, reducing territorial and social inequalities, the quality of actions, and territorial coordination. The other 15 recommendations concern every stage of life, from young children to seniors.
Practical Implications:Nearly twenty actions have been implemented in the territory following the diagnosis: creation of educational trails, training for professionals assisting elderly people living at home, active design in school playgrounds, creation of a “Maison Sport Santé”, awareness project in middle schools, etc. The diagnostic method is now being deployed by Onaps in other territories and populations.
Funding:Ministry of Sports and Olympic and Paralympic Games, Paris 2024.