Posters 2

Background: Adopting a wearable, such as a fitness watch, can significantly enhance the practice of a physical activity, offering profound health benefits. Therefore, understanding the factors that motivate the adoption of a wearable is important. Purpose: The aim of this study is to measure whether the wearable can be seen as a preventive tool for health. Prevention was direct if the wearables were used to monitor one’s health, and indirect if the wearables encouraged the practice of a sport, and therefore indirectly promoted health. Methods: We carried out a web-based survey for 1017 people. Only those who completed the questionnaire and were practicing recreational sport were included (n=628). The respondents indicated whether they wore a wearable. Our variables focused on health-related topics (general state of health; chronic conditions); perception (concern about health, sport practice for health); and beliefs about wearable (impact on health, motivation, etc.). Analysis was done using Ordinary Least Squares model. The idea is to determine the link between the intention to purchase a wearable and the various variables used to validate or invalidate the hypotheses. Results: People who owned a wearable or intended to acquire one were concerned about their physical health. The desire to follow one’s sports program and respect the instructions of one’s “coach” increased the likelihood of use or purchase. In addition, those in possession of a wearable were more likely to practice sport, while those intending to buy one were more likely to declare that they have health problems. Conclusions: These preliminary results showed that connected devices used in sport could be seen as preventive tools. Practical implications: These initial results suggest that the use of wearables in the context of sport may encourage better sports practices and help to monitor one’s state of health, therefore acting as a preventive tool. Funding: EC2U.

Background: Healthy lifestyle technologies (HLT), including i) exergaming systems; ii) fitness tracking wearables; iii) fitness apps; iv) interactive exercise equipment; v) smart apparel; and vi) heart rate monitors are now highly commercialized. It is unclear whether their volitional use promotes participation in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Purpose: We aimed to document associations between HLT use and: 1) the odds of participating in some MVPA and 2) MVPA levels among emerging adults reporting some MVPA. Methods: We used data from cycles 25, 26 and 27 of the Monitoring Activities of Teenagers to Comprehend Their Habits (MATCH) longitudinal study, when participants were 20, 21 and 22 years, respectively. Participants reported their HLT use and their level of MVPA (IPAQ) at every cycle. Because a large proportion of participants reported no MVPA, we used a two-part general estimating equation approach to assess 1) the association between HLT use and the likelihood of reporting some MVPA (logistic function), and 2) if HLT use is associated with different MVPA level among participants reporting some MVPA (gamma distribution). Results: All 509 participants with the required data were retained. Approximately 40% of participants reported using HLT. The most used HLT were fitness trackers (30%), followed by fitness apps (9%), interactive equipment (9%), heart rate monitors (7%), smart apparel (5%), and exergaming (4%). Whereas HLT use was not associated with the odds of reporting some MVPA (OR, 95% CI: 1.2, 0.8-1.7), higher levels of MVPA were reported by men using at least one HLT and women who used at least two HLTs (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Although HLT users report higher MVPA than non-users, the use of HLT is not associated with a different likelihood of taking part in MVPA. Practical implications: The volitional use of HLT does not clearly contribute to an uptake in MVPA.

Background: Cycling is a common behavior for many adults around the world. However, its economic burden still unclear, especially in developing nations. Purpose: To analyze the impact of cycling on healthcare costs among Brazilian adults. Methods: Cohort study, in which 198 adults were tracked from March/2014 to September/2016. Cycling was assessed through face-to-face interview using Baecke questionnaire. The frequency of cycling (never [score 1], seldom [score 2], sometimes [score 3], often [score 4] and always [score 5]) was assessed in four time points of the longitudinal study (Baseline, 6 Months, 12 Months and 18 Months) and a new variable with score ranging from 4 to 20 points was created considering the sum of all responses. Finally, to split up the sample into higher and lower engagement in cycling, the 75th percentile (P75) of this variable was calculated and participants with ≥P75 were classified as “higher engagement” and those with <P75 as "lower engagement". Healthcare costs paid by the Brazilian National Health Service were assessed by medical records. Healthcare costs (US$) were expressed as mean and 95% confidence interval, while comparisons were done using the Student t test for independent samples (p-value <5%). Results: Participants with higher engagement in cycling (US$ 91.57 [95%CI: 68.20 to 114.95]) accumulated lower health care costs (p-value= 0.038) than participants with lower engagement in cycling (US$ 123.23 [95%CI: 111.92 to 134.54]). Conclusions: Adults regularly engaged in cycling seem to accumulate less healthcare costs than those ones not engaged in. Practical implications: Actions to promote cycling among Brazilian adults might impact positively not just health and environment, but also economy. Funding: CNPq.

Background The last decades we have got increased knowledge about the health effects from physical activity (PA). Estimates of the gain from PA will be important to guide policymakers and others to prioritize PA in different sectors. Purpose The Norwegian Directorate of Health has in this work developed new estimates of PAs impact in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and life-years (LYs) in a Norwegian setting. Methods It is developed a Markov model to simulate physical activities effect on health. The PA level is divided into four activity groups: physical inactive, insufficiently physically active, physical active and extra physical active. The physical active group is defined to have a PA level like the global recommendations for adults of at least 150 min of moderate-intensity aerobic PA per week. The model is limited to nine conditions for which physical inactivity is shown to be a risk factor for. Death from other causes is also included. Data from Norwegian registries and Global Burden of Disease are used to inform disease incidence and mortality. We used data from meta-analysis or systematic reviews for the association between PA and the health parameters. Results We found that insufficiently physically active persons in a life perspective can gain 3,9(3,5-4,2) LYs and 7,7(7,1- 8,3) DALYs compared to individuals being physical inactive. Physical inactive people >60 years can gain 5.1(4.7-5.4) LYs and 9.9(9.1-10.6) DALYs if they get “physical active”. Conclusions Already small amounts of PA can give substantial health effects. The work shows the importance of strengthening the work to get more Norwegians to increase their PA level. Practical implications The work can be used in further and more precise cost-benefit analyses by communities and national authorities. As a part of the work, the results are integrating in a digital calculator. Funding The Ministry of Health and Care Services

Background Universities are uniquely placed to influence the health behaviours of students at a transitional period of their life. “Healthy Trinity” is a cross campus committee charged with enabling the vision of a Health Promoting University. One of its guiding principles is to embed health into every aspect of campus operation. Methods The physical activity working group of Healthy Trinity consists of academic, operational and student partners working collaboratively. The group commenced work by carrying out a stakeholder consultation process from which a number of projects were developed. Receiving no central funding from College, the group prioritized a delivery model which relied primarily on student engagement to deliver its goals by integrating physical activity promotion into project and research work, as well as extracurricular learning activities. Evaluation Several tangible outcomes were delivered. For example, a social marketing campaign created by students from the Trinity Business School informed the design of “active break” resources targeting prolonged sitting during lectures. Physiotherapy students then investigated the acceptability of integrating these active breaks into lectures as part of their final year research projects. Outputs from this work included a suite of active break resources for the college community. Additional projects have delivered an online health promotional tool for all first- and second-year students, student-led social media campaigns, student presentations at national conferences and an academic publication. Conclusions Physical activity was successfully targeted at several levels across the university through the active collaboration of academic, operational and student partners. Practical Implications By integrating physical activity into curricular and non-curricular activities, students gained exposure to the real-life challenges of designing and implementing a physical activity intervention in a context that is highly relevant to them and their peers. This model appears to be a sustainable way of integrating physical activity into university life. Funding Nil

Background: Volunteering positively affects overall health of both volunteers and recipients through social interaction, support and physical activity (PA). Health professionals’ volunteering has enormous potential to improve PA-related health outcomes in communities. Purpose: To identify scientific literature documenting volunteering of health professionals and to explore evidence of professional volunteering in health promotion. Method: Six databases were searched to identify eligible studies published from 2010-23. Data on study methods and findings were extracted and synthesized. Results: 144 eligible studies were identified. Eighty studies (56%) were quantitative (90% of these, n=72, were descriptive), 32% (n=46) were qualitative and 12% (n=18) were mixed methods. Only 6% of studies (n=8) were interventional. Doctors were the most reported volunteering profession, (n=74, 51%), followed by nurses (n=40, 28%) and others (n=18, 12.5%) Half the studies were from USA (n=77, 53%), followed by UK (n=19, 13%), Canada (n=12, 8%), Australia and NZ (n=11,8%) and other countries (n=25, 17%). International volunteering in low- to-middle-income countries was widely reported (n=64, 44%). Providing health services and training were the dominant volunteering activities (n=90, 62.5%), with health promotion reported in only 3% of studies (n=4). Studies reported positive impact from volunteering, both professionally and personally. Time and family commitments were the main barriers. Conclusion: Health professionals volunteer in diverse settings and activities with multifaceted benefits for both the volunteers and service recipients. Evidence of health professionals’ volunteering in promotion of PA is lacking. Practical implications: Intervention studies of volunteering programs could allow development of new, sustainable approaches for promotion of PA and health. This review can inform health organisations about the determinants of health professionals’ volunteering and encourage them to provide social interaction and professional development opportunities as incentives. Retired health professional volunteers can benefit from remaining physically and socially active and engaged as they progress through old age. Funding: Nil

Background: Volunteering positively affects physical and mental health of both volunteers and recipients through social interaction, support and physical activity. Physiotherapists’ volunteering has enormous potential to improve health outcomes in communities as they are perfectly placed as health professionals to design activity programs and promote physical activity and health in community. Purpose: To explore evidence of current volunteering among Australian physiotherapists and investigate potential for future recruitment in promotion of physical activity programs. Method: We surveyed physiotherapists across Australia (n = 520) who are members of Australian Physiotherapy Association. Results: The most common respondent characteristics were Australian born (95%), female (54%), aged 25–34 years (46%), married (74%) working full time (78%) as a clinician (49%) in public sector (37%). Half (50%) reported current volunteering with 96% of those who don’t volunteer reporting interest in future volunteering. Almost all physiotherapists (94%) considered volunteering as a physiotherapist in the future with face-to-face mode being a preferred mode of delivery (60%). The main enablers are suitable activity or field of interest (27%) and availability/spare time (21%). Conclusion: Half of the surveyed physiotherapists already volunteer professional skills to their communities, and they, as other health professionals, are largely motivated by altruism and helping others. These characteristics make them suitable recruits for volunteering in health. Physiotherapists’ dominant volunteering interests are in sport, promotion of physical activity, working with the disabled and ageing population, and community events. Their attitudes towards volunteering are community-oriented and express their responsibility to make a difference through professional volunteering. Practical implications: Professional volunteering and promotion of physical activity by allied health professionals, specifically physiotherapists, is occurring in various settings however it is not well documented in scientific literature. More scientific evidence is needed to support volunteering as an innovative model of promoting physical activity and healthy ageing. Funding: Nil

Background: Understanding what school actors think about the implementation of health promotion actions may support Health-Promoting Schools (HPS) at a large scale. Objective: To compare the perception of different school actors (policymakers/school managers, researchers, teachers, and health professionals) about acceptability and feasibility of health promotion actions based on the World Health Organization’s HPS framework. Methods: This cross-sectional, online survey was performed from July to September 2023 using the SurveyMonkey® platform. The “snowball” strategy was used, considering an initial list of individual and institutional contacts from all five regions from Brazil. A standardized list with 20 HPS actions was used considering four dimensions: government policies and resources (n=8), school policies and resources (n=5), school governance and leadership (n=3) and school-community partnerships (n=4). An instrument with indicators of acceptability and feasibility was considered and applied to four groups of actors. Generalized Linear Models were used (p<0.05). Results: A total of 15 policymakers/school managers, 23 researchers, 37 teachers and 46 health professionals answered the survey. In 3 of 4 HPS dimensions, policymakers/ school managers had lower scores of acceptability and feasibility indicators (easiness, time and training needed, and general satisfaction) when compared to their peers from other groups (p<0.05). Conclusions: Policymakers/school managers had the worst perception of the acceptability and feasibility of HPS actions on government and school policies and resources, as well as partnerships with the community. Practical implications: Implementing HPS at a large scale should improve resources and skills of governance of health promotion actions in schools. Training policymakers and school managers on governance of HPS may be a strategy on health promotion agenda in countries with diverse territories and high vulnerabilities, such as Brazil. Funding: Grants from the Fortaleza’s Secretary of Education (Agreement n. 01/2022/FUNECE/SME) and from the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (312091/2021-4).

Background: Despite the health benefits, physical activity guidelines are not met in many settings globally. Surveillance data from the United States indicates that Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders are less active than other racial/ethnic groups. Spearfishing, a culturally relevant practice, may foster physical activity and enhance well-being by promoting social cohesion, food security, and nature connectedness. Spearfishing is a physical activity requiring skilled observation of natural resources and depends on the preservation of natural environments. Purpose: Estimate the population-level prevalence of lifetime spearfishing engagement in Hawaiʻi and identify associated sociodemographic and health factors. Methods: In 2019 and 2020, one question about lifetime spearfishing engagement was added to a state surveillance system; data from Hawaiʻi were analyzed with survey weights for 12,737 respondents to yield prevalence ratios(PR) and 95% confidence intervals(95%CI). The outcome measure was spearfishing “often” or “very often” during one’s lifetime. Results: 10% of Hawaiʻi residents engaged in spearfishing during their lifetimes. Engagement was high across age groups, among men (17%), Native Hawaiians (22%), other Pacific Islanders (16%), and among residents of the rural islands of Lanaʻi (32.7%) and Molokaʻi (28.7%). Compared to their counterparts, those with secondary education or less, who ever smoked cigarettes, had obesity or mobility limitations were more likely to engage in spearfishing. They were also more likely to meet physical activity guidelines than those who did not (PR 1.69 95%CI 1.36-2.09). Conclusions: There is widespread lifelong commitment to spearfishing in Hawaiʻi. The findings indicate the sport may be accessible to diverse populations and practiced by those with health limitations. Practical Implications: Supporting culturally-relevant activities, such as spearfishing, is a strength-based approach to encourage meaningful physical activity participation in disadvantaged groups. Lessons from Hawaiʻi are informative to global efforts to promote physical activity and Sustainable Development Goals. Funding: Hawaiʻi Department of Health

Background. Relationship between physical activity (PA) and bone mineral density (BMD) in adults compared with other factors affecting bone is unclear. Purpose: to clarify the relationship between PA and BMD in comparison with other factors affecting BMD in women of different ages, PA levels and diets. Methods. Study-groups: physically active women (PAW; PA/week ≥5h; n=33); women on balanced diet for 3-years (DPW; n=34); elderly (EW; ≥65y; n=35); control group (CGW; PA/week <5h, didn’t follow diet-plan). Tools: three-day dietary recall, IPAQ-questionnaire, bone densitometry (Lunar; body composition incl. whole-body (WB), femoral neck (FN) and lumbar (L1–L4) BMD g/cm2), blood analysis, Nutridata-program assessing dietary availability of macro- and micronutrients (calcium, magnesium, vitamins B12 and D). Descriptive statistics, t-test or Mann-Whitney test, univariate and multiple linear regression analysis. Research Ethics Committee of University of Tartu (no 340/T-2). Results. BMD of different segments was associated with different risk-factors. Belonging to PAW didn`t affect BMD; membership with DPW had positive effect on L1–L4 and FN aBMD (respectively, coef. 0.08; p<0.005; coef. 0.053; p<0.044); belonging to EW had negative effect on BMD in every region (all coef. -0.1; p<0.001). BMD wasn`t associated with dietary macro- and micronutrients (except calcium – positive effect to WB BMD), micronutrients as supplement (except the use of calcium – negatively associated with WB and LS BMD), or levels of calcium, magnesium, and vitamins B12 and D in blood. Main factor associated negatively with BMD was age (positive effect on LS, FN aBMD) and positively body composition parameters (fat-free mass had positive effect in all regions; body mass in WB and fat mass in FN aBMD). Conclusions. In adult women, there is no association between PA and BMD. Practical implications. In adult women, there is no association between PA and BMD, but higher muscle mass might be protective factor against osteoporosis. Funding. THCC

Research Abstract: Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a multifaceted concept that reflects the impact of an individual’s health status and treatment on their overall well-being. Regular physical activity has consistently shown positive associations with improved HRQoL across diverse populations and health conditions. Given the increasing concern for the well-being of academic professionals, understanding the relationship between physical activity and HRQoL in this demographic is paramount. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the levels of physical activity and their associations with HRQoL among academic staff at Obafemi Awolowo University, Southwest Nigeria. Methods: Employing a cross-sectional design, 167 academic staff members were purposively sampled following ethical approval. Demographic data were collected, HRQoL was assessed using the Short-Form 12-Item (SF-12) Health Survey, and physical activity levels were measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Results: The mean age of participants was 49.33±8.45 years, with 62% being male. Most respondents (90%) reported no comorbidities. The mean mental component scale (MCS) score of the SF-12 was 64.55±8.10, and the physical component scale (PCS) score was 62.94±10.96. The mean total metabolic equivalents (MET) for physical activity was 2907.29±2758.24 MET/min/week. Although no significant correlations were found between physical activity and HRQoL, significant associations were observed between age and physical activity (p = 0.01) and between the absence of comorbidities and physical activity (p = 0.001). Conclusion: While this study did not identify direct correlations between physical activity and HRQoL among academic staff, it underscores the importance of exploring demographic factors and their associations with physical activity levels. These findings provide insights into promoting well-being within the academic profession. Practical Implications: This research contributes valuable insights into fostering healthier work environments and supporting the holistic health of academic professionals. Funding: Not funded.

Background: Timing of physical activity (PA) in mid and later-life appears important for later life cognition although it remains unknown if particular types of activity are relevant and if participation in such activity types in early childhood may play a role. Purpose: To assess how the timing and types of sporting-PA during childhood, adolescence, and midlife are differentially related to midlife cognitive function. Methods: Participants were drawn from the 1970 British Cohort Study (n=6,982; 53% female). Sporting-PA frequencies were self-reported at ages 10, 16, 42, and 46. Cognition at age 46 was assessed through verbal fluency, memory, and processing speed tasks, each standardised to produce z-scores. Associations between sporting-PA at distinct life stages and midlife cognition were examined, controlling for confounders (sex, childhood IQ, socioeconomic status and childhood illness). Relationships were re-examined with activities categorised according to their cognitive demands (‘open-skill‘ (highly unpredictable/cognitively demanding) or ‘closed-skill’ (less unpredictable/cognitively demanding)) in mutually adjusted models. Results: Higher frequency of sporting-PA at both childhood/adolescence (age 10 or 16) and adulthood (age 42 or 46) was most strongly associated with midlife cognition (β=0.26, 95%CI:0.16-0.36). Closed-skill sporting-PA at ages 16 (β=0.07, 95%CI:0.01-0.13), 42 (β=0.13, 95%CI:0.09-0.16), and 46 (β=0.13, 95%CI:0.09-0.16) were robustly associated with cognition. However, only open-skill activities at ages 42 (β=0.05, 95%CI:0.002-0.09) and 46 (β=0.05, 95%CI:0.0002-0.09) showed similar associations. Conclusion: Sporting-PA during adolescence was linked to cognitive function over two decades later, with the strongest associations from continued engagement in adulthood. The findings underscore that adolescent sporting-PA, of a variety of subtypes may have lasting importance for cognitive function, particularly when sustained into adulthood. Practical implications: A life course perspective which accounts for PA contexts beyond simply volume appears necessary when studying the role of PA in supporting cognitive health. Funding: The study was funded by the MRC (MR/N013867/1) and British Heart Foundation (SP/F/20/150002).

Background: Sedentary behavior dominates students’ daily life. Traditional lecture formats and academic tasks aligned with conventional learning methods often encourage prolonged sitting, reinforcing the norm of sedentariness during cognitive activities. Studies suggest that interrupting prolonged sitting with physical activity (PA) breaks can yield health benefits and enhance cognitive performance. Nonetheless, implementing PA breaks depends on core beliefs, skills and may pose time constraints for lecturers. University teaching must be of high quality from a didactical viewpoint. This is the first target hierarchy. Integrating PA into teaching and learning could also contribute to this objective and simultaneously promote health as a stealth health strategy. Stealth Health emphasizes the incidental promotion of health behavior changes as a co-benefit of an intervention, rooted in a broader motivational and/or higher order target perspective. Leveraging this concept, we advocate for an approach that seamlessly intertwines high-quality teaching with PA promotion. Program Delivery: We propose the ‘Heidelberg Model of Physically Active University Teaching’, comprising of five components: 1) active design of universities, 2) physical-active teaching methods, 3) PA breaks, 4) physical active teaching offerings, and 5) physical active professional development. The first component focuses on seminar room spatial layout, while components 2 and 3 offers ideas for active seminar design without compromising learning time. Component 4 integrates active teaching into the curriculum, and component 5 focuses on professional development for lecturers. This multi-perspective, multimodal implementation approach is delivered and evaluated in the Heidelberg University of Education. Evaluation: Evaluations have been undertaken concerning the curriculum-based teaching offerings and for the professionalization of lecturers with promising results. Conclusions and Practical implications: The introduced approach aligns with the concept of Stealth Health, emphasizing the incidental promotion of PA as a co-benefit of educational interventions with the objective of high-quality teaching. Further evaluation and effectiveness studies are warranted. No funding

Background: The workplace can have a significant impact on employee health, both positively and negatively, through various factors. Workplaces have a responsibility to promote employee health for ethical reasons and because healthier employees tend to be more productive and have lower rates of absenteeism and healthcare costs. The primary objective of this study was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the viewpoints held by employees at a pharmaceutical manufacturing workplace in South Africa regarding management’s role in promoting health behaviours in the workplace. Methods: This study used a qualitative study design, where a cohort of 27 participants (aged over 18 years) who were employed full time at a pharmaceutical manufacturing company participated in semi-structured focus groups. Data were thematically analysed and mapped on to the capability, opportunity, and motivation of behaviour (COM-B) model. Results: Three major themes were constructed, including concerns around access to healthcare at work and occupational health and safety, lack of information relating to health promotion, and workers viewpoints on the role that management has on their health. The participants emphasized the importance of affordable health insurance, with the workplace playing a role in facilitating access through reasonable contributions. Participants were interested in, or expressed a desire for, receiving health education. The participants recommended the employment of a healthcare professional for preventative care, early intervention and education for employees, and mostly attributed unhealthy behaviours to the lack of health information. Finally, participants expressed a desire for workplace incentives to engage in positive health behaviours and suggested initiatives target reducing prolonged sitting time. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that workers perceive management as holding a pivotal position in spearheading health promotion endeavours within the workplace, acknowledging that workers themselves possess the agency to collaboratively devise and shape these initiatives, thus potentially optimising their appropriateness and efficacy.

Background In 2015, the founders of Outdoor Play Canada (OPC) launched the “Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play”, highlighting the benefits of active outdoor play for children’s health. Considering the upcoming 10-year anniversary of the Position Statement, OPC and an 11-person Leadership Group consisting of researchers from every inhabited continent are spearheading an update to the Position Statement (version 2.0). This update aims to describe the impact of the original Position Statement, identify lessons learned, and expand the content and reach. To guide this work, a conceptual framework was developed through a robust process involving international researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. Purpose To describe the team’s evidence-informed conceptual framework and the iterative process leading to its creation. Methods Multiple methods (e.g., environmental scan, text mining, chat GPT, linked network analysis) were used to determine key themes in the outdoor play literature. Based on these findings, the Leadership Group determined a candidate set of core elements for the framework. The draft framework underwent a consensus process whereby members (n=98) of a multidisciplinary Steering Committee provided feedback and level of agreement with each element proposed for the Position Statement 2.0. Findings The final conceptual framework consists of nine overlapping elements: Education & Learning, Movement Behaviours, Health & Wellbeing, One Health, Nature & Environment, Human Rights & Policy, Community, Connections, & Partnerships, Social Capital, and Emerging Areas. The framework highlights that all elements have benefits and risks associated with outdoor play. Conclusion and Practical Implications This framework will guide the development of the Position Statement 2.0, informing various sectors (e.g., community, healthcare, education) in addressing the importance of outdoor play. The process used to develop the framework may serve as a cross-sectoral example of how to incorporate novel methodologies to create evidence-informed frameworks to guide research, practice, and policy efforts. Funding The Lawson Foundation.

Background: The built environment plays a role in facilitating individual choices to engage in physical activity. However, most research has been conducted in urban areas, with limited data available for regional and remote towns. Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate patterns and clusters of physical activity promoting features in the built environment by area-level socio economic deprivation. Methods: Four local government areas (LGA’s) Toowoomba, Ipswich, Goondiwindi and the Scenic Rim, all of which were regional (peri-urban and rural) were included. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Index of Relative Socio-economic disadvantage was allocated for each suburb. The following data were collected for each suburb: post code, population, indoor and outdoor sport facilities, parks and reserves, gyms and fitness centres, and sports clubs. Councils provided SHAPE files on attributes where available and this was supplemented with data scraping from google maps. Once the GIS data was pre-processed and geocoded, the map layers underwent a range of processing operations, such as attribute query and display, coincident analysis, and proximity analysis based on distance. ArcGIS was used for geo-spatial cluster analysis to produce patterns and clusters of PA features for each suburb. Results: A total of 463 suburbs, 317 of which represent low socio-economic areas, were included. The Toowoomba and Ipswich LGA’s delivered more community-based PA programs (n=70 and 78, respectively) compared to the other 2 LGA’s (n-12 and 15). More than half of Ipswich and Toowoomba suburbs had no PA facilities and services. Furthermore, a socio-economic gradient was present, with fewer PA features in suburbs from the lowest socio-economic areas. Conclusion: Enhancing the built environment with PA places and spaces is required in regional and remote areas. Practical Implications: These analysis represents opportunities to address inequalities, whereby more PA features should be built in lower socio-economic areas.