Scan of physical activity policy actions in Europe: Lessons learned from populating the MOVING database

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Policy
• Policy Science

Background:

• Physical activity is crucial for population health.
• Policy databases are essential for monitoring physical activity actions.
• Existing methods for populating these databases vary.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present lessons learned from conducting an in-depth policy scan for the MOVING database.
• To collate governmental policy actions aimed at increasing physical activity across 27 European countries.
• To identify challenges and opportunities in policy scanning for database development.

Main Methods:

• A structured search protocol was used to identify policy actions from preselected sources.
• Inclusion criteria were applied, and policy actions were verified by in-country experts.
• The scan focused on implemented national policy actions within European countries.

Main Results:

• 625 eligible national implemented policy actions were identified across 27 European countries.
• Key challenges included scope definition, information availability, search term specificity, and translation needs.
• The process identified areas for improvement, informing protocol modifications for future scans.

Conclusions:

• Conducting policy scans presents both challenges and opportunities for developing reliable policy databases.
• Understanding these challenges is vital for assessing the reliability, validity, and utility of policy databases.
• This policy scan provides a comprehensive overview of physical activity policy actions in Europe, informing future public health strategies.