Why getting Europe active outdoors matters?
Outdoor activity is a great tool to improve physical and mental health and wellbeing. Delivered responsibly, it brings together communities and helps us to celebrate the natural beauty around us and foster the need to protect it.
Physical inactivity is a huge problem in Europe.
The statistics about the decline in physical activity among populations throughout Europe are alarming.
45%
of Europeans never exercise or play sport. (*1)
47%
of active European prefer parks and the outdoors to be active (*1)
69%
of European are not members of any club or association (*1)
50%
of both men and women in the WHO European Region are overweight (*2)
1 in 3
11-year-olds is overweight or obese (*2)
> 60%
of children who are overweight before puberty will be overweight in early adulthood. (*2)
Every move counts • Every move counts • Every move counts •
Every move counts.
In 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) updated the motto connected to the new guidelines for physical activity to ‘every move counts’. The recommended amount of physical activity for adults is 150 minutes per week.
0
minutes per week
Outdoor activity has superpowers.
The many benefits of outdoor sports for society were explored through the Erasmus+ funded ‘Benefits of Outdoor Sports for Society’ (BOSS) project.
Mental Health
& Wellbeing
- General mental health status
- Quality of life & overall wellbeing
- Combating mental illnesses & diseases
- Positive a ective states
- Reducing negative a ective states
- Control & coping
- Self-development
- Positive experiences
- Active and happy ageing
Active Citizenship
- Community benefits
- Integration & inclusion
- Volunteering
- Bonding capital
Education & life-long learning
- (Intra) personal development
- Interpersonal development
- Educational motivation and achievements
- Cognitive aspects to improve learning
- Environmental awareness and behaviour
Physical Health
- General physical health and related factors
- Combating diseases like stroke, heart attack & cancer
- Low injury rates and extended life expectancy
- Healthy ageing
- Subjective health perception
- Sun exposure e ects
Additional Benefits
- Lifetime physical activity
- Accessibility
- Cognitive functioning
- Other multiple effects
Crime reduction & anti-social behaviour
- Increase of prosocial behaviour
- Prevention and reduction of crime
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Get Involved • Get Involved • Get Involved • Get Involved
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Supported by over 50 organizations in Europe.
