BACKGROUND

Regular physical activity i.e. 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per-week, or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per-week (WHO, 2010) is beneficial for health and well-being (Biddle, Mutrie & Gorely, 2015). This threshold is not being reached by 25% of university students (de Almedia et al., 2007). Moreover, many university students drop-out from organised sports and physical activities, and are unlikely to undertake new active pursuits later in life (Telema et al., 2008).  The purpose of this study was to determine whether an evidenced-based physical activity programme based on self determination theory  (Ryan and Deci, 2000) might increase physical activity levels among university students in one university in Ireland. 

The campus-wide Made2Move Club (the first club of its kind in a university setting) was iterated using design thinking (Goligorsky, 2012) in a three-phase data informed design sprint over an 18-month period. The process was led by a Made2Move Coordinator and the Made2Move co-founders. Volunteer MoveMentors (n= 129) recruited their own MoveMentees (n = 183) on campus and were trained in (i) Planning for Physical Activity, (ii) Motivation Theory and (iii) Mentorship. Made2Move Club events included (i) Made2Move Talks, (ii) Made2Move ‘Food for Thought’ programme and (iii) a Couch to 5k charity event. Data collection tools included (a) Open Profile Questionnaires and Think and Do Tanks for MoveMentors and (b) Par-Q and daily step count (MoveMentee). Data analysis comprised both descriptive statistics and grounded theory (Charmaz, 2006).

The success of the programme rested on whether MoveMentees reached +10,000 steps per day) (Tudor-Locke & Bassett, 2004). All MoveMentees reached the daily step goal with 65% exceeding this threshold. Findings showed that MoveMentor's perceived efficacy was linked to disposition and MoveMentor training (Author, 2015). Finally, the Made2Move Club events helped to provide members with guidance on sleep, mental health, nutrition and water intake. This meant that the Club embraced a more holistic view of health i.e. beyond a physical activity focus. The Made2Move Club empowered trained MoveMentors to support MoveMentees to increase their physical activity levels. There were a number of key successful key design features: (a) the 'Found MoveMentee' i.e. MoveMentors had more success if they targeted and recruited their own MoveMentee; and (b) The Distance Factor i.e. (i) the shorter the social distance (Ethington, 1997) and the (ii) the shorter the generational distance (Author, 2018) between MoveMentor and MoveMentee, the greater the success of this intervention. It might be interesting to see if these two design principles are as effective when the Made2Move Club is developed for more diverse European contexts in communities, schools and industry settings. In a time of great uncertainty, it is important to educate youth to not only take charge of their health and wellbeing but to to empower others to do the same. This approach can have an exponential effect. In so doing, education can reach its higher purpose of eudaimonia (human thriving and flourishing) (Chatfield, 2012).

Biddle, S. J. H., Mutrie, N., & Gorely, T. (2015). Psychology of Physical Activity: Determinants, Well-Being and Interventions. (3rd ed.) Oxon: Routledge. Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 68-78. Goligorsky, D. (2012) “Empathy and Innovation: The IDEO Approach,” Lecture, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA.