Routledge Handbook of Physical Activity Policy and Practice

Physical activity, inactivity and their relationship to health are serious concerns for governments around the world. This is the first book to critically examine the policy and practice of physical activity from a multi-disciplinary, social-scientific perspective. Moving beyond the usual biophysical and epidemiological approaches, it defines and explores the key themes that are shaping the global physical activity debate.

Unrivalled in its scale and scope, it presents the latest data on physical activity from around the world, including case studies from Europe, North and South America, Africa and Asia. Drawing on social, economic and behavioural sciences, it covers contexts from the global to the local and introduces the dominant ideas which inform the study of physical activity. Its 41 chapters examine the use of different forms of evidence in policymaking, the role of organisations in advocating physical activity, and the practical realities of public health interventions.

The Routledge Handbook of Physical Activity Policy and Practice is a landmark publication for all students, academics, policymakers and practitioners interested in the social-scientific study of sport, exercise, physical activity and public health.

Joe Piggin is a Senior Lecturer in Sport Policy and Management in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University, UK. Joe’s research covers two main areas, namely sport policy translation into marketing and programmes, and physical activity policy. He has published articles on physical activity policy in New Zealand, the UK and in a global context. Joe holds a PhD from the University of Otago, New Zealand.

Louise Mansfield is research lead for welfare, health and wellbeing (Institute for Environment, Health and Societies) and Senior Lecturer in Sport, Health and Social Sciences at Brunel University London, UK. Her research focusses on the relationship between sport, physical activity and public health. She is interested in partnership and community approaches to physical activity engagement and issues of health, wellbeing, inequality and diversity. She has led research projects for the Department of Health, Youth Sport Trust, Sport Scotland, ESRC, Medical Research Council, Macmillan Cancer Support, Public Health England and Sport England. She sits on the editorial boards for Leisure Studies, Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health and the International Review for the Sociology of Sport.

Mike Weed is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) and Professor of Applied Policy Sciences at Canterbury Christ Church University, UK. Drawing on a wide range of social science disciplines, including social psychology, sociology, economics, geography and policy science, his work has focussed on informing, improving and interrogating policy in the applied domains of public health, physical activity, physical education, sport, tourism, transport, urban development and major events. Professor Weed is Strategic Director of the Centre for Sport, Physical Education and Activity Research (SPEAR), editor-in-chief of the Journal of Sport and Tourism, and sits on the editorial boards of Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health and Psychology of Sport and Exercise.