Fitness has proven to be the most popular “participation sport” in EU according to the latest Eurobarometer, counting 400.000 employees, 48.000 facilities and 26,8 billion revenues in 2016 (according to EuropeActive). Despite its growing popularity there is a significant lack of educational offer and thus of educated professionals in this sector which leads to the fact that it lacks credibility and it does not stimulating people to physical activity as it should. Researches show that 57% of people will primarily ask their doctors for advice on healthy lifestyle and adequate exercise and only 1% will consult a fitness expert. Simultaneously, physical inactivity has been identified as the biggest public health problem of the 21st century and a leading risk factor for premature mortality and disease in high-income countries worldwide, being responsible for about 1 million deaths per year in the WHO European Region alone. According to the Council recommendations on promoting health enhancing physical activity across sectors, as of 25 November 2013, 60 % of population never or seldom plays sport or exercises. Current policies have so far not had a decisive impact in reducing the physical inactivity levels but there is a considerable potential to learn from successful approaches in certain countries to develop and implement HEPE) programmes on EU level. Based on these statistics, adult education institutions in fitness from Croatia (Fitness academy), Finland (Trainer4you) and Greece (Personagrata) along with Andrija Štampar, a Teaching Institute of Public Health from Croatia, have concluded that there is a possibility to deal with identified problems through a cross-sectoral approach, connecting medical and fitness sector on educational and practical level. By developing new cross-sectoral educational programmes for doctors and fitness instructors, standards for HEPE implementation in fitness and sport centres and policy recommendations for decision makers on national and EU level, the project will both offer new on-line educational programmes and will contribute to accredit new programmes on national and EU level, raising thus credibility of the fitness sector. In addition, it will raise awareness about the importance of HEPE and newly developed solutions through wide dissemination actions, which will encourage more people to become physically active since they will be confident that they are working with educated professionals supported by their own doctors. To reach the set objectives, a wide range of activities will be carried out in order to implement a high-quality project offering a well-rounded solution for improving and extending the offer of high quality learning opportunities, in line with the needs of the labour market as well as wider socio-economic needs. This will be achieved through development of four complementary cross-sectoral outputs. By developing new cross-sectoral curricula and educational programme, partner organisations will expand the offer of high quality educational opportunities and enhance their competences while developing it. Since the new educational offer will be based on an on-line learning system (web platform) project will also result in easier access to education to all interested parties and promote IT use for educational purposes. By creating standards for fitness and sport centres, project will result in extended offer of services available to fitness and sport centres and closer collaboration with medical sector, which will help them achieve greater quality, visibility and credibility among the public. Finally, by production and promotion of strategic plan with policy recommendations for HEPE implementation to relevant national and EU decision makers the project will result in encouraging accreditation and recognition of developed qualifications and programmes at European and national levels and overall implementation of the proposed cross-sectoral HEPE programme. Through dissemination of project activities and outputs the project focuses also on population-based approach for the promotion of health-enhancing physical exercise using the best available scientific evidence. In this regard, the project will ensure that more people are aware of the importance of HEPE as well as new solutions in the educational and standardization offer of the fitness sector. By informing the public about the new offer and solutions, the project will contribute to raising the credibility of the fitness sector and thus encourage more people to become physically active. Generally, the synergy between the produced outputs and implemented activities will contribute to further development of created products and services which will ensure a favourable environment for each individual to develop skills, competences and a healthy balance of body and mind.
Fitness has proven to be the most popular “participation sport” in EU according to the latest Eurobarometer, counting 400.000 employees, 48.000 facilities and 26,8 billion revenues in 2016 (according to EuropeActive). Despite its growing popularity there is a significant lack of educational offer and thus of educated professionals in this sector which leads to the fact that it lacks credibility and it does not stimulating people to physical activity as it should. Researches show that 57% of people will primarily ask their doctors for advice on healthy lifestyle and adequate exercise and only 1% will consult a fitness expert. Simultaneously, physical inactivity has been identified as the biggest public health problem of the 21st century and a leading risk factor for premature mortality and disease in high-income countries worldwide, being responsible for about 1 million deaths per year in the WHO European Region alone. According to the Council recommendations on promoting health enhancing physical activity across sectors, as of 25 November 2013, 60 % of population never or seldom plays sport or exercises. Current policies have so far not had a decisive impact in reducing the physical inactivity levels but there is a considerable potential to learn from successful approaches in certain countries to develop and implement HEPE) programs on EU level. Based on these statistics, adult education institutions in fitness from Croatia (Fitness academy), Finland (Trainer4you) and Greece (Personagrata) along with Andrija Štampar, a Teaching Institute of Public Health from Croatia, have concluded that there is a possibility to deal with identified problems through a cross-sectoral approach, connecting medical and fitness sector on educational and practical level. By developing new cross-sectoral educational programs for doctors and fitness instructors, standards for HEPE implementation in fitness and sport centers and policy recommendations for decision makers on national and EU level, the project will both offer new on-line educational programs and will contribute to accredit new programs on national and EU level, raising thus credibility of the fitness sector. In addition, it will raise awareness about the importance of HEPE and newly developed solutions through wide dissemination actions, which will encourage more people to become physically active since they will be confident that they are working with educated professionals supported by their own doctors. To reach the set objectives, a wide range of activities will be carried out in order to implement a high-quality project offering a well-rounded solution for improving and extending the offer of high quality learning opportunities, in line with the needs of the labor market as well as wider socio-economic needs. This will be achieved through development of four complementary cross-sectoral outputs. By developing new cross-sectoral curricula and educational program, partner organisations will expand the offer of high quality educational opportunities and enhance their competences while developing it. Since the new educational offer will be based on an on-line learning system (web platform) project will also result in easier access to education to all interested parties and promote IT use for educational purposes. By creating standards for fitness and sport centers, project will result in extended offer of services available to fitness and sport centers and closer collaboration with medical sector, which will help them achieve greater quality, visibility and credibility among the public. Finally, by production and promotion of strategic plan with policy recommendations for HEPE implementation to relevant national and EU decision makers the project will result in encouraging accreditation and recognition of developed qualifications and programs at European and national levels and overall implementation of the proposed cross-sectoral HEPE program. Through dissemination of project activities and outputs the project focuses also on population-based approach for the promotion of health-enhancing physical exercise using the best available scientific evidence. In this regard, the project ensure that more people are aware of the importance of HEPE as well as new solutions in the educational and standardization offer of the fitness sector. By informing the public about the new offer and solutions, the project contribute to raising the credibility of the fitness sector and thus encourage more people to become physically active. Generally, the synergy between the produced outputs and implemented activities contribute to further development of created products and services which ensure a favorable environment for each individual to develop skills, competences and a healthy balance of body and mind.