Increased Physical Activity in Preparation for a Women-Only Mass Participation Sport Event: A Framework for Estimating the Health Impact

Abstract

Mass participation sporting events (MPSEs) are increasing in popularity. However, little research exists into the potential value of these events for improving public health by enhancing physical activity (PA). The aim of this study is to estimate the health impact of increased physical activity as a result of preparing for an MPSE. Participants of a mass participation women-only running event were asked if they performed additional PA in preparation of the event, including the length (weeks) and intensity (min per week). Additionally, self-reported change in health status was evaluated. Based on these results, we have developed a framework for estimating the cumulatively gained quality adjusted life years (QALYs) and monetary value thereof. Of the respondents (N = 468; mean age 42.3 ± 11.9 years), 32% performed additional vigorous PA in preparation of the event, with an average of 63 min per week over 8.8 weeks. Performing additional vigorous PA significantly improved the odds of self-rated health. The estimated total health impact of participants preparing for the Marikenloop was 6.6 QALYs gained with a corresponding monetary value between EUR 133,000 and EUR 532,000. We believe our health impact framework helps to understand that MPSEs can be a notable part of the public health domain.

Effects of engaging in mass participation sporting events on physical activity behaviour,: a systematic review

“…Proportions were significantly higher among those who were not already regular runners at registration and those who attended more frequently (Stevinson and Hickson, 2014). Perceived improvements in health were also reported by 42% of women who undertook additional vigorous physical activity in preparation for the Marikenloop run (Schoemaker et al, 2020).…”

“…Among cross-sectional studies of MPSEs using validated scales, 6% of half-marathon runners (Adams and White, 2009) and 21% of 5-10km runners (Schoemaker et al, 2020) were below minimum aerobic physical activity guidelines before or around the date of the event. Similarly, studies with non-validated physical activity scales indicated low activity levels among 10% of several charity MPSEs attendees (Meyer et al, 2018) and between 18 and 46% of Sports Day in Canada participants across four consecutive years (White et al, 2016).…”

The Runner's Journey: Identifying Design Opportunities for Running Motivation Technology

“…In the studies, we recruited participants of a women-only running event that includes three distances: 5 km, 7.5 km, and 10 km. This type of running event is known for its non-competitive and lowthreshold character, thus being attractive for amateur runners [61,64]. Despite possibly having a clear goal setting of partaking at the running event, previous studies also indicate that event-runners still encounter motivational training barriers [22,64].…”

Sports-based distribution of facial fractures – findings from a four-season country

“…Especially patients with injuries sustained from team sports involving physical contact or from different forms of martial arts are a common sight in emergency departments. The rising prevalence of sports-related injuries is most likely due to the popularity of specific sports increasing globally [2,4].…”