Designed to Move: fighting physical inactivity for a healthy society
Trends suggest that physical inactivity has become the norm, with significant threats to people’s health as well as social and economic consequences. For the first time in history, children today may die five years younger than their parents. “Designed to Move” is a worldwide campaign which, through collaborating with other organisations and existing programmes, is committed to integrating physical activity into everyday life and promoting the benefits of sport to ensure today’s and tomorrow’s generation are moving.
An agenda of worldwide active living
As Olympic Day - celebrated on 23 June - approaches, the IOC is calling out for as many people as possible to get active. It is also an occasion to highlight Sport for All projects and community-based sport and recreation programmes, which encourage participation in sport across the globe, regardless of age, background or abilities.
“Designed to Move” is one such initiative which, founded by official IOC supplier NIKE, recognises the need for organisations and stakeholders to work together and reverse the trend of physical inactivity. Championing this project are over 70 expert companies and organisations from across the world, including the International Council of Sport Science & Physical Education and The American College of Sports Medicine, to name but two.
According to “Designed to Move’s: A Physical Activity Action Agenda”: “vehicles, machines and technology now do our moving for us”. Should no action be taken, half of the American and Chinese population will be leading inactive lives by 2030, along with a third of British populations.
Through this Agenda, “Designed to Move” seeks to ignite a discussion on physical inactivity and asks “change-makers” – people, companies, institutions and governments – to break the cycles of “inactivity where they already exist, or prevent them before they start” by integrating physical activity “into daily life through the design of our cities, communities and built environments”.
In collaboration with other organisations and existing programmes, and with a focus on youth, the project also strongly supports initiatives that ensure positive experiences for children from an early age, in order to establish healthy habits.
