Open AccessExploring the provision and motives behind the adoption of health-promotion programmes in professional football clubs across four European countries
Author(s) -
Øystein Røynesdal,
Femke van Nassau,
Nai Rui Chng,
Hugo V. Pereira,
Eivind Andersen,
Christopher Bunn,
Judith G. M. Jelsma,
Maria W. G. Nijhuis-van der Sanden,
Glyn C. Roberts,
Marit Sørensen,
Irene van de Glind,
Theo van Actherberg,
Cindy M. Gray
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0259458
Subject(s) - football , club , promotion (chess) , health promotion , underpinning , public relations , political science , medicine , nursing , public health , politics , engineering , civil engineering , law , anatomy
This study mapped existing health-promotion provisions targeting adults in professional football clubs across England, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal, and explored motives behind the clubs’ adoption of the European Fans in Training (EuroFIT) programme. We surveyed top-tier football clubs in the four countries and interviewed representatives from football clubs and the clubs’ charitable foundation who delivered EuroFIT. The findings showed large between-country differences, with football clubs in England reporting far greater healthy lifestyle provision than other countries. Relatively few health-promotion programmes targeted adults, particularly in the Netherlands, Portugal, and Norway. Club representatives reported that the motives for adopting the EuroFIT programme often involved adhering to both the social objectives of the football club or club’s foundation and business-related objectives. They viewed the scientific evidence and evaluation underpinning EuroFIT as helpful in demonstrating the value and potential future impact of both the programme and the clubs’ wider corporate social responsibility provision.