Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40812818›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Physical activity promotion and health-enhancing physical activity education policy in EU healthcare: a cross-sectional survey of 27 member states.

Callum Leese, Stephen Whiting, Romeu Mendes

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Callum LeeseSchool of Medicine, University of Dundee College of Medicine Dentistry and Nursing, Dundee, UK cleese001@dundee.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2708-0499
Stephen WhitingDivision of Noncommunicable Diseases and Promoting Health through the Life-course, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Romeu MendesWorld Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAnalyse data collected through the WHO Regional Office for Europe to describe the proportion of European Union (EU) member states that have relevant policies related to physical activity (PA) counselling and exercise referral schemes in healthcare settings and the education of health professionals in health-enhancing PA (HEPA).

designCross-sectional survey. SETTING AND

participantsAn online survey (LimeSurvey) was sent to nominated government representatives of the 27 EU member states (via the EU PA Focal Point Network) in March 2021. The survey was open for 2 months, with support offered to all national representatives by the WHO Regional Office for Europe throughout. The survey had been developed by a panel of experts and was previously disseminated (and analysed) in 2015 and 2018. OUTCOMES MEASURES: National recommendations regarding (1) PA counselling in healthcare settings and (2) the inclusion of HEPA within teaching curricula.

resultsAll 27 countries responded. Of the 18 countries that reported national policies to provide PA counselling by healthcare professionals (HCPs), all reported that counselling on PA was provided through primary care, with an additional half also reporting PA counselling provision as part of secondary care. Twenty-one countries reported that HEPA is taught in the curricula of HCPs, but large variations exist regarding which cadres of HCPs have HEPA integrated within their curricula and whether the HEPA teaching is a mandatory or optional component of training.

conclusionsDespite PA counselling being a key recommendation for promoting PA at the population level, only two-thirds of EU member states have national policies in place. Although three-quarters of EU member states report healthcare education curricula, including HEPA, more research is required to understand the methods and content of delivery and the subsequent effectiveness on knowledge and clinical outcomes.

Indexed as

ExerciseHealth PersonnelHealth PolicyHealth PromotionCounselingCross-Sectional StudiesCurriculumEuropeEuropean UnionHumansSurveys and QuestionnairesExerciseHealth policyPUBLIC HEALTH

Identifiers

PMID40812818
PMCPMC12352183

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.