Factors influencing the implementation of the EuroFIT lifestyle change program in professional football clubs in Europe: a qualitative study in four European countries

Femke Van Nassau; Anita Huis; Irene van de Glind; Eivind Andersen; C. Bunnag; C.  Gray; Kate Hunt; Judith G. Jelsma; Willem van Mechelen; Heather Morgan; Øystein Røynesdal; Hugo V.  Pereira; Hidde  van der Ploeg; Gary  Roberts; Mauro Silva; Marit Sørensen; S. Wyke; Ria Nijhuis-van der Sanden; Theo van Achterberg

doi:10.1093/tbm/ibac100

Factors influencing the implementation of the EuroFIT lifestyle change program in professional football clubs in Europe: a qualitative study in four European countries

Femke Van Nassau^* (Corresponding Author), Anita Huis, Irene van de Glind, Eivind Andersen, C. Bunnag, C. Gray, Kate Hunt, Judith G. Jelsma, Willem van Mechelen, Heather Morgan, Øystein Røynesdal, Hugo V. Pereira, Hidde van der Ploeg, Gary Roberts, Mauro Silva, Marit Sørensen, S. Wyke, Ria Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Theo van Achterberg

^*Corresponding author for this work

Applied Health Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This paper investigated facilitators and barriers to implementing the European Football Fans in Training program (EuroFIT) in professional sports clubs in England, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. We analyzed qualitative data collected at clubs that delivered EuroFIT, based on semi-structured interviews with coordinating staff (n = 15), coaches (n = 16), and focus group interviews with participants (n = 108), as well as data from clubs that considered delivering EuroFIT in the future, based on interviews with staff (n = 7) and stakeholders (n = 8). Facilitators for implementation related to the content and structure of the program, its evidence-base, and the context for delivery in the football stadia. Financial and human resources were both facilitators and barriers. Further barriers were mostly practical, relating to human resources and infrastructure. Major differences between countries related to experience and commitment to running community projects, and differences in infrastructure, financing, and human resources. Professional football clubs’ ability to support health promotion efforts depended on their ethos and the financial and human resources available to them. Overall, the EuroFIT program was well received by clubs, coaches, participants, and stakeholders, which was reflected by the many facilitators supporting sustained implementation. For sustainable implementation, it is crucial that clubs and their stakeholders engage fully with the EuroFIT program and understand that for an adequate program delivery their views (ethos) and ways of working influence the implementation and thereby the effectiveness of EuroFIT. An important prerequisite for future roll out of EuroFIT would be a strong EuroFIT delivery partner organization to ensure financial and human resources while overseeing and guiding the quality of delivery in clubs.

Original language	English
Article number	ibac100
Number of pages	14
Journal	Translational Behavioral Medicine
Early online date	24 Jan 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibac100
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 24 Jan 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program for research, technological development, and demonstration under grant agreement number 602170. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to participants, coordinating staff, coaches, and stakeholders who took part in the research.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1093/tbm/ibac100Licence: CC BY-NC

Cite this

Van Nassau, F., Huis, A., van de Glind, I., Andersen, E., Bunnag, C., Gray, C., Hunt, K., Jelsma, J. G., van Mechelen, W., Morgan, H., Røynesdal, Ø., Pereira, H. V., van der Ploeg, H., Roberts, G., Silva, M., Sørensen, M., Wyke, S., Nijhuis-van der Sanden, R., & van Achterberg, T. (2023). Factors influencing the implementation of the EuroFIT lifestyle change program in professional football clubs in Europe: a qualitative study in four European countries. Translational Behavioral Medicine, [ibac100]. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibac100

Factors influencing the implementation of the EuroFIT lifestyle change program in professional football clubs in Europe: a qualitative study in four European countries. / Van Nassau, Femke (Corresponding Author); Huis, Anita; van de Glind, Irene et al.
In: Translational Behavioral Medicine, 24.01.2023.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Van Nassau, F, Huis, A, van de Glind, I, Andersen, E, Bunnag, C, Gray, C, Hunt, K, Jelsma, JG, van Mechelen, W, Morgan, H, Røynesdal, Ø, Pereira, HV, van der Ploeg, H, Roberts, G, Silva, M, Sørensen, M, Wyke, S, Nijhuis-van der Sanden, R & van Achterberg, T 2023, 'Factors influencing the implementation of the EuroFIT lifestyle change program in professional football clubs in Europe: a qualitative study in four European countries', Translational Behavioral Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibac100

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abstract = "This paper investigated facilitators and barriers to implementing the European Football Fans in Training program (EuroFIT) in professional sports clubs in England, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. We analyzed qualitative data collected at clubs that delivered EuroFIT, based on semi-structured interviews with coordinating staff (n = 15), coaches (n = 16), and focus group interviews with participants (n = 108), as well as data from clubs that considered delivering EuroFIT in the future, based on interviews with staff (n = 7) and stakeholders (n = 8). Facilitators for implementation related to the content and structure of the program, its evidence-base, and the context for delivery in the football stadia. Financial and human resources were both facilitators and barriers. Further barriers were mostly practical, relating to human resources and infrastructure. Major differences between countries related to experience and commitment to running community projects, and differences in infrastructure, financing, and human resources. Professional football clubs{\textquoteright} ability to support health promotion efforts depended on their ethos and the financial and human resources available to them. Overall, the EuroFIT program was well received by clubs, coaches, participants, and stakeholders, which was reflected by the many facilitators supporting sustained implementation. For sustainable implementation, it is crucial that clubs and their stakeholders engage fully with the EuroFIT program and understand that for an adequate program delivery their views (ethos) and ways of working influence the implementation and thereby the effectiveness of EuroFIT. An important prerequisite for future roll out of EuroFIT would be a strong EuroFIT delivery partner organization to ensure financial and human resources while overseeing and guiding the quality of delivery in clubs.",

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note = "Funding This project has received funding from the European Union{\textquoteright}s Seventh Framework Program for research, technological development, and demonstration under grant agreement number 602170. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to participants, coordinating staff, coaches, and stakeholders who took part in the research.",

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AU - Andersen, Eivind

AU - Bunnag, C.

AU - Gray, C.

AU - Hunt, Kate

AU - Jelsma, Judith G.

AU - van Mechelen, Willem

AU - Morgan, Heather

AU - Røynesdal, Øystein

AU - Pereira, Hugo V.

AU - van der Ploeg, Hidde

AU - Roberts, Gary

AU - Silva, Mauro

AU - Sørensen, Marit

AU - Wyke, S.

AU - Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Ria

AU - van Achterberg, Theo

N1 - Funding This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program for research, technological development, and demonstration under grant agreement number 602170. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to participants, coordinating staff, coaches, and stakeholders who took part in the research.

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N2 - This paper investigated facilitators and barriers to implementing the European Football Fans in Training program (EuroFIT) in professional sports clubs in England, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. We analyzed qualitative data collected at clubs that delivered EuroFIT, based on semi-structured interviews with coordinating staff (n = 15), coaches (n = 16), and focus group interviews with participants (n = 108), as well as data from clubs that considered delivering EuroFIT in the future, based on interviews with staff (n = 7) and stakeholders (n = 8). Facilitators for implementation related to the content and structure of the program, its evidence-base, and the context for delivery in the football stadia. Financial and human resources were both facilitators and barriers. Further barriers were mostly practical, relating to human resources and infrastructure. Major differences between countries related to experience and commitment to running community projects, and differences in infrastructure, financing, and human resources. Professional football clubs’ ability to support health promotion efforts depended on their ethos and the financial and human resources available to them. Overall, the EuroFIT program was well received by clubs, coaches, participants, and stakeholders, which was reflected by the many facilitators supporting sustained implementation. For sustainable implementation, it is crucial that clubs and their stakeholders engage fully with the EuroFIT program and understand that for an adequate program delivery their views (ethos) and ways of working influence the implementation and thereby the effectiveness of EuroFIT. An important prerequisite for future roll out of EuroFIT would be a strong EuroFIT delivery partner organization to ensure financial and human resources while overseeing and guiding the quality of delivery in clubs.

AB - This paper investigated facilitators and barriers to implementing the European Football Fans in Training program (EuroFIT) in professional sports clubs in England, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. We analyzed qualitative data collected at clubs that delivered EuroFIT, based on semi-structured interviews with coordinating staff (n = 15), coaches (n = 16), and focus group interviews with participants (n = 108), as well as data from clubs that considered delivering EuroFIT in the future, based on interviews with staff (n = 7) and stakeholders (n = 8). Facilitators for implementation related to the content and structure of the program, its evidence-base, and the context for delivery in the football stadia. Financial and human resources were both facilitators and barriers. Further barriers were mostly practical, relating to human resources and infrastructure. Major differences between countries related to experience and commitment to running community projects, and differences in infrastructure, financing, and human resources. Professional football clubs’ ability to support health promotion efforts depended on their ethos and the financial and human resources available to them. Overall, the EuroFIT program was well received by clubs, coaches, participants, and stakeholders, which was reflected by the many facilitators supporting sustained implementation. For sustainable implementation, it is crucial that clubs and their stakeholders engage fully with the EuroFIT program and understand that for an adequate program delivery their views (ethos) and ways of working influence the implementation and thereby the effectiveness of EuroFIT. An important prerequisite for future roll out of EuroFIT would be a strong EuroFIT delivery partner organization to ensure financial and human resources while overseeing and guiding the quality of delivery in clubs.

U2 - 10.1093/tbm/ibac100

DO - 10.1093/tbm/ibac100

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M1 - ibac100

ER -

Factors influencing the implementation of the EuroFIT lifestyle change program in professional football clubs in Europe: a qualitative study in four European countries

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

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Cite this