In March 2019 the European physical activity on prescription (EUPAP) project officially started. EUPAP’s Kick-Off meeting took place on the 28th of March in Luxembourg.
EUPAP was officially opened by doing a “Kiruna”. Based on the story of an old lady in the northern Swedish city of Kiruna, explaining why she still kept so fit and healthy at an old age. Her recipe for keeping up her strength was to sit down (bend her knees) 10 times before actually sitting down.
At the Kick-Off meeting, 21 representatives from ten European countries met in Luxembourg for an opening presentation from the Swedish (coordinator) team and for resembling work package (WP) sessions. During the WP sessions, the work package leaders (Sweden, Lithuania, Germany, Spain and Portugal) presented their expected outputs and plans of actions.
The frames and the details of the Grant Agreement, responsibilities and commitments were introduced by officials from “Chafea”. Finances and documents that have to be reported during the project were also discussed. Milestones and deliverables plans were prepared and scheduled.
The next meetings of the consortium will take place in June 2020 and May 2021.
About EUPAP
Physical activity can be used in the prevention and treatment of many health-related issues. The individualised patient-centred counselling is central in the Swedish model for physical activity on prescription. The health services in Sweden have prescribed physical activity for almost two decades, but there are still challenges in reaching socially disadvantaged groups. To be able to reduce health inequalities we need to have a special focus on this within the project, called EUPAP.
Organisations from ten EU member states became partners in the consortium that was formed to facilitate the transfer of the Swedish best practice model for physical activity on prescription. The overall objectives are to promote good health and to prevent non-communicable disease by implementing country-based physical activity on prescription programs in health services in several member countries.