Digital activity catalog for Västra Götalandsregionen

Research shows a positive relationship between regular physical activity and major health benefits. More physical activity positively affects brain functions such as memory and concentration, protects against depression and dementia. Furthermore, the risk of many of our most common diseases such as high blood pressure, angina, heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, colon and breast cancer but also falls and fractures is reduced. We must also not forget how important it is to counteract long periods of sedentary life, as it is in itself a risk factor for ill health even among people who are otherwise physically active. But despite the fact that many of us have this knowledge, it is challenging to get more people physically active today. There can be many obstacles to this such as, low level of knowledge, poorer socio-economic conditions, lower level of education and income, language barriers, low motivation and strong behavioral patterns that need to change, among other things.

The main goal of this project is to produce a regionally web-based activity catalog that is user-friendly and accessible, with the aim of making it easier for the residents of Västra Götaland to find activities based on the individual's interest with input from various actors; public, private, non-profit and on their own. The catalog must be easy accessible and attractive to everyone, with a special focus on children and young people, foreign background, various disabilities and people who are otherwise unaccustomed to searching on the internet. Additional target groups to consider are; people who in their profession work with peoples lifestyles and guide their patients / clients / students / participants / visitors on to different kinds of physical activity, and also the organizations that are responsible for all the activities in the region.

​Furthermore, the project investigates how this digital catalog can have measurable effects in the longer term in terms of increased activity and better health for the residents of the Västra Götaland region in all 49 municipalities. One of the assumptions is that the catalog alone is not enough if you want to reach those who have the worst conditions today to increase their level of physical activity. To succeed, the catalog needs to be supplemented. There are a number of ongoing services in the Västra Götaland region that it can be linked to already today, eg health coaches, healthcare, occupational therapists, school health, health pilots, lifestyle clinics, among others. By ensuring the use of the catalog in many different contexts, there can also be good chances that it will be spread among the inhabitants.