Physical Activity Promotion and Design for Healthy Lifestyles
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course provides knowledge on topics in health and physical exercise for the prevention of chronic disorders according to recent studies and the World Health Organization. The course will examine models of motivation, with a focus on the wish to change and the motivation for embracing a healthy, active lifestyle. Consistent with recent research in sport psychology, the course will explore mindfulness in sports. An additional topic is project cycle management and its use in planning, delivering, and evaluating physical activity programs for enhancing quality of life and promoting sustainable healthy lifestyles.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will acquire skills in project planning, theoretical knowledge on psychophysical well-being, efficacious communication skills, relational skills, and cooperation in the promotion and development of physical activity programs to maintain health.
Lesson period: year
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
year
Course syllabus
Theorical program/section:
*Lifestyles: the concept of lifestyles, the WHO documents that defined them with the recommendations of physical activity and best practices. The risk factors that emerged from research, the concept of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Healthy lifestyles, physical activity as a lifestyle.
*Promoting well-being and health today: health determinants model, socio-ecological approach to health, intersectoral approach and national and international programmes for promoting well-being;
*Motivating well-being: Motivating change, change is a process. Extrinsic/intrinsic motivation; DiClemente and Prochaska's transtheoretical model, Nolan and Feldman's behavioural model, Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour, Sanstroem's psychological model, Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, Trandis' interpersonal behaviour model; examples of application of the model for motivation to physical activity.
*Mindfulness and physical activity. Mindfulness-based meditation techniques: mind/body integration, deep well-being.
*Physical activity and life skills
*Target population for the promotion of wellbeing through physical activity and different operational lines: children-adolescents, adults, elderly people.
*The world of fitness and the Servqual model for service quality
*Sport and physical activity as means of inclusion
*Sport and physical activity for corporate wellbeing and the promotion of soft & hard skills
*National Sports Federations and the promotion of health and wellbeing through sport
*Sport and physical activity as possible risks to health and well-being
Designing program/section:
*Project cycle management (PCM): new guidelines for design, creative phase, Sources of information.
*PCM: project cycle's phases, the logical framework approach, Analysis and concrete design, Problem tree and Goal tree.
*Project's goals: general goals and specific goals.
*PCM: Activity charts, cost charts and Budget formulation
*PCM: the project evaluation phase.
*Lifestyles: the concept of lifestyles, the WHO documents that defined them with the recommendations of physical activity and best practices. The risk factors that emerged from research, the concept of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Healthy lifestyles, physical activity as a lifestyle.
*Promoting well-being and health today: health determinants model, socio-ecological approach to health, intersectoral approach and national and international programmes for promoting well-being;
*Motivating well-being: Motivating change, change is a process. Extrinsic/intrinsic motivation; DiClemente and Prochaska's transtheoretical model, Nolan and Feldman's behavioural model, Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour, Sanstroem's psychological model, Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, Trandis' interpersonal behaviour model; examples of application of the model for motivation to physical activity.
*Mindfulness and physical activity. Mindfulness-based meditation techniques: mind/body integration, deep well-being.
*Physical activity and life skills
*Target population for the promotion of wellbeing through physical activity and different operational lines: children-adolescents, adults, elderly people.
*The world of fitness and the Servqual model for service quality
*Sport and physical activity as means of inclusion
*Sport and physical activity for corporate wellbeing and the promotion of soft & hard skills
*National Sports Federations and the promotion of health and wellbeing through sport
*Sport and physical activity as possible risks to health and well-being
Designing program/section:
*Project cycle management (PCM): new guidelines for design, creative phase, Sources of information.
*PCM: project cycle's phases, the logical framework approach, Analysis and concrete design, Problem tree and Goal tree.
*Project's goals: general goals and specific goals.
*PCM: Activity charts, cost charts and Budget formulation
*PCM: the project evaluation phase.
Prerequisites for admission
It is advisable that the student has acquired the ability to study method and scientific deepening of the topics.
The student must also have acquired knowledge of training methods in different age groups and for different physical pathologies
The student must also have acquired knowledge of training methods in different age groups and for different physical pathologies
Teaching methods
The course provides for the active participation of students, who must present, by the end of the course, a group project within the macro-theme "Promoting wellbeing and correct lifestyles in the Italian population".
Specifically, there are:
Interactive frontal lessons.
Team work.
Practical Exercises.
Specifically, there are:
Interactive frontal lessons.
Team work.
Practical Exercises.
Teaching Resources
Guadagnare salute (Ministero della salute)
Linee di indirizzo sull'attività fisica per le differenti fasce d'età e con riferimento a situazioni fisiologiche e fisiopatologiche e a sottogruppi specifici di popolazione (Ministero della salute)
Global Action Plan On Physical Activity (OMS)
Global Reccomandations for Physical Activity (OMS)
European Guide on Healthy Physical Activity and Sports Programmes (OMS)
Global Action Plan on the prevention of NCDs (OMS)
Young and Physically Active: a blueprint for making physical activity appealing to youth
A Guide for Population based approaches to increasing levels of physical activity (OMS)
EU, Project Cycle Management, European Commission, 2004
Bibliografia:
- Progettare il benessere attraverso lo sport, indicazioni metodologiche e studio di casi (2014, C.Maulini)
- Sport e attività motoria per il benessere, frontiere formative e didattiche (2017, Maria Luisa Iavarone)
Linee di indirizzo sull'attività fisica per le differenti fasce d'età e con riferimento a situazioni fisiologiche e fisiopatologiche e a sottogruppi specifici di popolazione (Ministero della salute)
Global Action Plan On Physical Activity (OMS)
Global Reccomandations for Physical Activity (OMS)
European Guide on Healthy Physical Activity and Sports Programmes (OMS)
Global Action Plan on the prevention of NCDs (OMS)
Young and Physically Active: a blueprint for making physical activity appealing to youth
A Guide for Population based approaches to increasing levels of physical activity (OMS)
EU, Project Cycle Management, European Commission, 2004
Bibliografia:
- Progettare il benessere attraverso lo sport, indicazioni metodologiche e studio di casi (2014, C.Maulini)
- Sport e attività motoria per il benessere, frontiere formative e didattiche (2017, Maria Luisa Iavarone)
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam is written with open and closed questions.
In addition to the exam, the student must present to the class and deliver a group project on the subject of the course. During the course practical indications will be given for the drafting of this project.
In addition to the exam, the student must present to the class and deliver a group project on the subject of the course. During the course practical indications will be given for the drafting of this project.
M-PED/01 - PEDAGOGY, THEORIES OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL EDUCATION - University credits: 3
M-PSI/06 - WORK AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY - University credits: 4
SPS/08 - SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION - University credits: 5
M-PSI/06 - WORK AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY - University credits: 4
SPS/08 - SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION - University credits: 5
Lessons: 72 hours
Professor:
Scanzi Cristina
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)