Proximity Sports as a Sostenible Strategy for the Promotion of Physical Activity at an Early Age: The KIA Project

• DOI: 10.20944/preprints202306.1983.v1
• Publication Date: 2023-06-29T00:24:36Z
• Authors: Valentina Barrachina; Celia Marcen; Elena Mainer-Pardos; Irela Arbones-Arque
• Keywords: Mixed methods; 330; Physical activity; 4. Education; 11. Sustainability; children; sport clubs; healthy habits; physical activity; mixed methods; Sport clubs; 16. Peace & justice; Children; Healthy habits; 12. Responsible consumption; 796

This article presents the main results of the Kids in Action (KIA) project, which aimed to promote physical activity and sport among children aged 3 to 11, by linking the education, sports and family sectors. It applies the concepts of proximity consumption and the 15-minute city to sustainable and healthy habits. The aim of this study is to analyse the degree of success of this pilot experience by means of a survey for participant children, and interviews with the stakeholders involved in order to identify good practices in the promotion of physical activity at an early age. A total of 147 children and 10 adults (3 family members, 4 school managers or teachers and 3 sports managers) participated. As the most outstanding results, we found the role that introducing sport modalities, facilities and, above all, doing it in a guided way in the form of workshops, can have not only on the specific practice but also on the intention to continue with it. Children who are less inclined to mainstream sports particularly benefit from actions such as KIA. Among the main barriers, which cause inequality, is the availability and sporting culture of families.