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The Santesih Laboratory is a partner ofthe Bistrot des Ethnologuesin Montpellier, which is managed by the A.R.C.E. association (Atelier de Rencontres et de Recherches Comparatives en Ethnologie).

Program for the Bistrot des Ethnologues

Partnershipwith the University Center for Circus Education and Researchat Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University, the only one of its kind in Europe

Circus Sciences PULM Journal

Launch of the Collaborative Research Institute on Physical Activity and Health Promotion (ReCAPPS)

June 11 in Lyon

Promoting Health Through Physical Activity: Going Beyond Medical Prescriptions

The ReCAPPS Institute brings together researchers in the humanities and social sciences whose work focuses on issues related to the design, implementation, and use of health promotion programs through physical activity and sports. The institute promotes collaborative approaches that include civil society actors and service users, in line with the perspective on health promotion as defined in the Ottawa Charter (1986). It pays particular attention to social inequalities and health environments.

The benefits of physical activity in preventing disease and promoting individuals’ psychosocial well-being are now well established. The biomedical literature is replete with evidence demonstrating its role in the treatment of chronic diseases (severe obesity, diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular problems, etc.) and cancers (breast, prostate, etc.). Many mental health issues can also be alleviated through physical activity and/or sports. The recent INSERM collective expert report on physical activity, the prevention, and treatment of chronic diseases, published in February 2019, speaks volumes on this subject. What remains to be clarified are the forms and conditions of physical activity, particularly the support provided, frequency, duration, and intensity of physical activity for each
profile of individuals, with a view to prevention or treatment.

At first glance, this scientific context appears to support policy decisions that prioritize the medical prescription of physical activity (Article 144 of Law No. 2016-41). Decree No. 2016-1990 of December 30, 2016, concerning the conditions for providing adapted physical activity prescribed by the attending physician to patients with a long-term condition, seeks to clarify the conditions for implementation. Implementation, however, proves challenging, particularly due to the variety of professionals capable of supervising these adapted activities. Overwhelmed by public health responsibilities, general practitioners struggle to prescribe physical activity. Furthermore, a paradox appears to be emerging: the “target” populations—most often socially disadvantaged—remain the least likely to engage in physical activity and sports. Does this medicalized approach to the problem not risk reinforcing social and regional health inequalities?

The medicalization of health through physical activity is ultimately revealing its limitations. Consequently, there is an urgent need to analyze this public policy “in the making” from a multidisciplinary perspective, giving prominence to the humanities and social sciences. In this field, while scientific research is already well advanced, it struggles to gain traction with public authorities. Shouldn’t the revelation of a territorialized governance of the body now lead policymakers to question the individualization of this approach? We know how often placing responsibility on individuals leads to the guilt-tripping of certain social groups and the stigmatization of their practices and lifestyles, with counterproductive effects in the long run. Furthermore, the conditions most conducive to regular and empowering physical activities can easily be brought to light. From this perspective, research in the humanities and social sciences is well-positioned to identify the most relevant socio-ecosystems. The professional-based approach, for its part, examines the most appropriate methods for guiding these practices based on target audiences and contexts: it allows us to move beyond corporate concerns to define essential skill sets in order to ensure a tailored and safe approach. The study of how the proposed measures are used sheds light on the various ways in which the different stakeholders engage with—or even distance themselves from—public health messages: physical activity professionals often find themselves at a loss when faced with behaviors such as resistance, avoidance, or deliberate non-compliance.

Here, as elsewhere, the success of initiatives and programs therefore requires a broad, interdisciplinary approach rooted in the humanities and social sciences, one that prioritizes collaborative perspectives: as part of a paradigm of health promotion and education, the goal is to expand intervention-based research by bringing together the academic, nonprofit, and political sectors, while giving a prominent role to users and businesses. This reflective and collaborative approach is essential to ensure the engagement of all segments of the population, particularly those who are most isolated and reluctant to engage in physical activity. It is a prerequisite for the cultural development of active lifestyles, physical and sports participation for all, and the widespread adoption of sustainable and environmentally friendly modes of transportation. It is now time to set this virtuous cycle in motion within a framework of lifelong learning, by incorporating and moving beyond a vision of public policy based solely on medical prescriptions. For such an approach seems far too restrictive and detached from social realities to successfully achieve the ambitious goals set for promoting physical activity for the sake of overall health—or, more simply, for everyday well-being.

Gilles VIEILLE MARCHISET, University of Strasbourg
Claire PERRIN, University of Lyon 1
Clément PERRIER, University of Grenoble-Alpes
Sylvain FEREZ, University of Montpellier
Jean Paul GENOLINI and Jean-Charles BASSON, University of Toulouse 3
Yan DALLA PRIA, University of Paris-Nanterre
Isabelle CABY, University of Artois
Coralie LESSARD, Catholic University of the West
And the researchers at the RecAPPS Institute*

* This organization (Collaborative Research Institute on Physical Activity and Health Promotion) will be launched on June 11, 2019, at the Maison des sciences de l’homme in Lyon: a roundtable discussion will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. to address issues related to public policy, supportive environments, and expertise in the field of health promotion through physical activity.

Press Release

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