University of the West of Scotland, Almada Street, Hamilton, Scotland ML3 0JB, UK.
Explore (NY). 2019 May-Jun;15(3):206-214. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2018.12.001. Epub 2018 Dec 11.
Walking football (soccer) has recently emerged as a physical activity option targeted at older males to enhance health and wellbeing.
This pilot study aimed to examine the feasibility of recruiting and retaining males aged 50 years and over to an 8-week walking football programme in a professional football club.
Participants were recruited via social media and assigned to an intervention group or a wait-list control group. The intervention group engaged in 1 h of walking football a week led by a community coach from the professional football club, followed by an optional social session in the club facility. Physiological and psychological outcome measures were obtained onsite at the football club facility (aiding compliance and retention) at baseline and following 8-weeks, from both groups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted after the 8-week programme and 1 year later, to explore motivations for engagement and the social impact.
The opportunity to engage in football and the link to a professional football club were key attractions. All participants recruited were overweight, sedentary, exhibited blood pressures outside normal ranges, and all but two were hypertensive. Adherence to the programme was 90% over 8 weeks, and of the participants who were contacted after one year, all (n = 6) had maintained engagement in walking football. Walking football is therefore a feasible, cost-effective method of recruiting and retaining males aged 50 years and over to a physical activity programme, though attrition is to be expected.
近年来，漫步足球作为一种针对老年男性的体育活动形式逐渐兴起，旨在增进健康和幸福感。
本试点研究旨在探讨招募和留住 50 岁及以上男性参与为期 8 周的职业足球俱乐部漫步足球项目的可行性。
参与者通过社交媒体招募，并被分配到干预组或等待名单对照组。干预组由职业足球俱乐部的社区教练每周带领进行 1 小时的漫步足球，随后在俱乐部设施中进行可选的社交活动。在基线和 8 周后，分别在足球俱乐部设施现场（有助于遵守和保留）对生理和心理结果进行测量。在 8 周计划结束后和 1 年后进行半结构化访谈，以探讨参与动机和社会影响。
参与足球的机会和与职业足球俱乐部的联系是主要吸引力。所有招募的参与者都超重、久坐不动，血压超出正常范围，除两人外，其余人均患有高血压。8 周内的方案依从性为 90%，在一年后联系到的参与者中，所有人（n=6）都继续参与漫步足球。因此，漫步足球是一种可行且具有成本效益的方法，可以招募和留住 50 岁及以上的男性参与体育活动项目，尽管预计会有人流失。
