REPOPA · REsearch into POlicy to enhance Physical Activity

In line with the Call’s overall objective, the basic concept of the proposal is to integrate scientific research knowledge (=evidence), expert know-how and the real world policy making processes to increase synergy and sustainability in promoting health and preventing disease among Europeans. The REsearch into POlicy in Physical Activity (REPOPA) consortium will take up this challenge and will bring together scientific researchers from different disciplines and expertise, policy makers as well as stakeholders, including citizens, whom the policies concern. The five project years will be used to build on evidence and experiences, study innovative ‘win-win’ ways to collaborate between academia and policy makers, and establish structures and best practices for future European health promotion. The objectives are: 1) to assess needs, role and use of research evidence in policy making (WP1); 2) to study ways research evidence is combined and negotiated with ‘other kind of evidence’ in cross-sector policy making process with the focus on physical activity policies (WP1, WP2, WP3); 3) via two interventions to explore innovative ways to translate research evidence into policy making process (WP2 & WP3); 4) to further translate the results into guidance and tools for the future enhancement of evidence-informed policy making in Europe (WP4); 5) to disseminate the results and lessons learned widely and to build structures to enhance sustainability in evidence-informed policy making (WP6); and 6) to evaluate the results and processes as well as impact of the REPOPA (WP5). REPOPA consortium brings in scientific excellence in health research, including physical activity and links it with real life experience in policy making and expertise in knowledge translation from different regions and in six countries in Europe and in Canada. Overall, REPOPA is in line with the concept of Health in All Policies.