Managing sport-for-development and healthy lifestyles: The sport-for-health model

Highlights

•	Critical reflection of a sport-for-health program in Vanuatu.
•	Analysis of sport-for-health management processes.
•	Development of a conceptual sport-for-health model.
•	Application of empirical findings to the sport-for-health model.

Abstract

With increased globalization and modernization of people’s lives, lifestyle behavior has changed substantially in many countries around the world. This change has brought two key behavior modifications: a reduction in physical activity and an increase in unhealthy eating patterns. Consequently, non-communicable diseases have overtaken communicable diseases as a key health risk area. In response to this issue, healthy lifestyle initiatives and sport-for-development (SFD) programs are now implemented across the world, including projects in the heavily affected Pacific Islands region. In this paper, the authors critically reflect on their lived experiences and the underpinning management processes of the Wokabaot Jalens, a health-focused SFD initiative in Vanuatu. The authors propose the sport-for-health model as a flexible conceptual tool that establishes the nexus between sport management, health promotion, sociocultural development, policy, and sustainability. The authors provide practical and theoretical implications and suggest that the model can underpin and conceptually support other SFD initiatives—and specifically health-related development projects—in the Pacific region and beyond.

Keywords:

• Sport-for-development
• Healthy lifestyles
• Pacific Islands
• Health promotion
• Conceptual model

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Professor Reginald J. Alston from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for his valuable comments and contribution to strengthening this paper.

Notes

1 Lifestyle is defined by Last (2007, p. 258) in his Dictionary of Public Health as “the behaviour pattern, customs, and habits of persons or groups, generally considered in the context of consequences for health, and including nature and amount of exercise; dietary habits; use of tobacco, alcohol, coffee, tea, stimulants, and sedative substances (licit or illicit); and recreational time”.