Delegates of the TIC Salut Social Foundation attend the Mobilitza’t Apptivitat Física Conference, organised by COPLEFC

Representatives of the TIC Salut Social Foundation attended the conference and addressed the need to raise awareness about using mobility tools. The representatives also showcased a project being implemented by the Foundation’s mHealth Office, which consists of a certification process for mobile apps – an initiative they are actively promoting that is required by social care too.

The Professionals’ Association for Physical Activity and Sport in Catalonia (COPLEFC) organised the ‘Movilitza’t, Apptivitat Física’ conference in the Espai Josep Bota at the Fàbrica de Creació Fabra i Coats, on 22 February. The conference aimed to address healthy lifestyle habits in mobile environments, a common issue that affects citizens’ lives: how can mobile phones can make us more active? The conference was launched by the President of the Association, Pere Manel, who thanked the TICSalut Foundation for its involvement in ascertaining the quality of well-being applications used in this regard, which is our current challenge.

The conference addressed a series of topics that generated general debate on everyday life in the future among the citizens and physical activity professionals who attended the event. Many professionals are working on technological solutions that aim to promote active habits or physical training for any level of skill.

Representatives of the TIC Salut Social Foundation attended the conference and addressed the need to raise awareness about using mobility tools. The representatives also showcased a project being implemented by the Foundation’s mHealth Office, which consists of a certification process for mobile apps – an initiative they are actively promoting that is required by social care too.

Highlights included: the need to walk at least 10,000 steps every day to ensure people lead an active and healthy lifestyle, a World Health Organization statistic (WHO); and, because humans are not evolving as quickly as technology, the need to adjust our brains and bodies to mobile phone use, a current topic that needs to be addressed.

The second part of the conference focused on a round-table debate with guests from a range of areas who showcased apps based on physical activity and sport. Some participants highlighted a key concern of finding mechanisms that motivate users to stay active, such as the mHunters App. Its creators claim that people’s use of the app becomes regular once they have completed the first five training sessions and that this, in turn, ensures they continue to practise sport. One group of people that needs a lot of encouragement is young people, as statistics suggest they are becoming increasingly sedentary as a result of excessive use of smart phones and video games. Professor Lluís Capdevila stated that often this type of behaviour follows a similar pattern to addiction.

The apps presented included ‘App 010K – Objectiu 10.000’, to encourage people to walk 10,000 steps every day  and the ‘mHunters App’ that provides training guidelines to promote an active and healthy lifestyle.