Change in drink purchases in 16 Australian recreation centres following a sugar-sweetened beverage reduction initiative: an observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) reduction initiative on customer purchasing patterns, including volume sales of healthy and unhealthy packaged drinks and sales value of all packaged drinks, in a major Australian aquatic and recreation provider, YMCA Victoria. DESIGN: Prospective SETTING: 16 aquatic and recreation centres in Victoria, Australia. INTERVENTIONS: The SSB-reduction initiative aimed to remove all SSBs (excluding sports drinks) and increase healthier drink availability over a 1-year period. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Itemised monthly drink sales data were collected for 16 centres, over 4 years (2 years preimplementation, 1 year implementation and 1 year postimplementation). Drinks were classified as 'green' (best choice), 'amber' (choose carefully) or 'red' (limit). Interrupted time series analysis was conducted for each centre to determine the impact on volume sales of 'red' and 'green' drinks, and overall sales value. A novel meta-analysis approach was conducted to estimate the mean changes across centres. RESULTS: Following implementation, volume sales of 'red' drinks reduced by 46.2% across centres (95% CI: -53.2% to -39.2%), 'green' drink volume did not change (0.0%, 95% CI: -13.3% to 13.2%) and total drink sales value decreased by 24.3% (95% CI: -32.0% to -16.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The reduction of SSBs in health-promoting settings such as recreation centres is a feasible, effective public health policy that is likely to be transferable to other high-income countries with similarly unhealthy beverage offerings. However, complementary strategies should be considered to encourage customers to switch to healthier alternatives, particularly when translating policies to organisations with less flexible income streams.

Access to and availability of exercise facilities in Madrid: an equity perspective.

BACKGROUND: Identifying socioeconomic determinants that are associated with access to and availability of exercise facilities is fundamental to supporting physical activity engagement in urban populations, which in turn, may reduce health inequities. This study analysed the relationship between area-level socioeconomic status (SES) and access to, and availability of, exercise facilities in Madrid, Spain. METHODS: Area-level SES was measured using a composite index based on seven sociodemographic indicators. Exercise facilities were geocoded using Google Maps and classified into four types: public, private, low-cost and sessional. Accessibility was operationalized as the street network distance to the nearest exercise facility from each of the 125,427 residential building entrances (i.e. portals) in Madrid. Availability was defined as the count of exercise facilities in a 1000 m street network buffer around each portal. We used a multilevel linear regression and a zero inflated Poisson regression analyses to assess the association between area-level SES and exercise facility accessibility and availability. RESULTS: Lower SES areas had a lower average distance to the closest facility, especially for public and low-cost facilities. Higher SES areas had higher availability of exercise facilities, especially for private and seasonal facilities. CONCLUSION: Public and low-cost exercise facilities were more proximate in low SES areas, but the overall number of facilities was lower in these areas compared with higher SES areas. Increasing the number of exercise facilities in lower SES areas may be an intervention to improve health equity.

Using local authority entrance charges to tackle inequalities in physical activity? A qualitative study of leisure and public health perspectives.

Background: Reducing or eliminating entrance charges for the public use of leisure facilities is one potential tool that local authorities (LA) have to reduce inequalities in physical activity (PA). Facility charges are likely to be a greater barrier to access for those who have lower incomes. Methods: Semi-structured 1-to-1 and group interviews were conducted with 33 leisure and public health professionals in seven LAs in north-west England. We investigated how approaches to pricing varied in these settings and rationales influencing decision making. Results: Welfare orientated (e.g. affordability) and commercial drivers (e.g. income generation) featured most prominently across areas. Pricing policies placed less direct focus on public health goals, although tackling inactivity was articulated as part of leisure's role more generally. Local targeting of free/concessionary offers was also defined and implemented differently. Decision makers described navigating competing pressures of providing services for the public 'good' yet remaining financially viable. Conclusion: Many LAs are reviewing the extent of subsidy for facilities or are considering whether to invest public health budgets in leisure. The findings offer evidence of how pricing decisions are made and the approaches adopted in practice as well as the conflicting priorities for decision makers within an austerity context.

Tamaño y evolución económica de los clubes de baloncesto SAD después de la crisis económica de 2008 / Tamanho e evolução económica dos clubes de basquete SAD após a crise econômica de 2008 / Size and economic development of basketball clubs SAD after the economic crisis of 2008

El tamaño y estructura son variables determinantes para la supervivencia y evolución de las organizaciones deportivas, ayudan a mejorar su capacidad de producción, comercialización y autofinanciación en tiempos de crisis económica. Por este motivo, el objetivo del presente estudio fue conocer la evolución de las variables económicas que afectan al tamaño de los clubes de Baloncesto clasificados como Sociedad Anónima Deportiva. Para ello, se recogió la información de la base de datos SABI, por la que pudimos acceder a los datos financieros y contables de un total de 18 equipos de la ACB bajo el código CNAE 9312. De estos, excluimos a los clubes que no estaban inscritos como Sociedad Anónima Deportiva o que presentaron sus cuentas incompletas durante los años 2008 al 2014, o bien no tuviesen actividad durante los años indicados. Con los datos seleccionados se realizó un análisis descriptivo de las variables dependientes: total de activo, número de empleados e ingresos por explotación y se presentaron las medias para cada uno de los ejercicios disponibles (2007-2014). Como conclusión, podemos afirmar que la crisis económica no ha sido un factor que modifique el tamaño de los clubes de baloncesto SAD, obteniendo valores similares después de la crisis en total de activos y número de empleados, por el contrario viendo reducidos los ingresos por explotación (AU)

The size and structure are crucial for the survival and evolution of sports organizations variables, help improve production capacity, marketing and self-funding in times of economic crisis. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the evolution of the economic variables that affect the size of basketball clubs classified as Sociedad Anonima Deportiva. To do this, information from the SABI database, why could access financial and accounting data of a total of 18 teams in the ACB under code NCEA 9312. Of these was collected, we exclude the clubs that were not registered as Sociedad Anonima Deportiva or who submitted incomplete accounts for the years 2008 to 2014, or they had no activity during the years indicated. total assets, number of employees and revenue per farm and average for each of the exercises available (2007-2014) were presented: with the selected data a descriptive analysis of the dependent variables was performed. In conclusion, we can say that the economic crisis has not been a factor resize basketball clubs SAD, obtaining similar values after the crisis in total assets and number of employees, instead seeing reduced revenue per farm (AU)

O tamanho era estrutura são cruciais para a sobrevivência e evolução das variáveis das organizações desportivas, ajudar a melhorar a capacidade de produção, marketing e autofinanciamento em tempos de crise econômica. Portanto, o objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a evolução das variáveis econômicas que afetam o tamanho dos clubes de basquete classificados como Sociedade Anónima Desportiva. Para fazer isso, as informações do banco de dados SABI, por que poderiam acessar dados financeiros e contáveis de um total de 18 equipes na ACB sob o código CNAE 9312. Destes foi recolhido, excluímos os clubes que não eram registado como Sociedade Anónima Desportiva ou que tenha apresentado contas incompletas para os anos de 2008 a 2014, ou tinham nenhuma atividade durante os anos indicados. ativos totais, número de empregados e as receitas por exploração e média para cada um dos exercícios disponíveis (2007-2014) foram apresentadas: com os dados selecionados a análise descritiva das variáveis dependentes foi realizada. Em conclusão, podemos dizer que a crise económica não tem sido um basquetebol fator de redimensionamento clubes SAD, a obtenção de valores semelhantes após a crise em ativos totais e número de empregados, em vez de ver reduzida a receita por exploração (AU)