MOPO study 2009-2025

Young men are often at the risk of marginalization, inactivity and unhealthy lifestyle especially in Northern Ostrobothnia and Oulu area. Traditional health promotion and expert-based counselling have shown only moderate effectiveness. New methods for activation of young people are needed.

Multidisciplinary MOPO project combines traditional health promotion, modern technology and measurement of physical activity. The aim of the study is to provide knowledge on the physical activity, relationship towards physical activity, information behavior, fitness, health, nutrition, life habits and cultures of young men. A novel wellness coaching service for preventing marginalization and promoting physical activity and health in young men is developed in the project. The information obtained in the study can be used to promote the wellness of young adults in education, study and decision-making of the professionals of social and health services.

Altogether 5864 conscription-aged men (five call-up age cohort) were invited to a study. About 1700 of them were invited to a pilot interventions and to the activation intervention (randomized controlled trial).  The condition, wellbeing, health, relationship towards physical activity, information behavior and the use of media and technology will be clarified during years 2009-2013 with questionnaires, measurements and interviews. In 2010-2013 the contents of the service network were developed together with city of Oulu and conscription-aged men. Developed service combined with different activity monitors was tested during the 3 months pilot intervention in 2011 and 2012. The final service was developed based on the experiences of the pilot study. The research group and the companies finished the service together with the young men. The 6 months randomized controlled intervention was conducted between the autumn 2013 and spring 2014.

The operators of the study are: Oulu Deaconess Institute Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, University of Oulu, City of Oulu, Virpiniemi Sports Institute, Finnish Defence Forces and wellness technology companies from Northern Finland.

The study is financed by the Ministry of Education and Culture, Centre for Military Medicine, European Union Social Fund, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, and Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District.

 

For further information please contact professor Raija Korpelainen raija.korpelainen(at)odl.fi