[The Great Nationwide Physical Activity Campaign "Revitalize Your Heart" as an effective method to promote active lifestyle in Poland].

In most European countries including Poland prevalence of sedentary adult population varies between 40-70%. Thus nowadays one of the most important aims in public health is to elaborate and implement successful strategy to encourage people to be more active. Since 2001-2003 the Great Polish Nationwide Physical Activity Campaign "Revitalize Your Heart" has been organized during three summer months (July, August, September) as a part of WHO CINDI Programme. The main goal of the Campaign is to promote active lifestyle through education in mass-media, different interventions in local societies (sports events, outdoor family picnics) and countrywide contest for physically active. The effectiveness of the Campaign was estimated by means of questionnaire studies directed to the participants of the contest and over 1000 adult representatives of Polish population. The number of contest coupons, Campaign organizing centers, visits on Campaign website and information in mass-media were also analyzed. The results of analysis show a boost to awareness of low physical activity problem in Polish public opinion. Over 93% of representative sample of population find reducing sedentary lifestyle an important matter from medical point of view. Almost tripled amount of visits on the Campaign website, four times increased number of the Campaign organizing centers in Poland and doubled number of obtained contest coupons in the III Campaign in comparison to the First one can be the indicator of elevating interest in the influence of regular physical exertion on human health. Large broadcasting stations, public television, popular newspapers, magazines and leading electronic media were deeply involved in "Revitalize Your Heart". The Campaign has significantly affected health behaviour of the contest participants. Almost 60% of participants declare increasing the frequency and duration of exercises during the Campaign. A permanent beneficial modification of lifestyle has been undertaken by over 16% and 18% of them (in the First and the Second edition, accordingly). Improvement in knowledge of the importance of physical activity in everyday life was also noticed. Above 60% of participants of the first two editions of the Campaign can correctly point recommended minimal dose of physical activity beneficial for health. There is a strong correlation between the level of knowledge and lifestyle of the respondents: 92% of those giving the proper answer led active life.