Søren Andkjær

Young adults are particularly at risk of dropping out of physical activity (PA). European policies have addressed this issue by promoting PA and encouraging better monitoring of PA through standardized and specific measures of its quantity. The current paper used an ecological approach that considers interrelated determinants at the individual, social, environmental, and policy levels to survey 2,165 undergraduate students (65.3% female) aged 18–25 years from 16 universities via an online questionnaire as part of the “How Young People in Europe Move” (HYPEM) project. A cluster analysis of mixed data was performed to identify profiles of sport and PA participation among undergraduates from 12 European countries and to examine their associations with individual and contextual characteristics. The results showed that individual and contextual characteristics were associated with spatial, temporal, social, intensity-related, and equipment-related dimensions of PA participation. Additionally, space, time and equipment were key variables for profiling students. Furthermore, the cluster analysis revealed three typologies of student sports and PA participation: ‘Autonomous’, ‘Networked Supervised’, and ‘Regularly Supervised’. These profiles suggest that undergraduate students engage in PA through various formats, ranging from flexible, self-organized practices to more structured, supervised forms of participation. Differences were also observed across participating institutions, indicating that contextual factors should be considered when interpreting these exploratory profiles. These profiles may help generate hypotheses about how university PA opportunities could be designed and evaluated in future prospective and intervention studies.

Declining mental well-being among adolescents and young adults is a growing public health challenge in Denmark and across the Western world. Nature-based interventions, including adventure therapy, have shown promising results in improving mental well-being outcomes, yet evidence remains limited regarding effective mechanisms, contextual factors, and implementation strategies. This pilot study introduces a mixed methods design to evaluate a complex intervention targeting vulnerable adolescents in Southern Funen, Denmark. The intervention integrates adventure therapy, friluftsliv (open-air-living), and therapeutic exercises, with the aim of reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression and to enhance mental well-being, self-efficacy, and nature connectedness. Guided by the MRC framework for complex interventions and the RE-AIM evaluation framework, the study addresses three primary objectives: 1) assess the impact and significance of the intervention, 2) identify effective mechanisms of change, and 3) explore strategies for sustainable implementation within a municipal context. Data collection combines qualitative methods (interviews, observations, reflection forms) and quantitative measures (validated questionnaires on stress, anxiety, depression, well-being, self-efficacy, and nature connectedness). Our findings will inform best practices for integrating nature-based interventions into municipal health services. Designed as a pilot, the study aims to lay the groundwork for larger-scale research to strengthen the evidence base for nature-based mental health interventions.

Women’s participation in physical activity (PA) and sport remains lower than that of men, with specific challenges persisting into young adulthood. This study aims to better understand the diverse engagement patterns and motivations of women university students in order to inform targeted, gender-sensitive approaches to PA and sport promotion. A survey was conducted among 2,071 women students aged 18–25 years ( M = 20.01, SD = 1.33) from 16 European universities. Principal component analysis and clustering techniques revealed two main participation styles: “free” (C1 and C2) and “organized” (C3 and C4). The “free” group preferred low-intensity, flexible activities, often self-directed, and supported by digital tools, while the “organized” group thrived in structured, socially supportive environments such as clubs or team sports with coaching. Motivational factors varied considerably: C1 participants did not prioritize a single motivational factor, C2 were primarily motivated by physical condition and appearance, while a combination of enjoyment, affiliation, and psychological well-being drove C3 and C4 participants. The study highlights the need for universities to offer diverse, flexible PA options that cater to different preferences, from autonomous activities facilitated by digital innovations to structured programs that promote social belonging and accountability. Universities can create supportive environments that encourage sustained PA and sport engagement by tailoring interventions to individual motivations and using inclusive communication strategies. These findings provide valuable insights for promoting active lifestyles among women university students and for advancing gender-sensitive approaches to PA and sport promotion.

In the past 20 years, children’s declining interactions with nature and outdoor spaces have prompted numerous interventions that aim to promote active outdoor living. This chapter address this development through a focus on coastal areas as a resource for children’s active outdoor living. The chapter presents and discusses research findings from two child-friendly outdoor spaces that have been built with the intention to promote children’s use and motivation for water-based activities. The guiding question is How can tailored outdoor spaces promote active outdoor living amongst children in coastal areas of Denmark? The key findings are that the two new spaces offer highly appreciated opportunities for children to actively engage with outdoor blue spaces through water-based social activities. Specifically, the child-friendly outdoor blue spaces (1) become venues for social interaction, (2) afford challenges and experiences of mastery, and (3) offer a free space away from school, parents, and other expectations and obligations. The outdoor blue spaces offer a special attraction and provide unique opportunities which relate to the history and tradition of outdoor active living in Denmark.

This paper focus on the participants in the Danish version of the reality TV-show Alone, named Alone in the wilderness (AIW), and seeks to explore What motives and values are important to the participants in the TV-show (AIW) and how can the show be understood as a cultural phenomenon? The study is qualitative with a design based on a triangulation of different methods: single interviews, transcripts of programs and autoethnographic notes. The analysis is inspired by a hermeneutic approach applying a 6-phased thematic analysis. The participants motives and values from their participation in the TV-show reflect ideas that may be related to the solo experience. On one hand the participants are motivated by the challenges of being alone in the wilderness and they value the possibility of personal development. On the other hand, they value nature and simple life in the outdoors, an experience that seems to grow more important to the participants as time goes. AIW is a competition and some of the participants are highly competitive aiming at winning the show, which however becomes less important during their stay in the wilderness. AIW as a cultural phenomenon reflects ideas and values related to an understanding of adventure and the Nordic tradition of friluftsliv (simple life in the outdoors) and can be related to theories on late modernity focusing on reflectivity and self-identity. The study presents new empirically based knowledge on the motives, values and experiences of people participating in AIW and it presents new theoretically based knowledge on how these motives, values and experiences can be understood as part of outdoor education and recreation and as a cultural phenomenon in late modern society.

Little is known of the potential of using nature and outdoor activities in relation to community-based health promotion programmes. This study seeks a better understanding of how people with mental...

This is an unusual article in that it brings together the perspectives of many on this journal’s editorial board, around the issue of contending with COVID-19. Twenty statements showcase a range of thoughts and experiences, highlighting the differences and similarities in the way the pandemic is impacting on the educational practice of outdoor and environmental education. The future is not yet written, of course, so it is worth thinking about how the current moment may impact on the months and years to come. The aim of this article is to influence and support such thinking.