The Healthy Exercise Project of Kainuu and Karelia
Funded by Euregio Karelia Neighbourhood Programme 2001-2006

Objective of the project

The project’s aim was the improvement of the health and well-being by exercise of the residents of Kainuu and Segezha in Russia.

Main activities

• development of active methods and cooperation with healthy exercise in order to improve the well-being and health of the working population. • implementation networks for the design, management and guidance in functional regional and local health exercise in Kainuu and Segezha

Achievements

Kainuun Liikunta constructed an operator network for healthy exercise in Kainuu, as planned during the project, which became operational and well underway during 2004. Special emphasis was paid on increasing the exercise of the ageing population, as the population structure of Kainuu is estimated as aging at a significant pace. Additionally, attention was given to healthy exercise maintaining and improving the fitness of the working population by, among other things, mass exercise events and break exercise campaigns. Even today, the aim of Kainuun Liikunta ry is the development of preventative healthy exercise in order to improve and maintain the health and activity of the ageing population. Reaching the targets in Segezha has been more challenging, since the concept of healthy exercise is practically unknown in Russia. The importance of healthy exercise was promoted during the project. The importance of healthy exercise as a factor maintaining and improving the overall health of the population has become a significant part of health policies, along with the ageing population. The project was an intervention-type pilot project, and its experiences can be used in planning health and exercise policies.