Upstream Strength Training Interventions to Improve the Ageing Trajectory of Women in Midlife
Lead Research Organisation:
Sheffield Hallam University
Department Name: College of Health, Wellbeing & Life Sci
Abstract
In the Phase 1 Zinc Catalyst award women with lived experience
were at the heart of the process. This enabled us to gain deep
insight that will underpin the product development process. We
believe that this will enable us to shape the product so that it is
sensitive to the challenges that women face, and creates a
resonant value proposition that is genuinely unique.
This led to the development of a blueprint for a co-designed
strength training app for women in midlife. We have worked
with women to identify key features, desired functionality, explore
opportunities to collect data, and to understand the visual language
and terminology that resonates. This insight has led to the co-design of a blueprint for an innovative, strength training app.
We identified key factors that differentiate our product including:
(i) the product's credibility; a sound evidence-base was perceived to
be lacking in existing offers and this meant that women did not trust
them.
(ii) the product's inclusivity; existing offers focused on 'sporty-fit
types' and this has the potential to widen existing inequalities in
physical activity participation and more broadly in health.
(iii) the fact that our product is genuinely co-designed with women,
for women. This has influenced every aspect of the development
process including the medium, the visual language, the
underpinning exercise science and the behaviour change
approaches.
The next step is to bring the vision to life, to test our assumptions
and to gain proof of concept. For the next phase we will be focusing
on the opportunity to improve women's health via workplace
wellbeing strategies.
were at the heart of the process. This enabled us to gain deep
insight that will underpin the product development process. We
believe that this will enable us to shape the product so that it is
sensitive to the challenges that women face, and creates a
resonant value proposition that is genuinely unique.
This led to the development of a blueprint for a co-designed
strength training app for women in midlife. We have worked
with women to identify key features, desired functionality, explore
opportunities to collect data, and to understand the visual language
and terminology that resonates. This insight has led to the co-design of a blueprint for an innovative, strength training app.
We identified key factors that differentiate our product including:
(i) the product's credibility; a sound evidence-base was perceived to
be lacking in existing offers and this meant that women did not trust
them.
(ii) the product's inclusivity; existing offers focused on 'sporty-fit
types' and this has the potential to widen existing inequalities in
physical activity participation and more broadly in health.
(iii) the fact that our product is genuinely co-designed with women,
for women. This has influenced every aspect of the development
process including the medium, the visual language, the
underpinning exercise science and the behaviour change
approaches.
The next step is to bring the vision to life, to test our assumptions
and to gain proof of concept. For the next phase we will be focusing
on the opportunity to improve women's health via workplace
wellbeing strategies.
Organisations
| Description | -Women in Midlife liked the concept of a custom smartphone app to meet their different exercise needs but time remains still a barrier. -We need to consider how to establish and incorporate minimum dose approaches to different exercise types -A Digital app that can be used anywhere with no equipment was welcomed -Workplaces are a promising context to make such apps accessible but not without limitations -Improvements besides prototype usability might include increasing mechanisms for incentivisation/reward and social connection with other women in midlife |
| Exploitation Route | We are working towards a further collaboration agreement to continue progressing the development of the app towards being market-ready. |
| Sectors | Healthcare |
| Title | Bia app |
| Description | We co-designed a blueprint for a new women's health app. We then worked with a third party to build a prototype app and the tested it as part of a research project. |
| Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The app is still on a beta version, but the initial research findings indicate that women found it acceptable and that it helped them to exercise regularly. |
| Description | Nike European Headquarters |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I visited Nike at the request of Westfield Health, to share the insight and learning from the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |