The European Fitness Badge as a diagnostic instrument for the HEPA concept - development and evaluation

The project European Fitness Badge (EFB) – a way of health promoting physi-cal activity is funded by the European Union Erasmus+ programme since 2015. The international project team, headed by the German Gymnastic Fed-eration (Deutscher Turner-Bund), established the badge during the first project period ending July 1st, 2017. Two test profiles with corresponding three levels for awarding the fitness status were developed. The Health-Enhancing Physi-cal Activity (HEPA) concept served as an orientation for the evaluation of the test results as well as the following counselling. All in all, the test items show high statistical values concerning the psychometric properties objectivity, relia-bility and validity. The concept is feasible and well-accepted by instructors and participants. The EFB as a test available for participants started in May 2017 and is executed in all partner countries, gathering information about the fitness level of European citizens. The second project period, which is focussing in the further dissemination and the Europe-wide evaluation, will begin in January 2018.