Observational study - activity benches

Researchers from KU Leuven, led by Prof. Jan Seghers, observed how, when and by whom the IPitup activity bench was used at 12 locations across Leuven (Belgium). The observations took place from March to May 2025 (180 hours on weekdays and at weekends).

A modified version of SOPARC-RT was used (System of Observing Play and Recreation in Communities, Resistance Training, developed by Jansson et al., 2026).

Of the 8,196 passers-by, 2.8 per cent (237 people) used the activity bench, spending an average of 12 minutes on it each time. These results are comparable to similar research into outdoor fitness equipment in Australia (Jansson et al., 2022).

The authors emphasise the importance of the activity benches’ location: their visibility means that passers-by can easily see others using the equipment, which presumably lowers the barrier to future use. 60 per cent of users were men, 47 per cent were young adults or adults (aged 21–59), 37 per cent were children, 12 per cent were teenagers and 4 per cent were older adults.

The bench was used most frequently at the weekend (57 per cent) and in the afternoon (39 per cent). 34 per cent did strength exercises, 14 per cent did balance or stretching exercises, and 10 per cent did aerobic exercises. The remaining 64 per cent did not use the bench so much for purely sporting purposes, but also to sit, play or socialise, which demonstrates that the activity bench has social health benefits as well as physical ones.

In parallel with the observations, the Citizen Dialog Kit (CDK) – a wireless survey tool that can be attached to the activity bench itself – was also used at a number of locations. This enables additional qualitative data to be collected on the opinions of passers-by. Together with user data from the IPitup app, this research tool could form part of follow-up research into ways of further encouraging the use of the activity bench, particularly amongst older adults.

PhD research into the implementation and effectiveness of a strength training programme for active older adults has now commenced at KU Leuven.