The objective of the Estonian Health Trails is to extend the healthy life expectancy of Estonians
A recent study by Kantar Emor, commissioned by the Estonian Health Trails Foundation, revealed that a third (34%) of the Estonian population has intentionally visited the nationwide network of health trails established over the past 15 years. In addition, almost a quarter (23%) of the respondents answered that they visited health trails occasionally but were not sure if the particular trails were part of the nationwide network.
Since 2005, the founders of the Estonian Health Trails Foundation – Merko Ehitus, Swedbank and Eesti Energia – have contributed more than 5 million euros to the establishment of the health trails network and the promotion of exercise habits. The total investment, including from state, municipal and EU funds, amounts to 51 million euros. Over 15 years, 118 maintained health trails have been built outdoors and 78 indoors in various buildings.
According to Kantar Emor survey results in July, one third of the Estonian population has visited health trails, 8% of them visit health trails several times a week and 9% once a week. Twenty-five per cent of respondents visit health trails a few times a month, 15% once a month and 30% at least once every six months. According to Rait Pallo, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Health Trails Foundation, the results are pleasing – the number of walkers, joggers and cyclists on the health trails is constantly growing.
“At the same time, there is plenty of room for improvement in terms of new users and in the regularity of exercise, as it is regular exercise in the fresh air that helps people prevent illness and stay healthier. If we compare healthy life expectancy in Estonia and other European countries, it turns out that Estonians are among the least healthy in Europe. An Estonian man lives 52.7 years healthy, while a Swedish man, who is the healthiest among Europeans, lives 73.7 years healthy – the difference is 21 years!”, Pallo explains. The chairman of the supervisory board explained that the low ratio of healthy life years is reflected in health care costs. “Although the average life expectancy of Estonians is growing, years are added to life, but no (healthy) life is added to those years,” Pallo notes.
According to Pallo, the purpose of the Estonian Health Trails is to increase the number of new users by at least one third over three years and to extend the healthy life expectancy of the Estonian population. “It’s an ambitious goal that the Estonian Health Trails cannot achieve entirely on their own – a contribution is needed from society as a whole, all the people, and also the state. Each of us, regardless of age, should take at least half an hour a day to move in the fresh air or on a forest trail,” he added.
Today, the Estonian Health Trails Foundation contributes to nearly fifty projects for the development of health trails and sports centres across Estonia, the most significant of which is the development of artificial snow production in 24 regional health sports centres. In the coming years, the main focus in Tallinn will be on connecting the existing health trails with cycle and pedestrian tracks so that people can access the health trails throughout Tallinn conveniently and safely. There is also a plan to establish a health trail in the Sütiste district and connect it with the Nõmme health trail, to reconstruct the Nõmme health trail and to design routes with artificial snow in the Nõmme and Pirita districts.
To encourage children and young people to exercise, the Estonian Health Trails Foundation will continue to design and build attractions such as bicycle tracks and bicycle parks, low altitude adventure trails, toboggan runs and outdoor gyms in the coming years. Estonian Health Trails do not only focus on outdoor facilities but have built many indoor health trails for various clients. This autumn, new indoor trails will be built in 50 schools and kindergartens across Estonia.
The results of the Kantar Emor survey commissioned by the Estonian Health Trails Foundation (1,219 respondents) show that the main motivation for visiting health trails is the desire to exercise in the fresh air, which was mentioned by two thirds of health trail visitors. This is followed by the desire to discover new places, the well-being associated with exercise, and recreation. Keeping fit and improving health is important for nearly a quarter of health trail visitors. The results show that keeping fit is a major motivator for people up to the age of 24, while improving health is important for the older target group of 75+.
The Estonian Health Trails Foundation is the largest influencer of exercise habits in Estonia. In total, there are more than 1,100 kilometres of health trails in Estonia that are usable all year round, and these are maintained by a team of about 200 people that work on a voluntary basis or in cooperation with the local government. In addition, there are 78 indoor health trails with over 70,000 daily users in schools, offices, kindergartens and hospitals.