Activity Impact Model

A process you can trust

Before any data goes into your report, it’s validated by experts through our comprehensive review process. That way, you can be sure your report uses the most accurate, credible and relevant information available.

What data do we use?

Each calculation in the Activity Impact Model is built with and powered by various Data Sources. To ensure AIM is built on a credible foundation of data, our calculations draw data from the most credible sources.

Academic articles
published in peer-reviewed journals detailing the impact of physical activity in reducing the risk of a negative condition 
Published studies
on incidence or prevalence rates for the relevant condition across various countries
Cited values
published in peer-reviewed journals detailing the impact of physical activity in reducing the risk of a negative condition
Government statistics
on country-specific metrics and standardised population data

Various data sources are then ranked in order of prioritisation based on relevance and credibility of the data. By seeking out multiple credible Data Source options, we ensure that AIM can run evaluations in several different geographic regions.

Researchers

Want to submit your paper to the AIM corpus and help enrich the information we use?

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What methods do we use?

Our calculations incorporate three main pillars – a mixed-methods approach that makes AIM an industry-leading impact analysis approach.

Theoretical publications
about Risk and Protective Factors Theory: to understand the numbers behind risk factors.
Counterfactual analysis
to isolate football participation as the primary contributing factor to any outcome.
Value assessments
to look at monetary costs to society or governments of counterfactual risk.
field football WAIM
How do we validate data?
1
AIM team collates research
To work out the best way to calculate any given factor related to football participation, UEFA’s AIM team first draws on research papers and academic studies.
2
Methodological Expert review
We bring those together and present them to our Methodological Experts, a pool of contracted academics whose specific expertise relates to the factor in question. Those experts review the materials on an ‘Accept/Reject’ scale, providing recommendations for refinement where needed.
3
Editorial Board review
After reviewing the recommendations, we apply any immediately actionable feedback. When feedback implies changes to the broader model, these suggestions are brought to the Editorial Board for final decision-making. The Editorial Board is a group of academics with a more holistic overview of the wider topics around impact and football participation.
4
AIM corpus expands
Once validated, the methods are included in the AIM corpus. And when we put your AIM report together, we’ll work with you to choose the most appropriate building blocks.
Our Editorial Board
All the data and research we use is validated by our board of academics
Mara Airoldi, PhD
Mara Airoldi, PhD Academic director of the Government Outcomes Lab at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
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Paul Downward, PhD
Paul Downward, PhD Professor of Economics in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University
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Louise Mansfield, PhD
Louise Mansfield, PhD Professor of Sport, Health and Social Sciences, Vice Dean for Research and Director of the Centre for Health and Wellbeing across the Lifecourse at Brunel University London
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Tim Meyer, MD
Tim Meyer, MD Professor of Sports & Preventive Medicine at Saarland University
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Aaron Leigh Baggish, MD
Aaron Leigh Baggish, MD Professor of Medicine & Sports Science, University of Lausanne
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Evert Verhagen, PhD
Evert Verhagen, PhD Professor of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC
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