Authors

Giancarlo Condello, Università degli Studi di Roma "Foro Italico"
Anna Puggina, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome
Katina Aleksovska, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome
Christoph Buck, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology
Con Burns, Department of Sport, Leisure & Childhood Studies, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, IrelandFollow
Greet Cardon, Universiteit Gent
Angela Carlin, University of Limerick
Chantal Simon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Donatella Ciarapica, CREA-Research Centre for Food and Nutrition
Tara Coppinger, Department of Sport, Leisure & Childhood Studies, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, IrelandFollow
Cristina Cortis, Universita di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale
Sara D'Haese, Universiteit Gent
Marieke De Craemer, Universiteit Gent
Andrea Di Blasio, University of G. d'Annunzio Chieti and Pescara
Sylvia Hansen, Universität Stuttgart
Licia Iacoviello, Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo Neuromed, Pozzilli
Johann Issartel, Dublin City University
Pascal Izzicupo, University of G. d'Annunzio Chieti and Pescara
Lina Jaeschke, Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine
Martina Kanning, Universität Stuttgart
Aileen Kennedy, Dublin City University
Fiona Chun Man Ling, University of Limerick
Agnes Luzak, Helmholtz Center Munich German Research Center for Environmental Health
Giorgio Napolitano, University of G. d'Annunzio Chieti and Pescara
Julie Anne Nazare, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Camille Perchoux, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Caterina Pesce, Università degli Studi di Roma "Foro Italico"
Tobias Pischon, Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine
Angela Polito, CREA-Research Centre for Food and Nutrition
Alessandra Sannella, Universita di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale
Holger Schulz, Helmholtz Center Munich German Research Center for Environmental Health
Rhoda Sohun, University of Limerick

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7251-4516

Document Type

Article

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Disciplines

Environmental Public Health | Medicine and Health | Public Health | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Sports Studies

Publication Details

© 2017 The Author(s).

Condello, G. et al., 2017. Behavioral determinants of physical activity across the life course: a “DEterminants of DIet and Physical ACtivity” (DEDIPAC) umbrella systematic literature review. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 14(1). Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0510-2.

Abstract

Background: Low levels of physical activity (PA) are a global concern and increasing PA engagement is becoming a priority in current public health policies. Despite the large number of studies and reviews available, the evidence regarding the behavioral determinants of PA is still inconclusive. Thus, the aim of this umbrella systematic literature review (SLR) was to summarize the evidence on the behavioral determinants of PA across the life course. Methods: A systematic online search was conducted on MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus databases. The search was limited to studies published in English from January, 2004 to April, 2016. SLRs and meta-analyses (MAs) of observational studies that investigated the behavioral determinants of PA were considered eligible. The extracted data were assessed based on the importance of the determinants, the strength of evidence, and the methodological quality. The full protocol is available from PROSPERO (PROSPERO 2014:CRD42015010616). Results: Seventeen reviews on 35 behavioral determinants of PA were eligible for this umbrella SLR. Regardless of age, the most investigated determinants were those related with 'screen use' and 'smoking'. For youth, probable positive evidence emerged for 'previous PA' and 'independent mobility and active transport' among children and adolescents. For the adult population, 'transition to university' and 'pregnancy/having a child' showed probable negative associations. Conclusions: Although the majority of the evidence was limited and most of the determinants were not associated with PA, this umbrella SLR provided a comprehensive overview of the associations between behavioral determinants and PA. Youth should be physically active in the early years and increase active transportation to/from school, independent mobility, and 'free-range activities' without adult supervision, whilst adult PA behaviors are mostly influenced by the life events. Finally, more research is needed that incorporates prospective study designs, standardized definitions of PA, objective measurement methods of PA assessment, and the use of interactionist and mediational approaches for the evaluation of different behavioral determinants influencing PA behaviors.

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