Physical activity and planetary health: A scoping review

Abstract

The behaviors and attitudes associated with event attendance and engagement in physical and sporting activities exert a significant impact on planetary health. This scoping review aims to scrutinize existing literature, elucidate concepts, investigate methodologies, and identify knowledge gaps pertaining to physical activity behavior within the context of planetary health. A systematic search across PsycINFO, WoS, and SCOPUS, guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Guidelines for Scoping Reviews guidelines, yielded 62 relevant studies. These studies substantiate the designation of this research domain as “Planetary Health Physical Activity” and/or “Planetary Health Sport”. Results delineate four primary investigation areas: i) individuals' attitudes toward the environment and nature, ii) promotion of active lifestyles, including active commuting, iii) event organization, and iv) direct consequences of physical activity and sports on the natural world. Findings indicate that adopting an active lifestyle contributes to reducing air pollution, but engaging in physical activity and sports in natural settings may have adverse effects on ecosystems. Results underscore the urgency for more experimental designs to establish causal relationships between physical activity and its ecological consequences on planetary health. This research contributes valuable insights to the emerging field of “Planetary Health Physical Activity”, shedding light on the intricate interplay between human activities and the health of the planet.