Reflections on non-WEIRD behavior change and the next generation of physical activity research: A commentary on Simpson et al. (2025)

The purpose of this study was to assess Canada's physical activity research productivity by (i) assessing Canada's contribution to global physical activity research, (ii) determining trends in Canadian physical activity research over time, and (iii) identifying research areas of greater or lesser representation. A Medline search was performed to identify physical activity research published between 1990 and 2005 from Canadian institutions or using Canadian data. Trends over time were plotted and compared with global physical activity research patterns. Original and review articles were sorted based on subject characteristics, nature of physical activity contribution, province and institution of origin, and research area or "pillar". A total of 5302 Canadian physical activity articles were identified for the period 1990-2005, representing 4.9% of global physical activity research. After manual sorting of abstracts, 3829 relevant articles were included for further analysis. A majority of Canada's physical activity research has come from Ontario (49%), followed by Quebec (21%), Alberta (10%), and British Columbia (10%). Where physical activity was the primary research focus, the biomedical and clinical pillars each accounted for 39% of Canadian research, with lesser contributions from population health (14%) and health services (2%). Physical activity research productivity in Canada has paralleled global trends over the last 15 years. There is currently less physical activity research being conducted in population health and health services than in the biomedical and clinical areas; however, these areas play an important role in the development of public health policy and programs targeted at reducing the burden of physical inactivity and obesity in Canada.

Physical activity benefits both individuals and societies. This article evaluates progress in physical activity surveillance, research, policy, and authorship gender equity in Brazil (1950-2019). We used data from a systematic review and the country cards produced by the Global Observatory for Physical Activity. Brazilian articles identified in the review were classified according to research theme and gender distribution in authorship. We also assessed the changes in physical activity policy and surveillance in Brazil. Of the 23,860 articles identified in the global review, 1200 (5.0%) were from Brazil. There was a sharp increase in publications from the 2000s, but a slight decline has been observed since 2015. Most studies were on physical activity surveillance (37%). The proportion of females as first authors was 51.2% in the last decade analyzed (2010-2019)-however, the proportion of female senior authors was below 40%. Brazil has a comprehensive surveillance system that includes all ages in periodic physical activity monitoring. Brazil has a physical activity policy embedded in noncommunicable diseases and health promotion policies, has recently launched guidelines for the population, and has a wide range of policies embedded in the national public health system. Brazil is a leading middle-income country regarding physical activity research, policy, and surveillance. The results revealed some gender disparity in leadership roles in publications. The next challenge is translating this progress into increased physical activity levels among the Brazilian population.

Sport development and physical activity promotion: An integrated model to enhance collaboration and understanding

Appraising the status of physical activity surveillance, research and policy in Nigeria is relevant to national and regional public health actions on physical activity promotion and non-communicable disease control. This study aimed to 1) evaluate the physical activity profile of Nigeria and 2) propose strategies for improving physical activity in the country. The Global Observatory for Physical Activity-GoPA! with inputs from local experts systematically collected sociodemographic and physical activity surveillance, national policy and research indicators data for Nigeria in 2014. The Nigerian Country Card highlighting the status of these indicators was developed in 2015 and launched in 2016. Prevalence of physical activity among Nigerian adults was 78% (female=76%, male=79%). There was no physical activity surveillance system and national plan, and no empirical data on the proportion of all deaths directly due to physical inactivity in Nigeria. Few (n=7) articles related to physical activity and public health were published in 2013 and the country occupied the 38th position in the global research ranking, contributing about 0.24% to physical activity research worldwide. Implementing national physical activity plans and multi-sectorial collaborations between government and non-governmental partners are needed to improve physical activity surveillance, research and policy in Nigeria and other African countries with similar physical activity gaps.

News media may play a critical role in disseminating research about physical activity and health. This study examined how much physical activity research gets reported in the media and its prominence and credibility. A content analysis was conducted of the reporting of physical activity research in Canadian national and local newspapers from November 2004 to April 2005. Physical activity research was given some prominence and treated as news through the use of several devices to infer credibility. However, newspapers appeared to invest little in the production of physical activity research as news and information about research methodology was infrequent. While stories reporting physical activity research were given some prominence and credibility, the lack of significant investment and the limited reporting on research methodology suggests that important aspects of research related to physical activity may not be well represented in newspaper coverage.

Portable accelerometers are used to capture physical activity in free-living individuals with the ActiGraph being one of the most widely used device brands in physical activity and health research. Recently, in February 2022, ActiGraph published their activity count algorithm and released a Python package for generating activity counts from raw acceleration data for five generations of ActiGraph devices. The nonproprietary derivation of the ActiGraph count improved the transparency and interpretation of accelerometer device-measured physical activity, but the Python release of the count algorithm does not integrate with packages developed by the physical activity research community using the R Statistical Programming Language. In this technical note, we describe our efforts to create an R-based translation of ActiGraph's Python package with additional extensions to make data processing easier and faster for end users. We call the resulting R package agcounts and provide an inside look at its key functionalities and extensions while discussing its prospective impacts on collaborative open-source software development in physical behavior research. We recommend that device manufacturers follow ActiGraph's lead by providing open-source access to their data processing algorithms and encourage physical activity researchers to contribute to the further development and refinement of agcounts and other open-source software.

In physical activity research, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an outcome variable of growing importance. Physical activity is directly associated with HRQOL and intervention-type studies seek to show improvements in HRQOL based on treatment effects. As interest grows in using HRQOL as an outcome measure in physical activity research, the need to investigate the measurement properties of HRQOL assessments increases in importance. The objective of this study was to systematically explore HRQOL assessments used in physical activity research by examining their instrument characteristics (items, dimensions, scoring, etc.) and their published psychometric properties. Results of this study showed that 10 HRQOL assessments are currently used in physical activity research. Recommendations were made relative to different study designs and goals.

Health behaviour change: Theories, progress, and recommendations for the next generation of physical activity research.

Qualitative methods in physical activity research: An overview

Abstract: Background: Physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) research often overrepresents White, affluent groups. Of additional concern, standard CRF testing can be inaccessible given the specialized equipment and heightened participant burden required for maximal effort fitness assessments. To address these barriers, we partnered with community-based fitness professionals and conducted field-based, submaximal effort CRF assessments among a sample of young adults enrolled in the Project EAT (Eating and Activity over Time) study. Participants were diverse in ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, and weight; these groups are underrepresented in physical activity research. Objectives: (1) Describe the community-informed study procedures our cross-sector team used, and (2) identify community translation lessons learned from conducting accessible CRF assessments among a sample of underrepresented young adults. Methods: Using a train-the-trainer model, community-based fitness professionals taught university-based research staff how to conduct inclusive CRF assessments. Data collection, including low-burden field tests of CRF, occurred at recreational facilities in participants’ neighborhoods. Post-data collection, community-university partners co-created study takeaways that fitness entities and researchers can use to inform future community-centered projects. Our team adapted the RE-AIM framework (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) to present five lessons learned from this project. Lessons Learned: Train-the-trainer models and accessible, community-informed practices prepare research staff to evaluate CRF among participants from diverse backgrounds in a respectful, inclusive manner. Moreover, our adapted RE-AIM framework can inform future community-centered CRF assessment research. Conclusions: The expertise of community can honor professionals’ expertise and leverage community assets to support feasible fitness assessments for underrepresented community members.

Physical activity (PA) surveillance, policy, and research efforts need to be periodically appraised to gain insight into national and global capacities for PA promotion. The aim of this paper was to assess the status and trends in PA surveillance, policy, and research in 164 countries. We used data from the Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!) 2015 and 2020 surveys. Comprehensive searches were performed for each country to determine the level of development of their PA surveillance, policy, and research, and the findings were verified by the GoPA! Country Contacts. Trends were analyzed based on the data available for both survey years. The global 5-year progress in all 3 indicators was modest, with most countries either improving or staying at the same level. PA surveillance, policy, and research improved or remained at a high level in 48.1%, 40.6%, and 42.1% of the countries, respectively. PA surveillance, policy, and research scores decreased or remained at a low level in 8.3%, 15.8%, and 28.6% of the countries, respectively. The highest capacity for PA promotion was found in Europe, the lowest in Africa and low- and lower-middle-income countries. Although a large percentage of the world's population benefit from at least some PA policy, surveillance, and research efforts in their countries, 49.6 million people are without PA surveillance, 629.4 million people are without PA policy, and 108.7 million live in countries without any PA research output. A total of 6.3 billion people or 88.2% of the world's population live in countries where PA promotion capacity should be significantly improved. Despite PA is essential for health, there are large inequalities between countries and world regions in their capacity to promote PA. Coordinated efforts are needed to reduce the inequalities and improve the global capacity for PA promotion.

Given its origins in high-income countries, the field of physical activity and public health research and promotion has broadly followed a choice-based model. However, a substantial amount of the physical activity occurring routinely in many settings, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), is the result of economic necessity and is not due to true, free choices. We propose the "necessity- versus choice-based physical activity models" framework as a conceptual tool to ground physical activity and public health research and promotion efforts in LMICs, helping ensurethat these efforts are relevant, ethical, responsive, and respectful to local contexts. Identifying ways to ensure that LMIC populations can maintain high levels of active transport while increasing opportunities for active leisure must be prioritized. To promote equity, physical activity research, programs, and policies in LMICs must focus on improving the conditions under which necessity-driven physical activity occurs for a vast majority of the population.

BackgroundFamily-based interventions present a much-needed opportunity to increase children’s physical activity levels. However, little is known about how best to engage parents and their children in physical activity research. This study aimed to engage with the whole family to understand how best to recruit for, and retain participation in, physical activity research.MethodsFamilies (including a ‘target’ child aged between 8 and 11 years, their parents, siblings, and others) were recruited through schools and community groups. Focus groups were conducted using a semi-structured approach (informed by a pilot session). Families were asked to order cards listing the possible benefits of, and the barriers to, being involved in physical activity research and other health promotion activities, highlighting the items they consider most relevant, and suggesting additional items. Duplicate content analysis was used to identify transcript themes and develop a coding frame.ResultsEighty-two participants from 17 families participated, including 17 ‘target’ children (mean age 9.3 ± 1.1 years, 61.1 % female), 32 other children and 33 adults (including parents, grandparents, and older siblings). Social, health and educational benefits were cited as being key incentives for involvement in physical activity research, with emphasis on children experiencing new things, developing character, and increasing social contact (particularly for shy children). Children’s enjoyment was also given priority. The provision of child care or financial reward was not considered sufficiently appealing. Increased time commitment or scheduling difficulties were quoted as the most pertinent barriers to involvement (especially for families with several children), but parents commented these could be overcome if the potential value for children was clear.ConclusionsLessons learned from this work may contribute to the development of effective recruitment and retention strategies for children and their families. Making the wide range of potential benefits clear to families, providing regular feedback, and carefully considering family structure, may prove useful in achieving desired research participation. This may subsequently assist in engaging families in interventions to increase physical activity in children.

Physical activity and aging research has burgeoned in the past few decades. However, despite the increase in scholarly publications, no attempts have been made to summarize the publication landscape and identify work that has had great impact on physical activity and aging research. We conducted a bibliometric analysis and collected publication data from 1980 to February 6, 2015, in the Web of Science Core Collection. Of 9,935 publications, most were published after 2007 and almost 60% were in the category of geriatrics and gerontology or sport sciences. Highly cited publications (n = 45) were mostly authored by researchers from US institutions and were quantitative in nature. Publications that reported on the associations between physical activity and health, or effects of physical activity on health, in older adults made up 60% of the highly cited publications. We expect more scholars from various backgrounds and geographical regions to join the conversation on physical activity and aging.

While recognition of the link between physical activity and mental health dates back nearly two millennia, the academic study of physical activity is a relatively young discipline emerging over the last 50years. This chapter provides an overview of key terms and measurement techniques in physical activity, exercise, and mental health research. The most common study designs in physical activity research include cross-sectional, cohort, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analytic studies. Examples from the literature as well as the advantages and disadvantages of various methodological approaches are discussed throughout the chapter in the context of mental health research.