Interventions on Barriers to the Participation of Adolescents in Physical Activity: A Systematic Review

Lauryane Fonseca Terra (), Leonardo Mateus Teixeira de Rezende, Regina Márcia Ferreira Silva, Woska Pires da Costa, Vicente Miñana-Signes, Matias Noll and Priscilla Rayanne E. Silva ()
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Lauryane Fonseca Terra: Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Rio Paranaíba 38810-000, MG, Brazil
Leonardo Mateus Teixeira de Rezende: Public Health Department, Instituto Federal Goiano, Ceres 76300-000, GO, Brazil
Regina Márcia Ferreira Silva: Public Health Department, Instituto Federal Goiano, Ceres 76300-000, GO, Brazil
Woska Pires da Costa: Research Department, Instituto Federal Goiano, Morrinhos 75650-000, GO, Brazil
Vicente Miñana-Signes: Academic Unit of Physical Education, Body Languages Didactics Department, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Matias Noll: Public Health Department, Instituto Federal Goiano, Ceres 76300-000, GO, Brazil
Priscilla Rayanne E. Silva: Public Health Department, Instituto Federal Goiano, Ceres 76300-000, GO, Brazil

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 6, 1-30

Abstract: This review aimed to assess the effectiveness of interventions used to minimize barriers to participation in physical activity (PA) among adolescents. This systematic literature review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines. Searches were conducted across five databases: PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. Thirty-four studies evaluated interventions to overcome barriers to participation in PA, with a focus on lack of motivation, encouragement, and support, as well as intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental barriers. Most interventions were conducted in developed countries, with an emphasis on girls, reflecting efforts to address health inequities. The interventions, conducted in schools, included workshops, training programs, lectures, goal setting, and practical activities, lasting from four weeks to four years. Twenty-seven studies (79.4%) reported positive impacts on PA participation, particularly in interventions addressing psychosocial, psychological, and behavioral barriers. The most effective interventions combined theory (through educational approaches) and practice (practical PA activities). These findings contribute to understanding barriers leading to physical inactivity and provide insights for developing or replicating initiatives to improve PA levels among adolescents.

Keywords: primary prevention; obstacles; participation in physical activity; physical inactivity; adolescence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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