Studies of physical activity and COVID-19 during the pandemic: an updated scoping review

This review is an update of the previous study aiming to identify the available evidence related to physical activity (PA) in the context of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We searched 6 databases (PubMed, Embase, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL) in April 2024. Medical subject headings and keywords related to PA and COVID-19 were combined to conduct the online search, which covered the period from July 2020 to April 2024. Overall, 49,579 articles were retrieved. After duplicate removal and title, abstract, and full-text screening, 1,976 articles were included in this update. Most of the studies were observational with a cross-sectional design (68.0%). Most of COVID-19 and PA studies came from high-income countries. Most studies explored the changes in PA levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on mental health outcomes. Research on PA and COVID-19 prioritized online approach and cross-sectional designs. Most of the evidence identified a decrease in PA levels due to social distancing measures.