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IJERPH
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Positive Effects of Leisure–Sports and Physical Activity on Public Health
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Positive Effects of Leisure–Sports and Physical Activity on Public Health

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Exercise and Health-Related Quality of Life".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 11578

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Francisco José Gondim Pitanga

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador 40110060, Brazil
Interests: epidemiology of physical activity; physical activity and public health; sedentary behavior

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The positive effects of regular leisure–sports and physical activity on public health have been studied for some time; however, further studies are still required, especially considering the depletion of health services in different parts of the world observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this way, observational articles, both transversal and longitudinal, will be welcome, as well intervention studies on the association of leisure–sports and physical activity on different public health indicators, both individual, such as cardiovascular health, metabolic health, mental health, and immunological health, as well as collective ones, such as health services and public policies for health promotion. It is noteworthy that systematic review articles with meta-analyses will also be accepted.

Dr. Francisco José Gondim Pitanga
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • physical activity
  • physical exercise
  • cardiovascular health
  • metabolic health
  • mental health
  • immune system
  • health services
  • physical activity promotion

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

2 pages, 586 KiB  
Editorial
Physical Activity, Empowerment of the Immune System and Public Health: What We Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Francisco José Gondim Pitanga
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 13837; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192113837 - 24 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1994
Abstract
The importance of physical activity for the cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health systems with its repercussions for public health has been studied for some time, although further studies are needed due to the depletion of health services observed during the COVID-19 pandemic [...] [...] Read more.
The importance of physical activity for the cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health systems with its repercussions for public health has been studied for some time, although further studies are needed due to the depletion of health services observed during the COVID-19 pandemic [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Effects of Leisure–Sports and Physical Activity on Public Health)
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Research

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10 pages, 846 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Physical Activity on Long COVID Symptoms Among College Students: A Retrospective Study
by Gili Joseph
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(5), 754; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22050754 - 11 May 2025
Viewed by 305
Abstract
Millions worldwide suffer from long COVID, which affects daily life and impairs multiple organs. Younger adults report symptoms more frequently than older adults. Since physical activity enhances overall health, this study examines whether regular exercise reduces long COVID severity in college students. This [...] Read more.
Millions worldwide suffer from long COVID, which affects daily life and impairs multiple organs. Younger adults report symptoms more frequently than older adults. Since physical activity enhances overall health, this study examines whether regular exercise reduces long COVID severity in college students. This cross-sectional retrospective study surveyed 309 teacher-training college students about their long COVID symptoms and physical activity levels. Participants were categorized based on activity levels, and symptom differences were analyzed. Among respondents, 44 (14.4%) reported long COVID symptoms, with fatigue being the most common (13.3%). Students engaging in regular, intense physical activity did not experience fewer symptoms than less active students (1.83 ± 0.85; 1.75 ± 0.89, p = 0.376). However, physical education students reported fewer symptoms than students in other programs (6.7% vs. 17.4%). Greater self-reported participation in physical activity was not associated with less reported long COVID symptoms among college-aged students; however, students enrolled in physical education programs—who integrate physical activity into their daily routines as part of their academic curriculum—reported fewer symptoms, suggesting that sustained, structured physical activity may contribute to reduced symptom burden. Further research is needed to explore this relationship. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Effects of Leisure–Sports and Physical Activity on Public Health)
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12 pages, 383 KiB  
Article
Combined Effect of Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior on Abdominal Obesity in ELSA-Brasil Participants
by Maiara do Espírito Santo Cerqueira de Araújo, Maria da Conceição Chagas de Almeida, Sheila Maria Alvim Matos, Maria de Jesus Mendes da Fonseca, Cristiano Penas Seara Pitanga and Francisco José Gondim Pitanga
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(15), 6501; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20156501 - 2 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2086
Abstract
Introduction: Abdominal obesity is a pattern of obesity that has been considered a public health problem. Physical activity is considered an important factor for the prevention of abdominal obesity. Increased time in sedentary behavior has been associated with negative health outcomes, including abdominal [...] Read more.
Introduction: Abdominal obesity is a pattern of obesity that has been considered a public health problem. Physical activity is considered an important factor for the prevention of abdominal obesity. Increased time in sedentary behavior has been associated with negative health outcomes, including abdominal obesity. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate which combination of leisure-time physical activity and sedentary behavior contributes most to the prevention of abdominal obesity in adults participating in ELSA-Brasil (Longitudinal Study of Adult Health). Methods: The study was cross-sectional and participants from the first follow-up of the ELSA-Brasil cohort (2012–2014) were analyzed. The independent variables were physical activity, assessed by IPAQ, and sedentary behavior, assessed by a standard questionnaire applied in ELSA-Brasil; the dependent variable was abdominal obesity, determined by waist circumference. The covariates analyzed were the following: age, education, binge drinking, smoking and menopause. The associations between the dependent variable and the independent variables were analyzed using logistic regression. The odds ratio with 95 CI% was estimated. Results: For men, the combinations were more significant when they were more physically active and spent less time on the sedentary behaviors analyzed, on both a weekday and a weekend day. For menopausal women, both younger and older, all associations of the combinations between sufficient leisure-time physical activity and little time spent in sedentary behaviors contributed to the prevention of abdominal obesity. In non-menopausal women, positive associations were observed in almost all combinations between leisure-time physical activity and sedentary behaviors, with some results that were not statistically significant among younger women. Conclusions: Our results showed that being sufficiently active and reducing the time spent in sedentary behavior was the combination that contributed the most to the prevention of abdominal obesity, both in men and women. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Effects of Leisure–Sports and Physical Activity on Public Health)
10 pages, 1198 KiB  
Article
Chronic Effects of Different Types of Neuromuscular Training on Hemodynamic Responses Estimated VO2max, and Walking Performance in Older People
by Estélio Henrique Martin Dantas, Leandro de Oliveira Sant’Ana, Jeferson Macedo Vianna, Sergio Machado, Jani Cleria Pereira Bezerra, Matthew T. Corey and Fabiana Rodrigues Scartoni
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 640; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010640 - 30 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2111
Abstract
This paper investigated the effects over time of different forms of neuromuscular training on hemodynamic responses, the estimated VO2max, and walking performance. 105 older adults were randomly organized into three groups: RGA, RGB, and the Control Group [...] Read more.
This paper investigated the effects over time of different forms of neuromuscular training on hemodynamic responses, the estimated VO2max, and walking performance. 105 older adults were randomly organized into three groups: RGA, RGB, and the Control Group (CG). RGA and RGB did 4 weeks of adaptation phase training and 12 weeks of intervention with different loads: moderate loads for RGB. and higher loads for RGA. A pre- and post-evaluation of the resting heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), double product (DP), estimated VO2max, and walking performance were assessed. Significant differences were observed for SBP, DBP, HR, and DP. For SBP, a post-evaluation reduction was observed only in RGA (p = 0.007) and when comparing RGA with the Control Group (p < 0.000). For the absolute VO2max, a significant improvement was seen in RGB compared to RGA (p = 0.037) and CG (p < 0.000). For the relative VO2max, RGB scored significantly higher than RGA (p < 0.000) and CG (p < 0.000), post-intervention. For the walk test, a significant reduction in completion times was observed for RGA (p = 0.027) and RGB (p < 0.000), and for RGB compared to RGA (p = 0.000) and CG (p < 0.000). Resistance training can be an excellent strategy for hemodynamic and cardiorespiratory improvement in the elderly. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Effects of Leisure–Sports and Physical Activity on Public Health)
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Review

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19 pages, 844 KiB  
Review
Physical Activity, Sedentary Time, and Psychosocial Functioning among Adults with Cancer: A Scoping Review
by Arianne Côté, Paule Miquelon and Claudia Trudel-Fitzgerald
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(2), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020225 - 14 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3996
Abstract
The post-treatment period (after the completion of primary cancer treatment) is a phase during which adults with cancer are particularly vulnerable to the physical and psychological side effects of treatment. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits during this time is essential to mitigate these effects. [...] Read more.
The post-treatment period (after the completion of primary cancer treatment) is a phase during which adults with cancer are particularly vulnerable to the physical and psychological side effects of treatment. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits during this time is essential to mitigate these effects. This scoping review investigated the associations of physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) with two post-treatment psychosocial indicators among adults with cancer: psychological functioning and quality of life (QoL). An exhaustive search was performed in January 2023 across five databases, namely APA PsycInfo, MedLine, SPORTDiscuss, SCOPUS, and CINAHL, adhering to PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. Twenty articles met the inclusion criteria; 16 used a cross-sectional design, while 4 used a longitudinal one. PA and ST were assessed mainly with accelerometers (n = 17), and psychosocial indicators with self-reported questionnaires (n = 20). Most studies linked higher PA levels to reduced anxiety (n = 3) and depression (n = 4) symptoms, and elevated ST to higher psychological symptoms (n = 3). Opposite associations were observed for QoL (n = 5). Altogether, PA appeared to be more strongly related to psychological functioning and QoL than ST. This scoping review highlights associations of PA and ST with psychological functioning and QoL among adults with cancer in the post-treatment period. However, future studies must prioritize longitudinal designs to establish directionality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Effects of Leisure–Sports and Physical Activity on Public Health)
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