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AI and Exercise Interventions to Support Physical Activity and Functional...
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AI and Exercise Interventions to Support Physical Activity and Functional Adaptations in Youth and Students

A special issue of Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (ISSN 2411-5142). This special issue belongs to the section "Physical Exercise for Health Promotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 175

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Fiorenzo Moscatelli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Education and Sport Sciences, Pegaso Telematic University, 80143 Naples, Italy
Interests: exercise interventions and functional adaptations in sedentary adult populations; neuromuscular and physiological responses to physical inactivity and training
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Physical activity during youth and early adulthood plays a critical role in shaping functional capacity, neuromuscular development, metabolic efficiency, and long-term health trajectories. However, reduced movement engagement remains increasingly common across school and university settings due to academic demands, digital exposure, environmental constraints, and limited access to structured exercise opportunities. These factors may interfere with optimal functional adaptations during key developmental and transitional stages.

Insufficient exposure to appropriately designed exercise stimuli can lead to neuromuscular deconditioning, impaired motor competence, reduced physical efficiency, and unfavorable metabolic and physiological profiles. Understanding the mechanisms through which exercise interventions promote functional adaptations and how contextual and behavioral constraints influence these processes is essential for developing effective, evidence-based strategies targeting youth and student populations.

This Special Issue welcomes contributions investigating exercise interventions aimed at enhancing physical activity and eliciting measurable functional adaptations in youth and students. Particular emphasis will be placed on studies examining neuromuscular, morphological, metabolic, and biomechanical responses to training, as well as research integrating artificial intelligence to support movement assessment, adaptive training prescription, load monitoring, and individualized progression. The use of AI-driven systems to improve exercise adherence, accessibility, and precision in training design is also encouraged when grounded in rigorous physiological and functional evaluation frameworks.

By integrating exercise science and artificial intelligence, this Special Issue aims to advance knowledge on how targeted interventions can optimize movement-related adaptations, support functional development, and expand equitable access to structured physical activity across educational contexts.

This Special Issue is supervised by Dr. Fiorenzo Moscatelli and assisted by Dr. Mariasole Antonietta Guerriero (University of Foggia).

Dr. Fiorenzo Moscatelli
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1800 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 in youth
  • exercise-induced functional adaptations
  • neuromuscular and biomechanical responses
  • artificial intelligence in movement assessment
  • adaptive training and load monitoring

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

19 pages, 722 KB  
Review
Technology-Based Interventions for Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour in Adults: A Scoping Review
by Mariasole Antonietta Guerriero, Vittoria Lettieri, Fiorenzo Moscatelli, Giovanni Messina, Marcellino Monda, Antonieta Messina, Nicola Mancini, Maria Ruberto and Rita Polito
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(2), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11020217 - 29 May 2026
Abstract
Background: Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour are major public health concerns associated with an increased risk of non-communicable diseases, reduced quality of life, and substantial healthcare burden. In recent years, technology-based interventions, including wearable devices, mobile health applications, artificial intelligence-driven systems, and [...] Read more.
Background: Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour are major public health concerns associated with an increased risk of non-communicable diseases, reduced quality of life, and substantial healthcare burden. In recent years, technology-based interventions, including wearable devices, mobile health applications, artificial intelligence-driven systems, and adaptive digital platforms, have been increasingly adopted to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary time in adult populations. However, the evidence remains fragmented across intervention types, behavioural targets, and population groups. The aim of this scoping review was to map the recent literature on digital interventions designed to promote active lifestyles in adults, with a specific focus on their reported impact on physical activity promotion and sedentary behaviour reduction. Methods: This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A literature search was performed in PubMed and Scopus using a predefined search strategy combining terms related to digital technologies, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and adult populations. Studies published in English between 2022 and 2026 were considered. After removal of duplicates and screening of titles and abstracts, full texts were assessed according to predefined eligibility criteria. Data were charted descriptively and synthesised narratively to identify the main intervention models and emerging research trends. Results: The search identified 887 records, of which 35 studies were included in the final synthesis. The literature included was grouped into four broad categories: wearable devices and mHealth tools for monitoring and goal-setting; adaptive interventions based on Just-In-Time Adaptive Interventions, artificial intelligence, and gamification; advanced technologies such as Internet of Things systems and exoskeleton-based approaches; and hybrid interventions combining digital tools with human support or environmental modifications. Overall, technology-based interventions were generally associated with increases in step count, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and adherence to movement-related behaviours. In contrast, their effectiveness in reducing sedentary behaviour was less consistent and appeared to depend more strongly on context-sensitive prompting, posture-focused strategies, and multicomponent or hybrid intervention models. Conclusions: Digital health interventions represent a promising strategy for promoting physical activity in adults, but their impact on sedentary behaviour reduction remains more limited and heterogeneous. The findings suggest that simply increasing exercise is not sufficient to address prolonged sitting and that more tailored, adaptive, and context-aware approaches are needed. Future research should prioritise methodological standardisation, longer follow-up periods, and interventions specifically designed to interrupt sedentary time across different adult populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue AI and Exercise Interventions to Support Physical Activity and Functional Adaptations in Youth and Students)
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