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Life
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Move to Thrive: Pioneering Health and Resilience Through Physical Activity
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Move to Thrive: Pioneering Health and Resilience Through Physical Activity

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Physiology and Pathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 770

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Silvana Mirella Aliberti

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Guest Editor
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
Interests: epidemiology; biostatistics; preventive medicine; longevity and healthspan; physical activity; health resilience; chronic disease prevention
Prof. Dr. Franca Di Meglio

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Guest Editor
Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: sports medicine; physical exercise; human anatomy; morphofunctional studies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Daria Nurzynska

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Guest Editor
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
Interests: anatomy; histology; cell biology; congenital heart defects; adult stem cells
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Physical activity transcends traditional health boundaries, acting as a catalyst for resilience and vitality. It optimizes metabolic health, regulates inflammation, and reduces the risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis, and various cancers (e.g., colon, breast). Beyond these well-documented benefits, physical activity enhances cognitive function, emotional well-being, and musculoskeletal dynamics, fostering inclusive vitality across diverse populations. Yet, the full potential of movement remains largely untapped. How does physical activity rewire immune and metabolic pathways, unveiling novel therapeutic insights into cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and systemic inflammation? Can adaptive, technology-driven exercise strategies unlock new preventive and rehabilitative frontiers? This special issue, co-curated with experts in preventive medicine, anatomical sciences, and sports medicine, seeks to explore these groundbreaking questions by leveraging interdisciplinary approaches, mixed methodologies, and regional contexts to redefine health strategies. We invite submissions—including original research articles, systematic reviews, and case studies—examining the transformative impact of physical activity. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: Metabolic and inflammatory pathway modulation by exercise. Innovative interventions for chronic disease prevention and management. Exercise-induced immune system enhancement and its clinical implications. Biomechanical and anatomical adaptations resulting from physical activity. Physical activity in unique populations (e.g., aging individuals, people with disabilities). Environmental and regional influences on the efficacy of exercise-based interventions. We look forward to your innovative contributions that will expand the understanding of physical activity as a transformative force in health and disease prevention.

Dr. Silvana Mirella Aliberti
Prof. Dr. Franca Di Meglio
Dr. Daria Nurzynska
Guest Editors

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. Life 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 2600 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
  • inflammation modulation
  • chronic disease prevention
  • immune system adaptation
  • biomechanics
  • rehabilitation strategies
  • sports medicine
  • aging and physical activity
  • disability and movement
  • environmental and regional influences on exercise

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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43 pages, 10557 KiB  
Systematic Review
Effects of Recreational Football on Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Health in Overweight or Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Sijia Li, Haoran Li, Bo Wang, Zhuo Zeng, Rui Zhang, Henghao Yan, Aiguo Zhou, Yongmin Xie and Chengyu Zhou
Life 2025, 15(8), 1276; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15081276 - 12 Aug 2025
Viewed by 446
Abstract
Objective: This study systematically examined the effects of recreational football on body composition and cardiometabolic health in overweight or obese individuals via subgroup analyses of potential moderators. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across six databases (PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, [...] Read more.
Objective: This study systematically examined the effects of recreational football on body composition and cardiometabolic health in overweight or obese individuals via subgroup analyses of potential moderators. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across six databases (PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang Data) in May and July 2025 to identify controlled trials evaluating recreational football among overweight or obese individuals. A meta-analysis was performed to pool the effect estimates, reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs), with heterogeneity explored through subgroup analyses. Results: Recreational football interventions across 32 studies (1126 participants, aged 11–68) led to significant improvements in body composition and cardiometabolic health. The training programs ranged from 4 to 48 weeks, with sessions lasting 4 to 30 min. Key body composition outcomes included reductions in body weight (SMD = −0.51), body mass index (SMD = −0.41), body fat percentage (SMD = −0.53), fat mass (SMD = −0.40), and waist circumference (SMD = −1.43), along with increases in lean body mass (SMD = 0.18). The effects were more pronounced in females and younger participants (≤18 years). Cardiometabolic benefits included reductions in systolic blood pressure (SMD = −0.59), diastolic blood pressure (SMD = −0.75), and mean arterial pressure (SMD = −0.91), as well as resting heart rates (SMD = −0.85), especially among females, obese males, and those subject to shorter rest intervals. Participants’ peak oxygen uptake also improved (SMD = 0.81). Concerning lipid metabolism, participants’ total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides decreased significantly, particularly in females, younger and obese individuals, and those who trained more than twice per week. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased significantly only in females and those involved in frequent training. In regard to glucose metabolism, participants’ fasting insulin declined (SMD = −0.47), especially in regard to programs exceeding 12 weeks, whereas no significant changes were observed in fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, or the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance. According to the GRADE assessments, the certainty of the evidence ranged from very low to moderate across these outcomes. Conclusions: Recreational football improves the body composition and cardiometabolic health in overweight or obese individuals, resulting in reductions in adiposity, blood pressure, lipids, and insulin, with greater benefits observed in females, younger individuals, and those engaging in more frequent training. These findings support its potential as a practical intervention for weight and cardiometabolic risk management, in both clinical and community settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Move to Thrive: Pioneering Health and Resilience Through Physical Activity)
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