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Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise to Human Health: 2nd...
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Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise to Human Health: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Sports (ISSN 2075-4663).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 3534

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ricardo Manuel Pires Ferraz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Center in Sports, Health Sciences and Human Development, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
Interests: exercise science; sports science; exercise performance; strength and conditioning; exercise testing; exercise intervention; physical education; football; motor skills; volleyball; psycophysiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Henrique P. Neiva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Center in Sports, Health Sciences and Human Development, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
Interests: strength and conditioning; sports medicine; exercise evaluation; performance; physiology; biomechanics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Fernanda M. Silva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF), Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: sedentary behavior; exercise; metabolic health; disease prevention; respiratory health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Pedro Alexandre Duarte-Mendes

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Sport & Well Being, Polytechnic University of Castelo Branco, 6000-084 Castelo Branco, Portugal
Interests: sports and health sciences; exercise science; physical activity; sedentary behaviour; motor imagery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Recent estimates point to a high prevalence of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior in modern societies. Physical inactivity is one of the leading risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases (i.e., diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and some cancers) and all-cause mortality worldwide. From a public health perspective, it becomes urgent to develop new strategies and therapeutic approaches for preventing or managing these deleterious health outcomes. 

Alternately, physical activity and exercise provide multiple health benefits, reducing the risk of all-cause mortality. The updated WHO 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior encourage the different population groups to undertake aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities and limit the time spent sedentary for optimal health outcomes. Nonetheless, more research is needed to better understand the factors underlying regular physical activity/exercise, as well as effective strategies to increase adherence and maintenance. 

This Special Issue is dedicated to studies that investigate how physical activity and exercise interventions contribute to human health and well-being across all age groups. The topic of interest includes, but is not limited to, the following:

- Determinants of physical activity and exercise adherence: barriers and facilitators;

- Strategies to improve physical activity levels and exercise adherence;

- Physical activity and exercise in disease prevention and management;

- Physical activity and exercise on physical and mental health. 

We are particularly interested in experimental and observational studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and study protocols.

Dr. Ricardo Manuel Pires Ferraz
Prof. Dr. Henrique P. Neiva
Dr. Fernanda M. Silva
Dr. Pedro Alexandre Duarte-Mendes
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 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. Sports 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 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

  • movement behaviors
  • physical activity
  • public health
  • health promotion
  • disease

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 368 KB  
Article
Physical Activity, Metabolic Risk and the Primary Allostatic Load Mediators: An Explorative Study
by Francis Osei, Pia-Maria Wippert and Andrea Block
Sports 2026, 14(3), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports14030107 - 9 Mar 2026
Viewed by 992
Abstract
Background: Chronic stress is associated with dysregulation of the body’s allostatic systems, contributing to increased allostatic load (AL) and adverse metabolic outcomes. Regular physical activity (PA) is considered a key protective factor that may attenuate AL by enhancing adaptive stress responses and supporting [...] Read more.
Background: Chronic stress is associated with dysregulation of the body’s allostatic systems, contributing to increased allostatic load (AL) and adverse metabolic outcomes. Regular physical activity (PA) is considered a key protective factor that may attenuate AL by enhancing adaptive stress responses and supporting metabolic health. This study examined the differences between PA, primary mediators of AL, and metabolic risk markers in apparently healthy adults in Germany. Methods: Forty-six adults (18–45 years) were categorized into a moderate intensity (regular PA: ≥150 min a week vs. non-regular PA: ≤150 min a week) group according to current PA recommendations. Primary AL mediators were quantified by cortisol (μg/12 h), epinephrine (μg/12 h), norepinephrine (μg/12 h), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S: μg/mL). Group differences in primary AL mediators and metabolic risk markers were examined using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results: A significant group difference was observed for cortisol levels, with higher values in the regular PA group (p = 0.01), with a moderate negative effect size of r = −0.38. No statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between groups for epinephrine, norepinephrine, DHEA-S, or metabolic risk markers, including triglycerides, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Conclusions: The findings suggest that regular PA may be associated with altered stress-regulatory activity, as reflected by differences in cortisol. While no statistically significant group differences were observed for metabolic risk markers, descriptive patterns indicate more favorable lipid profiles and potential variation in primary AL mediators at higher PA levels. Given the exploratory nature of the analyses and the small and unequal group sizes, these findings should be interpreted with caution and warrant confirmation in future studies with larger and more balanced samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise to Human Health: 2nd Edition)
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18 pages, 1242 KB  
Article
Hierarchical Analysis of Physical Activity Determinants in Brazilian Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Arley Santos Leão, Roberto Jerônimo dos Santos Silva, Naiara Ribeiro Almeida, Cinthya Luiza Rezende Oliveira, Diego Ignacio Valenzuela Pérez, Esteban Aedo-Muñoz, Ciro José Brito, Júlio Manuel Cardoso Martins and Aldo Matos da Costa
Sports 2026, 14(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports14010031 - 8 Jan 2026
Viewed by 651
Abstract
Background: Physical inactivity during adolescence remains a major public health concern, yet its multifactorial determinants are not fully understood in low- and middle-income settings. Objective: To identify and quantify the determinants of physical activity (PA) among Brazilian adolescents using a hierarchical logistic regression [...] Read more.
Background: Physical inactivity during adolescence remains a major public health concern, yet its multifactorial determinants are not fully understood in low- and middle-income settings. Objective: To identify and quantify the determinants of physical activity (PA) among Brazilian adolescents using a hierarchical logistic regression model that reflects the theoretical ordering of distal to proximal factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 856 adolescents (13–19 years). Data were obtained from the validated Brazilian Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria (ABEP) socioeconomic questionnaire. PA was dichotomized according to World Health Organization recommendations. Hierarchical logistic regression examined five theoretical blocks: sociodemographic, anthropometric, substance use, weight/diet, and sedentary behavior. Results: Overall, 5 out of 17 predictors were significant in the full model. extended Body mass index (eBMI) was negatively associated with physical activity (OR = 0.331, 95% CI: 0.169–0.647, p = 0.001), while body mass was positively associated (OR = 2.078, 95% CI: 1.045–4.135, p = 0.037). Working status (OR = 1.235, 95% CI: 1.035–1.475, p = 0.019) and weight loss attempts (OR = 1.327, 95% CI: 1.042–1.690, p = 0.022) increased the odds of being active, whereas current smoking reduced it (OR = 0.715, 95% CI: 0.517–0.990, p = 0.043). Model discrimination improved progressively (AUC = 0.577 to 0.692). Conclusions: Physical activity among Brazilian adolescents was primarily influenced by behavioral and perceptual rather than demographic factors. These findings highlight the need for integrated interventions promoting muscle development, body positivity, and smoking prevention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise to Human Health: 2nd Edition)
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Review

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20 pages, 3500 KB  
Review
Mapping Scientific Research on High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) in Overweight Populations (2011–2024)
by Juan David Paucar-Uribe, Andrés Julián Rendón-Sanchéz, Mauricio Vladimir Peña-Giraldo, Kevin Ricardo Forero González, Anyi Tatiana Sanabria Moreno, Boryi A. Becerra-Patiño, Laura del Pilar Prieto Mondragon, Jorge Olivares-Arancibia, Rodrigo Yáñez-Sepúlveda and José Francisco López-Gil
Sports 2026, 14(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports14010038 - 14 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1253
Abstract
Background: Several studies have investigated the importance of physical exercise (PE) in overweight and obese populations; however, to date, no bibliometric study has analyzed research trends in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in overweight and obese populations across the entire life course. Objective [...] Read more.
Background: Several studies have investigated the importance of physical exercise (PE) in overweight and obese populations; however, to date, no bibliometric study has analyzed research trends in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in overweight and obese populations across the entire life course. Objective: To analyze the scientific output of HIIT trends in overweight and obese populations. Method: Theoretical study using bibliometrics as a research technique. A total of 282 studies were identified in the Web of Science and PubMed databases for analysis with VOSViewer software 1.6.20. The equation used was (“High-intensity interval training” OR HIIT) AND (overweight OR obesity OR “risk factors” OR “obesity risk”). Results: The year 2022 was the most productive year (n = 46). Most of the documents are research articles (81%), followed by review articles (15%). Most studies do not specify the characteristics of the sample, only mentioning the application of a HIIT program in overweight or obese individuals in (65.6%) of the total articles found. There is low scientific output in research focused on women (23.4%). The most frequently occurring words were “exercise” (n = 145), “obesity” (n = 131), “high-intensity interval training” (n = 81), “overweight” (n = 78), “physical activity” (n = 73), “body composition” (n = 46), “weight loss” (n = 45), “health” (n = 42), and “cardiorespiratory fitness” (n = 40). Conclusions: Scientific research has advanced the understanding of the impact of HIIT in relation to excess weight, with total fat reduction being one of the most frequently reported variables and no differences observed between sexes. HIIT has shown benefits in populations with overweight and obesity when compared with low-intensity training programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise to Human Health: 2nd Edition)
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