Physical Activity Determinants in Diverse Populations

Physical activity is shaped by a multifaceted interplay of individual, social and environmental determinants which vary across population subgroups and geographic contexts. Individual-level factors such as self-efficacy, motivation and health beliefs interact with social influences including family support, cultural norms and socioeconomic status. The built environment exerts critical influence via walkability, access to green space, safe active-transport infrastructure and proximity to recreational facilities. Urbanisation, rurality and regional climate further modulate opportunities for work, leisure, transport and household activity. In low- and middle-income settings, school-based programmes and community resources often determine engagement among children, while in high-income regions occupational and transport domains predominate among adults. Recognising how these determinants intersect across age, gender, income and cultural groups has informed tailored strategies for promoting inclusive, equitable physical activity and reducing global health disparities.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have quantified how urbanisation influences total and domain-specific activity across diverse economies. Large multinational cohorts employing satellite-derived measures of population density and impervious surface area reveal that higher baseline urban intensity and rapid densification are associated with marked declines in overall activity, particularly in work and transport domains. These analyses have demonstrated heterogeneity by sex, income level and rural–urban status, highlighting that urban planning interventions must be calibrated to preserve opportunities for habitual activity in rapidly growing communities. Emerging work in this sphere integrates high-resolution geospatial data with device-based activity monitoring to elucidate threshold levels of built-environment change beyond which sedentary behaviour increases, guiding global urban design policies to foster active living.

Physical Activity Determinants in Diverse Populations publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in physical activity determinants in diverse populations across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA): Activity intensity producing noticeable increases in heart rate and breathing, including brisk walking, running or sports.

Sedentary behaviour: Waking activities characterised by low energy expenditure, such as sitting or reclining.

Accelerometer: A wearable sensor that objectively records movement intensity and duration to estimate physical activity.

References

1. Urbanization and physical activity in the global Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study. Scientific Reports (2023).
2. I simply have to accompany my parents to sell, nothing else!: a multi-method exploration of barriers and facilitators of extracurricular physical activity among Mexican schoolchildren. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (2025).
3. Work, travel, or leisure: comparing domain-specific physical activity patterns based on rural–urban location in Canada. BMC Public Health (2023).
4. Proximity Sports as a Sustainable Strategy for the Promotion of Physical Activity at an Early Age: The KIA Project. Sustainability (2023).