Projecting the Influence of Global Warming on Physical Activity Patterns: a Systematic Review

This study systematically identified and synthesized empirical data-driven modeling studies that projected the future influence of global warming on people's physical activity patterns.

A total of ten studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Global warming, in general, was predicted to be associated with a net increase in active commuting and leisure-time physical activity. However, the specific relationship between climate change and future physical activity patterns was expected to vary by the periods of prediction, geographical locations, population subgroups, and seasons. Moreover, the positive association between global warming and physical activity could level off or be reversed once reaching a temperature threshold. Preliminary evidence suggested a net increase in physical activity by mid- to late-twenty-first century owing to global warming. Future studies should refine the projections by taking into account the indirect effect of global warming through induced natural and human events, and assess effective countermeasures to mitigate the negative impact of global warming on vulnerable population subgroups.