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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
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Published on: February 21, 2025
Technology for physical activity promotion: A bibliometric analysis over four decades using an AI-human hybrid search
Nicholas D Gilson1, George Thomas2, Stephanie Alley3
1School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia.
Objectives:
This study conducted a bibliometric analysis to map the development of technology use in physical activity (PA) promotion and identify key trends and transitions across four decades.
Methods:
Data were derived from Scopus and SportDiscus databases (March 13, 2026). Title and abstract screening were undertaken by ASReview, an open-source machine learning tool that prioritised records based on relevance. Data were extracted using a predefined coding framework, with included studies charted by publication year and journal, population, age group, and technology type.
Results:
Out of 32,237 identified studies, 2981 met inclusion criteria (1988-2025). Studies were published in 757 journals, located in 63 countries (32% low-middle income); 47 discrete technologies were used, with 1718 studies (58%) using two or more in combination. Seven categories emerged based on the primary technology used (n = studies): desktop (n = 823), wearables (Generation 1 [n = 417] or 2 [n = 331]), mobile devices (n = 766), TV-based (n = 363), media (n = 204), and AI (n = 77). Trend analysis showed that media, early generation wearables (pedometers) and desktop technologies led initial research growth (137 of 175 studies [78%]) between 1988 and 2007. Their use declined in later years, whilst over a five-fold increase in overall technology use between 2008 and 17 (99 studies) was driven by second generation wearables (fitness trackers) and mobile devices. AI use, though still emerging, more than quadrupled to 63 studies between 2018 and 25.
Conclusions:
The findings highlight an ongoing increase in technology use for PA promotion, with shifts in dominant platforms over time and a recent surge in AI-driven approaches.
