Exercise Habits in Older Adults: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Behavioral Science
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Exercise habits are vital for long-term physical activity maintenance in older adults.
• The definition and measurement of exercise habits lack consistency.
• Understanding habit formation is key to promoting sustained exercise in aging populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review on the conceptualization and operationalization of exercise habits in older adults.
• To examine health-related evidence and factors influencing exercise initiation and maintenance.
• To provide a clearer conceptual framework for studying exercise habit formation.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, Cochrane Library) up to July 2025.
• PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines were followed.
• Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, including 25 studies from 12,539 records.

Main Results:

• Most studies defined exercise habits by frequency, duration, continuity, participation, or adherence, without assessing automaticity.
• Health associations were heterogeneous, primarily from observational and self-reported data.
• A framework emerged, including initial engagement, routine establishment, and habit internalization.

Conclusions:

• Distinguishing behavioral regularity, contextual stability, and automaticity offers a clearer basis for studying exercise habits in older adults.
• Future research should longitudinally assess these components and test supports for habit formation.
• Intervention studies are needed to explore facilitators of exercise habit formation and maintenance in real-world settings.