Interventions on School Physical Activity Incorporating the Ecological Model in LATAM: A Systematic Review

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Interventions on School Physical Activity Incorporating the Ecological Model in LATAM: A Systematic Review
Language: English
Authors: Darlyn López-Obregon, Ricardo Martínez-Flores (ORCID 0000-0002-8435-2710), Gerson Ferrari (ORCID 0000-0003-3177-6576), Carlos Jorquera-Aguilera, Fernando Rodríguez-Rodríguez (ORCID 0000-0002-4999-4857)
Source: Health Education & Behavior. 2026 53(4):354-366.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Information Analyses
Descriptors: Physical Activity Level, Intervention, Life Style, Eating Habits, Drinking, Smoking, Program Effectiveness, Health Promotion, Family Influence, Peer Influence, Teacher Influence, Foreign Countries, School Role
Geographic Terms: Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil
DOI: 10.1177/10901981251396549
ISSN: 1090-1981
1552-6127
Abstract: Meeting the recommendation of 60 minutes of daily physical activity for children and adolescents yields significant health benefits. In Latin America and the Caribbean, 39.1% of the population does not meet physical activity guidelines; specifically, 34.3% of males and 43.7% of females fall below the recommended levels. This study aims to identify school-based physical activity interventions aligned with the socioecological model that involve parents in Latin American contexts. A systematic search was conducted across four databases--PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, and ScienceDirect--for articles published between January 2014 and April 2024. A total of 198 studies were identified (78 from PubMed, 22 from WOS, 31 from Scopus, and 67 from ScienceDirect). After removing 20 duplicates, 167 articles were excluded based on title and abstract screening. One study was excluded. It focused on sedentary behavior, and another aspect was its consideration of dietary habits, resulting in a final inclusion of 9 studies. The included studies were published between 2014-2024, with intervention durations ranging from 10 weeks to 28 months and sample sizes from 50 to 3,592 participants. The studies were conducted in Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil. Interventions adopted both individual and environmental approaches, targeting outcomes such as physical activity, sedentary behavior, screen time, health education, nutrition, and alcohol and tobacco use. The reviewed intervention demonstrated positive effects on increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviors. Family members, peers, friends, and teachers emerged as key sources of support for promoting health-enhancing behaviors, consistent with an ecological framework for health promotion.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1510112
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Meeting the recommendation of 60 minutes of daily physical activity for children and adolescents yields significant health benefits. In Latin America and the Caribbean, 39.1% of the population does not meet physical activity guidelines; specifically, 34.3% of males and 43.7% of females fall below the recommended levels. This study aims to identify school-based physical activity interventions aligned with the socioecological model that involve parents in Latin American contexts. A systematic search was conducted across four databases--PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, and ScienceDirect--for articles published between January 2014 and April 2024. A total of 198 studies were identified (78 from PubMed, 22 from WOS, 31 from Scopus, and 67 from ScienceDirect). After removing 20 duplicates, 167 articles were excluded based on title and abstract screening. One study was excluded. It focused on sedentary behavior, and another aspect was its consideration of dietary habits, resulting in a final inclusion of 9 studies. The included studies were published between 2014-2024, with intervention durations ranging from 10 weeks to 28 months and sample sizes from 50 to 3,592 participants. The studies were conducted in Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil. Interventions adopted both individual and environmental approaches, targeting outcomes such as physical activity, sedentary behavior, screen time, health education, nutrition, and alcohol and tobacco use. The reviewed intervention demonstrated positive effects on increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviors. Family members, peers, friends, and teachers emerged as key sources of support for promoting health-enhancing behaviors, consistent with an ecological framework for health promotion.
ISSN:1090-1981
1552-6127
DOI:10.1177/10901981251396549