SynthesisInternational journal of environmental research and public health2020
Psychological Health and Physical Activity Levels during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review.
Synthesis in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 178 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
178 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The Effectiveness of Online Exercise on Physical Activity, Motor Function, and Mental Health: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Pooled it
- Technology-Supported Physical Activity and Its Potential as a Tool to Promote Young Women's Physical Activity and Physical Literacy: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- The impact of COVID-19 on non-communicable disease patients in sub-Saharan African countries: A systematic review.PloS one · 2024Pooled it
- [Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cannabis use in young adults and general population: a systematic review].Revista espanola de salud publica · 2023Pooled it
- Intervention of Physical Activity for University Students with Anxiety and Depression during the COVID-19 Pandemic Prevention and Control Period: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Physical Activity During Lockdowns Associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Multilevel Meta-analysis of 173 Studies with 320,636 Participants.Sports medicine - open · 2022Pooled it
- The Impact of Physical Activity on Mental Health during COVID-19 Pandemic in China: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- The association between physical activity and mental health during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review.BMC public health · 2022Pooled it
- Using COVID-19 Pandemic as a Prism: A Systematic Review of Methodological Approaches and the Quality of Empirical Studies on Physical Activity Behavior Change.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2022Pooled it
- Longitudinal changes in physical activity during and after the first national lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.Scientific reports · 2021Trial
- COVID-19-Related Quarantine Effect on Dietary Habits in a Northern Italian Rural Population: Data from the Brisighella Heart Study.Nutrients · 2021Trial
- Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on stress among the Bruneian military personnel: a cross-sectional study.BMJ military health · 2026Article
- Negative Effects of COVID-19 in Hypertensive and Diabetic Patients: A Pre-Post Study.Health science reports · 2026Article
- Influence of Restrictions During COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Cardiovascular, Kidney Transplant and Healthy Adults.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- Components of 24-hour movement behavior and self-reported physical fitness in Ibero-American preschoolers, children, and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Article
- Examining the association of sociodemographic characteristics on self-reported changes in health-related behaviors, mental health, and quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Sexual behaviors and access to HIV services during the COVID-19 pandemic among cisgender men who have sex with men in Lima, Peru.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Impact of Physical Activity on Health Behavior Change and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Epidemic Among Chinese Adults: China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Living during COVID-19: qualitative analysis of Experts by Experience UK University Associates' socioeconomic inequalities, including readiness recommendations.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
118 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has been devastating in all senses, particularly psychologically. Physical activity (PA) is known to aid psychological well-being, and it is worth investigating whether PA has been a coping strategy during this pandemic. The objective of this literature review is to analyze the extent to which engaging in PA during the COVID-19 pandemic impacts psychological health in the adult population. The literature was searched in all databases from the EBSCOhost Research Database-MEDLINE, APA PsycArticles, between others-published between 1 January 2019 and 15 July 2020. From 180 articles found, 15 were eligible. The reviewed articles showed an association between mental health distress-e.g., stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, social isolation, psychological distress-and PA. This research concludes that the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures caused psychological distress. Those studies that analyzed PA showed that, during quarantine, adults increased their sedentary time and reduced their PA levels, showing controversial psychological outcomes. This review discusses whether PA is an effective strategy to face the COVID-19 pandemic psychological effects contributing to a further putative increase in the prevalence of psychiatric disorders.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.