Call for papers - Promoting physical activity: challenges, opportunities, and evidence-based strategies for active lifestyles

Guest Editors

Kwok Ng, PhD, University of Limerick, Ireland
Ferdinand Salonna, PhD, Pavol Jozef Šafarik University, Slovak Republic

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 22 August 2025

BMC Public Health is calling for submissions to our Collection on promoting physical activity: challenges, opportunities, and evidence-based strategies for active lifestyles.

Physical activity is essential for public health, helping to prevent chronic diseases, improve mental health, and enhance overall well-being. Despite its benefits, many face challenges in maintaining adequate activity levels due to various demographic, social, and environmental factors. Research is needed to understand and address these barriers through behavioral interventions, community programs, technology, policy, and tailored approaches for different populations.

This Collection seeks research on promoting exercise through behavioral interventions, community programs, technology, supportive policies, tailored approaches for different groups, urban design, health equity, workplace programs, cultural influences, and global campaigns.

New Content Item This collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3 Good Health & Well-Being, SDG4: Quality Education, and SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Kwok Ng, PhD, University of Limerick, Ireland, Institute of Innovation and Sport Sciences, Lithuanian Sports University, Lithuania, University of Turku, Finland

Dr Kwok Ng has the title of Docent in Health Promotion and Adapted Physical Activity and shares his position across three European Universities. Dr Kwok's research is often in the areas of promoting physical activity across children and adolescents as well as people with disabilities through surveillance studies that can be used to inform programs and lifestyle interventions. In addition to being an editor in BMC Public Health, Dr Kwok is a senior associate editor of Journal of Physical Activity for Health, and Assistant Editor of the European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity.

Ferdinand Salonna, PhD, Institute of Physical Education and Sport at P. J. Šafarik University, Slovak Republic

Dr Ferdinand Salonna, PhD, is a public health scholar specializing in physical activity research. Dr Salonna's work examines the links between physical activity, health outcomes, and socioeconomic factors among adolescents and young adults. Dr Salonna has contributed to major scientific projects, including HBSC and IPEN, and has expertise in research methodology and systematic reviews. His editorial experience enhances his ability to critically assess research, ensuring rigor and relevance in public health publications.

About the Collection

BMC Public Health is calling for submissions to our Collection on promoting physical activity: challenges, opportunities, and evidence-based strategies for active lifestyles.

Physical activity is a cornerstone of public health, playing a key role in preventing chronic diseases, improving mental health, and enhancing overall well-being. Despite its well-documented benefits, many individuals and populations face challenges in maintaining adequate levels of physical activity. These challenges can vary widely depending on demographic factors, social contexts, and environmental conditions. Understanding the barriers to and facilitators of physical activity is crucial for developing effective, evidence-based interventions and policies that promote active lifestyles. Public health efforts should account for the diverse needs and circumstances of different populations to create tailored, impactful solutions that encourage sustained physical activity.

This Collection invites research that contributes to our understanding of how to effectively promote exercise and physical activity. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Behavioral interventions: strategies to motivate individuals to engage in physical activity
Community-based programs: successful community initiatives that promote active living
Technology and innovation: the role of apps, wearables, and online platforms in encouraging physical activity
Policy and advocacy: policies that support physical activity in schools, workplaces, and public spaces
Special populations: tailored approaches for promoting physical activity among different demographic groups (e.g., children, older adults, individuals with disabilities)
Environmental factors: the impact of urban design, green spaces, and infrastructure on physical activity levels
Health equity: addressing disparities in access to physical activity resources in underserved or marginalized communities
Workplace interventions: programs or policies that encourage physical activity in occupational settings
Cultural and socioeconomic factors: the role of cultural and socioeconomic determinants in shaping physical activity behaviors
Global health initiatives: large-scale public health campaigns or international efforts to promote physical activity globally.

This collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3 Good Health & Well-Being, SDG4: Quality Education, and SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Promoting physical activity: challenges, opportunities, and evidence-based strategies for active lifestyles" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.