PROTOCOLO SCOPING REVIEW

 

 

STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG WORKERS IN COMPANIES: SCOPING REVIEW PROTOCOL

 

ESTRATEGIAS PARA PROMOVER LA ACTIVIDAD FÍSICA REGULAR DE LOS TRABAJADORES EN EMPRESAS: PROTOCOLO DE SCOPING REVIEW

 

ESTRATÉGIAS PROMOTORAS DE ATIVIDADE FÍSICA REGULAR DOS TRABALHADORES NAS EMPRESAS: PROTOCOLO SCOPING REVIEW

 

https://doi.org/10.31011/reaid-2025-v.99-n.4-art.2575

 

Gladys Pereira1

Hélder de Jesus Gouveia2

Márcio Renato Camacho Pereira3

Nelson Cardoso Correia4

Mafalda Silva5

Paula Flores6

Margarida Ferreira7

 

1Enfermeira, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem do Trabalho, Escola Superior de Saúde Jean Piaget – Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9932-7102

2Enfermeiro, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem do Trabalho, Escola Superior de Saúde Jean Piaget – Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1109-9546

3Enfermeiro, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem do Trabalho, Escola Superior de Saúde Jean Piaget – Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6748-9482

4Enfermeiro, Mestre em Saúde Pública, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem do Trabalho, Escola Superior de Saúde Jean Piaget – Vila Nova e Gaia, Portugal, ORCID:  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6193-155X

5 Professora Doutora, Escola Superior de Saúde Jean Piaget – Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2509-5566

6 Professora Doutora, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9726-5229

7 Professora Coordenadora, Escola Superior de Saúde Jean Piaget - Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2232-7314  

 

Corresponding Author   

Nelson Cardoso Correia

Rua Pintor Domingos Rebelo 113 A - 9500-234 Ponta Delgada – Portugal. Mobile: 351 915584831 - Email: enfermeirocorreia@gmail.com

 

Submission: 18-05-2025

Approval: 22-10-2025

 

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Promoting regular physical activity in the workplace is essential to improve workers' health, reduce absenteeism, and increase productivity. Effective strategies can contribute to a healthier and more dynamic work environment. Objective: To map the existing literature on strategies that promote regular physical activity among workers in companies. Methodology: Scoping review following the methodology of the Joanna Briggs Institute and the PRISMA-ScR® guidelines for registration. The research was conducted in the following databases: CINAHL®; MEDLINE Complete®; Nursing & Allied Health Collection: Comprehensive®; Library; Information Science & Technology Abstracts; and MedicLatina® (via EBSCOhost). The selection of articles will be carried out by two independent reviewers on the Rayyan platform, with the possibility of using a third reviewer in case of discrepancies. All studies available in free full text, written in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, and published between 2019-2025, will be considered eligible. Studies conducted in other contexts will be excluded.

Keywords: Health Promotion; Physical Activity; Worker.

 

RESUMEN

Introducción: Promover la actividad física regular en el entorno laboral es esencial para mejorar la salud de los trabajadores, reducir el absentismo y aumentar la productividad. Las estrategias eficaces pueden contribuir a un ambiente de trabajo más saludable y dinámico. Objetivo: Mapear la literatura existente sobre las estratégias que promueven la actividad física regular de los trabajadores en las empresas. Metodología: Scoping review según la metodología de Joanna Briggs Institute y las directrices de PRISMA-ScR® para el registro. La investigación se llevó a cabo en las siguientes bases de datos: CINAHL®; MEDLINE Complete®; Nursing & Allied Health Collection: Comprehensive®; Library; Information Science & Technology Abstracts; y MedicLatina® (a través de EBSCOhost). La selección de los artículos será realizada por dos revisores independientes en la plataforma Rayyan, con la posibilidad de utilizar un tercer revisor en caso de discrepancias. Serán elegibles todos los estudios disponibles en texto completo gratuito, redactados en portugués, inglés o español y publicados entre 2019-2025. Se excluirán los estudios desarrollados en otros contextos.               
Palabras clave: Promoción de la Salud; Actividad Física; Trabajador.

 

RESUMO

Introdução: A promoção da atividade física regular no ambiente de trabalho é essencial para melhorar a saúde dos trabalhadores, reduzir o absentismo e aumentar a produtividade. Estratégias eficazes podem contribuir para um ambiente laboral mais saudável e dinâmico. Objetivo: Mapear a literatura existente sobre as estratégias promotoras da atividade física regular dos trabalhadores nas empresas. Metodologia: Protocolo de Scoping review conforme a metodologia do Joanna Briggs Institute e as diretrizes do PRISMA-ScR® para registo. A pesquisa foi conduzida nas seguintes bases de dados: CINAHL®; MEDLINE Complete®; Nursing & Allied Health Collection: Comprehensive®; Library; Information Science & Technology Abstracts e MedicLatina® (via EBSCOhost). A seleção dos artigos será feita por dois revisores independentes na plataforma Rayyan, com a possibilidade de recorrer a um terceiro revisor em caso de divergências. Serão elegíveis todos os estudos disponíveis em free full text, redigidos em português, inglês e espanhol e publicados entre 2019-2025. Serão excluídos estudos desenvolvidos em outros contextos.

Palavras-chave: Promoção da Saúde; Atividade Fisica; Trabalhador.

 

INTRODUCTION

            The regular practice of physical activity is considered one of the main factors for the health and well-being of workers, while physical inactivity is associated with an increased risk of chronic non-communicable diseases, like cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus, contributing to increased absenteeism and reducing work productivity (1). The impact of physical inactivity in the workplace is substantial, since chronic diseases often lead to temporary or permanent incapacity, in addition to increasing expenses with medical treatments and management of occupational diseases. In response to this reality, studies have demonstrated that implementing strategies to promote physical activity in the workplace can bring considerable benefits for both workers and organizations as a whole(2,3).

Within this context, the corporate environment has been progressively recognized as a strategic space for implementing health actions, with a particular focus on promoting physical activity(4). Considering that many workers spend long hours in predominantly sedentary settings, companies become an ideal place to introduce programs that stimulate the regular practice of exercise. Such programs can vary widely, from corporate well-being initiatives that involve structured physical activities to incentive policies, such as financial subsidies for gym memberships or encouraging physical activities to be done outside the workplace. Moreover, the physical infrastructure of companies, such as offering corporate gyms or space for walking, yoga, and Pilates practice, or even simple daily stretching exercises, also plays an essential role in facilitating the practice of these physical activities. The development of institutional policies that promote an active lifestyle, by incorporating pauses for physical activities during work hours or creating more flexible work journeys, can be an effective measure to increase adherence to the proposed programs. The efficacy of these interventions is directly related to organizations’ commitment to creating a favorable environment for adherence to healthy habits, including the provision of resources, sensitization, and continuous incentives for workers(4).

However, adherence to regular physical activity in the corporate environment is not only materialized through the provision of resources but equally influenced by motivational and cognitive aspects, which play a fundamental role in workers’ decisions to initiate and maintain this practice in the long term. Many workers face significant barriers to practice exercises, like the lack of time due to work overload, the perception that exercise demands too much effort, or simply the lack of motivation. These barriers should be acknowledged and addressed by corporate physical activity programs. The implementation of customized exercise programs, adapted to the individual needs and limitations of workers, can be an effective strategy for overcoming these obstacles(5).

In view of that, the objective of this study is to conduct an encompassing mapping of the scientific literature available on strategies that promote regular physical activity practice for workers in companies. The study aims to identify which strategies were more effective in stimulating physical exercise practice in the corporate context, and how these strategies can be adapted to different organizational realities, and which gaps remain in the scientific production on the topic. The following research question guided this study: What are the most effective strategies for promoting regular physical activity practice by workers in companies? By exploring this question, this study aims to provide valuable information to organizations and occupational health professionals on how to implement physical activity programs that not only improve the health of workers but also contribute to increasing productivity and reducing costs related to health in the corporate setting.

 

METHODS

Type of study

This scoping review protocol will be conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for Scoping Reviews, in compliance with the PRISMA-ScR(6) guidelines. This is registered in the Open Science Framework platformhttps://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/7NXHY and available through the link https://osf.io/7nxhy.

 

Eligibility criteria

To elaborate this research question, we used the PCC (Population, Concept, and Context) acronym to define the eligibility criteria for the research as shown in Chart 1. Studies available in full free text, written in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, published between 2019-2025 were included. This time frame was chosen due to the updated guidelines by the World Health Organization(7) and the need to use the last five years in this investigation. Studies that do not fit the eligibility criteria will be excluded. This Scoping Review will include all published quantitative, qualitative, and mixed studies, as well as primary studies, systematic reviews, dissertations, opinion articles, and gray literature.

 

Chart 1 - PCC acronym  

PCC component

Criterion description

Population (P)

Workers

Concept (C)

Physical activity promoting strategies

Context (C)

Companies

Source: Elaborated by the authors, 2025.

 

Research strategies

The research and studies identification was conducted in February and March 2025 in the CINAHL®; MEDLINE Complete®; Nursing & Allied Health Collection: Comprehensive®; Library; Information Science & Technology Abstracts, and MedicLatina® (via EBSCOhost) databases, as shown in Chart 2.

Chart 2 - Research strategies. Porto, Portugal, 2025

Information source

Research strategy

Studies retrieved

 

Research date

 

Cinahl®

(MH Health Promotion OR TI Health Promotion OR AB Health Promotion) AND (MH exercise OR TI exercise OR AB exercise OR TI physical activity OR AB physical activity) AND (TI Worker OR AB Worker).

43

16/02/2025

Medline®

(MH Health Promotion OR TI Health Promotion OR AB Health Promotion) AND (MH exercise OR TI exercise OR AB exercise OR TI physical activity OR AB physical activity) AND (TI Worker OR AB Worker).

79

21/02/2025

Nursing & Allied Health Collection: Comprehensive®

 

(MH Health Promotion OR TI Health Promotion OR AB Health Promotion) AND (MH exercise OR TI exercise OR AB exercise OR TI physical activity OR AB physical activity) AND (TI Worker OR AB Worker).

4

21/02/2025

MedicLatina®

(MH Health Promotion OR TI Health Promotion OR AB Health Promotion) AND (MH exercise OR TI exercise OR AB exercise OR TI physical activity OR AB physical activity) AND (TI Worker OR AB Worker).

2

21/02/2025

Source: Elaborated by the authors, 2025.

 

Studies selection

The records identified in the databases will be exported to the Rayyan® – Intelligent Systematic Review(8) platform, where the study selection will take place. The initial selection will be done by identifying and removing duplicates, followed by analyzing titles and abstracts, and further reading the studies in full. The reasons for excluding full texts that do not meet the inclusion criteria will be recorded and described in the scoping review. The whole selection process will be conducted by two independent reviewers. Whatever divergences that emerge among reviewers in each step of the selection process will be solved through discussion or by resorting to a third reviewer. The selection process will be documented through a PRISMA-ScR(9) flow diagram, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 - Flow diagram of the study identification, selection, and inclusion process elaborated following PRISMA’s recommendation

Source: PRISMA Flow Diagram adapted from Page et al., 2020.

 

Data extraction

Data extraction was conducted following JBI®(9) recommendations. The data extracted from the study will be included in a data extraction instrument, elaborated by the authors, composed of the following items: authors and year of publication; title; methodology; objective; main results, and identified strategies.

 

Data presentation

The data were analyzed in a descriptive and synthetic way, using tables and descriptive narrative to present the main characteristics of the studies included. The synthesis of results will allow us to identify physical activity-promoting strategies in the workplace, as shown in Chart 3.

 

Chart 3 - Study data extraction instrument. Porto, Portugal, 2025

Author/Year

Title

Methodology

Objectives

Main Results

Strategies identified

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Elaborated by the authors, 2025.

 

EXPECTED RESULTS

The results from this study will enable the identification of implemented strategies and emerging trends in promoting regular physical activity in the corporate context, providing a structured and updated perspective on the theme. The collected evidence will contribute to creating more effective interventions, adjusted to the needs of workers and organizational characteristics. Additionally, this mapping will constitute a useful basis for the development of further investigations and the formulation of policies supported by applied technical-scientific knowledge.

 

CONCLUSION

This Scoping Review protocol was developed in compliance with the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR® methodological guidelines, ensuring transparency and reproducibility of the process. The proposed review aims to systematize the available literature on the physical activity-promoting strategies in the corporate context, proposing a robust methodological structure for identifying and analyzing the existing knowledge. This protocol constitutes an essential preparatory step for executing the review, ensuring the coherence of procedures and validity of results to be obtained. Its implementation will enable the foundation for a broader understanding of the theme, aligned with occupational health needs and contemporary challenges of organizations.

 

REFERENCES

 

1.    Amatori S, Ferri Marini C, Gobbi E, Sisti D, Giombini G, Rombaldoni R, et al. Short High-Intensity Interval Exercise for Workplace-Based Physical Activity Interventions: A Systematic Review on Feasibility and Effectiveness. Sports Med Open. 2023;9(1):26. doi: 10.1007/s40279-023-01821-4

 

2.    Pronk NP. Design recommendations for active workplaces. Ergonomics in Design. 2015;23(3):36-40. doi:10.1177/1064804615585408

 

3.    Jirathananuwat A, Pongpirul K. Promoting physical activity in the workplace: A systematic meta-review. J Occup Health. 2017;59(5):385-93. doi: 10.1539/joh.16-0245-RA

 

4.    Silva JLL, Domene FM, Poderoso RE, Toma TS, Barreto JOM. Estratégias de comunicação para a promoção da saúde. Brasília: Fiocruz Brasília; 2023 [Internet]. [citado 2025 Abr 19]. Disponível em: https://docs.bvsalud.org/biblioref/2023/06/1426115/41_rr_depros_estrategias_comunicaco_promocao.pdf

5.    Ilić P, Katanić B, Hadžović M, Rakočević R, Bjelica D, Mekic A. Barriers to Physical Activity (PA) in the Working Population: A Review. Sport Mont. 2024;22(1):129-36. Doi: 10.26773/smj.240218

 

6.    Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, O'Brien KK, Colquhoun H, Levac D, et al. PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation. Ann Intern Med. 2018;169(7):467-73. doi: 10.7326/M18-0850

 

7.    World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020 [Internet]. [citado 2025 Abr 19]. Disponível em: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128  

 

8.    Ouzzani M, Hammady H, Fedorowicz Z, Elmagarmid A. Rayyan a web and mobile app for systematic reviews. Systematic Reviews. 2016.  Doi https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-016-0384-4

 

9.    Peters MDJ, Godfrey C, McInerney P, Munn Z, Tricco AC, Khalil H. Scoping Reviews (2020). In: Aromataris E, Lockwood C, Porritt K, Pilla B, Jordan Z, editors. JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. JBI; 2024. Doi: https://10.46658/JBIMES-24-09

 

Funding and Acknowledgments:

 

This work did not receive funding.

 

Authorship criteria (author contributions):

 

Study design and planning, research, data analysis and/or interpretation, and writing: Pereira G, Gouveia H, Pereira M, and Correia N.

Responsible for study supervision, critical review, and final approval of the published version: Silva M, Ferreira M, and Flores P, who contributed substantially to the study supervision, critical review, and final approval of the published version.

 

Declaration of conflict of interest:

 

Nothing to declare.

 

Scientific Editor: Francisco Mayron Morais Soares. Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7316-2519

 

Rev Enferm Atual In Derme 2025;99(4): e025146                

 Atribuição CCBY