The Relationship Between Health Literacy and Adherence to Physical Activity Guidelines in Adults: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objective: This scoping review aimed to synthesise research on the relationships between health literacy and adherence to physical activity guidelines in adults. Data Source: A search of MEDLINE, ProQuest, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science (Core Collection), PubMed, and PsycINFO was conducted using keywords. Observational and intervention studies written in English were reviewed. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Eligible research studies used a validated, objective measure of health literacy. Physical activity needed to be reported as either a primary or secondary outcome, and groups needed to be dichotomised as physically active, inactive, or similar. Extraction: Out of 2098 articles identified, 19 met the inclusion criteria. Synthesis: A numerical analysis of the studies was performed. A narrative summary supplemented the analysis to synthesise the main themes and patterns. Results: Fifteen studies examined the association between total health literacy scores and achieving >150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity weekly. Nine studies reported a positive association, while others found no significant association. In particular, studies using self-reported physical activity more frequently found an association, whereas no association was found when using objective physical activity measures. Conclusion: The findings of this review were inconclusive. The lack of a standardised health literacy instrument presents a barrier to progress in the field of physical activity and health literacy research. Moreover, longitudinal relationships between health literacy, mediators and physical activity must be investigated.