Compiled from FYSS 2017 ( www.fyss.se ) and WHO 2017 ( www.who.int ).
Physical activity is categorized according to FYSS as: (1) Aerobic physical activity and (2) muscle-strengthening physical activity. Physical activity in everyday life and exercise training is mainly an aerobic activity, where a majority of energy production occurs via oxygen-dependent pathways. Aerobic physical activity is the type of activity typically associated with stamina, fitness, and the biggest health benefits [ 29 , 30 , 31 ]. Muscle-strengthening physical activity is referred to in everyday language as “strength training” or “resistance training” and is a form of physical exercise/training that is primarily intended to maintain or improve various forms of muscle strength and increase or maintain muscle mass [ 32 ]. Sometimes, another category is defined: Muscle-enhancing physical activity, important for maintenance or improvement of coordination and balance, especially in the elderly [ 33 ]. According to these definitions, muscle-strengthening activities primarily involve the body’s anaerobic (without oxygen) energy systems, proportionally more as intensity increases.
Exercise intensity can be expressed in absolute or relative terms. Absolute intensity means the physical work (for example; Watts [W], kg, or metabolic equivalent [MET]), while relative intensity is measured against the person’s maximum capacity or physiology (for example; percentage of maximum heart rate (%HR), rate of perceived exhaustion (RPE), W·kg −1 or relative oxygen uptake in L·min −1 ·kg −1 (VO 2 )). In terms of recommendations to the public, as in Table 1 , the intensity is often described in subjective terms (“makes you breathe harder” for moderate intensity, and “makes you puff and pant” for vigorous intensity) [ 27 ]. While objective criteria such as heart rate and accelerometry will capture the intensity of activity, they may not distinguish between different types of physical activity behaviors [ 34 ]. FYSS defines low intensity as 20%–39% of VO 2 max, <40 %HR, 1.5–2.9 METs; moderate intensity as 40%–59% of VO 2 max, 60–74 %HR, 3.0–5.9 METs, and vigorous intensity as 60%–89% of VO 2 max, 75–94 %HR, 6.0–8.9 METs. Absolute intensity, however, can vary greatly between individuals where a patient with heart disease may have a maximal capacity of <3 MET, and an elite athlete >20 MET [ 35 ].
Adaption to physical activity and training is a complex physiological process, but may, in the context of this paper, be simplified by a fundamental basic principle:” The general adaptation syndrome (GAS)” [ 36 , 37 , 38 ]. This principle assumes that physical activity disturbs the body’s physiological balance, which the body then seeks to restore, all in a dose-related response relationship. The overload principle states that if exercise intensity is too low, overload is not reached to induce desired physiological adaptations, whereas an intensity too high will result in fatigue and possibly overtraining. Thus, for adaptation to occur, greater than normal stress must be induced, interspersed with sufficient recovery periods for restoration of physiological balance [ 39 ]. During and immediately after physical exercise/training, functions of affected tissues and systems are impaired, manifested as temporarily decreased performance. You feel tired. In order to gradually improve performance capacity, repeated cycles of adequate overload and recovery are required [ 40 ]. In practice, positive effects can be seen after a relatively short period of a few weeks, but more substantial improvements if the training is maintained for a longer period.
As a rule of thumb, it is assumed that all people can adapt to physical activity and exercise, but the degree of adaptation depends on many factors, including age, heredity, the environment, and diet [ 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. The hereditary factor (genetics) may be the most critical for adaptation [ 45 ]. The degree of adaptation also depends on how the person in question trained previously; a well-trained athlete usually does not have the same relative improvement as an untrained one. Even if training is thought to be specific to mode, intensity, and duration, there are some overlaps. For example, it has been found that strength training in some individuals contributes to a relatively large positive impact on health and endurance, effects previously associated primarily with aerobic exercise [ 46 , 47 ]. The overload principle may, if applied too vigorously in relation to a person’s individual adaptation ability, have detrimental effects, including reduced performance, injury, overtraining, and disease [ 10 ]. Training is a commodity that must be renewed; otherwise, you gradually lose achieved performance improvements [ 48 ], although some capacities, such as muscle memory, seem to persist for life [ 49 ].
General recommendations for health may be stated, but individual predispositions make general training schedules for specific performance effects unpredictable. All exercise training should be adjusted to individual purposes, goals, and circumstances.
Human biology requires a certain amount of physical activity to maintain good health and wellbeing. Biological adaption to life with less physical activity would take many generations. People living today have, more or less, the same requirements for physical activity as 40,000 years ago [ 50 , 51 ]. For an average man with a body weight of 70 kg, this corresponds to about 19 km daily walking in addition to everyday physical activity [ 52 ]. For most people, daily physical activity decreases, while planned, conscious exercise and training increases [ 19 , 53 ]. Unfortunately, average daily energy intake is increasing more than daily energy output, creating an energy surplus. This is one reason for the increasing number of overweight people, and a strong contributor to many health problems [ 54 ]. More sedentary living (not reaching recommended level of physical activity), combined with increased energy intake, impairs both physical and mental capabilities and increases the risk of disease. Despite this, Swedes (as an example) seemed to be as physically active and stressed but had better general health in 2015, compared to 2004 ( Figure 1 ). Compared to 2004–2007, the Swedish population in 2012–2015 reported better overall health (more county-dots are blue) and less fatigue (smaller county-dots) with similar level of physical activity (~65% indicated at least 30 min daily physical activity) and stress (~13% were stressed).
Selected physical and mental health indicators of a Sweden cohort, in relation to the degree of physical activity for the period of years 2004–2007 ( N = 29,254) and years 2012–2015 ( N = 38,553). Surveyed subjects are age 16 to 84 years old, with data representing median scores of four years, not normalized for age. Y-axis: Percentage of subjects reporting “stressed”; X-axis: Percentage of subjects indicating physical active at least 30 minutes each day. Each dot represents one County (Län), dot-size indicates self-reported fatigue, and color self-reported healthiness of the County. If 70% of the population states they are having “Good/Very good” health, the dot is blue. If less than 70% states they are having good/very good health, the dot is red. The circle indicated with a black arrow corresponds to nation median. The black line connected to the nation circle represents the movement in the X–Y plane from the year 2004 to 2007, and from 2012 to 2015, respectively. Data retrieved from the Public Health Agency of Sweden 2019-04-22 ( www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se ).
Results in Figure 1 may in part be explained by a polarization of who is physically active: Some individuals are extremely active, others very inactive, giving a similar central tendency (mean/median). As physical activity and mental stress are not changed, but health is, the figure indicates that other factors must be more important to our overall health and fatigue. Recently, a national study of Swedish 11- to 15-year-olds concluded that this age group is inactive for most of their time awake, that is, sitting, standing or moving very little [ 55 ]. Time as inactive increased with age, from 67 percent for 11-year-olds to 75 percent for 15-year-olds. The study states that in all age groups, the inactive time is evenly distributed over the week, with school time, leisure time, and weekend. Further, those who feel school-related stress have more inactive time, both overall and during school hours, than those who have less school-related stress.
People active in sports have, in general, better health than those who do not participate in sports, because they are physically and mentally prepared for the challenges of sports, abilities that in many cases can be transferred to other parts of life [ 56 ].
However, there is a certain bias in this statement. Sport practitioners are already positively selected, because sickness and injury may prevent participation. As many health benefits of sport are related to the level of physical activity, separation of sport and physical exercise may be problematic. Regardless, societal benefits of these health effects can be seen in lower morbidity, healthier elderly, and lower medical costs [ 7 , 57 , 58 ].
Health effects of physical activity in many cases follow a dose–response relationship; dose of physical activity is in proportion to the effect on health [ 59 , 60 ]. Figure 2 depicts the relationship between risk of death and level of physical activity, in a Finnish twin cohort, adjusted for smoking, occupational group, and alcohol consumption [ 59 ]. Odds ratio (OR) for the risk of all-cause mortality in a larger sample in the same study was 0.80 for occasional exercisers ( p = 0.002, 95% CI = 0.69–0.91). This dose–response relationship between risk of all-cause mortality and physical activity is evident in several extensive studies [ 60 , 61 , 62 ]. The total dose is determined by the intensity (how strenuous), duration (duration), and frequency (how often). While Figure 2 shows sex differences in death rates, it is likely that sedentary behavior is equally hazardous for men and women, but inconsistent results sometime occur due to inadequate assessment measures, or low statistical power [ 59 , 63 ]. To obtain the best possible development due to physical exercise/training, both for prevention and treatment purposes, a basic understanding of how these variables affect the dose of activity is required, as well as understanding how they can be modified to suit individual requirements. A physically active population is important for the health of both the individual and society, with sport participation being one, increasingly important, motivator for exercise.
Relative risk (odds ratio; OR) of premature death in relationship to level of physical activity, in 286 male and 148 female twin pairs, adjusted for smoking, occupational group, and use of alcohol [ 59 ].
There is strong scientific evidence supporting an association between physical exercise/training and good physical and mental health. For example: A reduction in musculoskeletal disorders and reduced disability due to chronic disease [ 27 , 64 ], better mental health with reduced anxiety [ 65 , 66 ], insomnia [ 67 ], depression [ 31 ], stress [ 68 ], and other psychological disorders [ 69 ]. Physical and mental health problems are related to an increased risk of developing a number of our major public health diseases and may contribute to premature death ( Table 2 ).
Health-related physiological effects of aerobic and muscle strengthening physical activity. Green circle indicates that the activity contributes with an effect, whereas a red circle indicates that the activity has no proven effect. Orange circle indicates that the activity may in some cases be effective.
Effects on the Body | Health Effects | Aerobic | |
---|---|---|---|
Larger proportion slow-twitch fibers [ , ] | Lower risk for metabolic syndrome with increased exchange of gases and nutrition [ , ] | ||
Larger proportion slow-twitch [ ] | Increased strength, coordination and balance in elderly [ ] and in sickness [ ], lower risk for fall [ ] | ||
Formation of new capillaries [ ] | Increased aerobic capacity [ ] | ||
Improved endothelial function [ ] | Lower risk for cardiovascular disease [ ], improved function in heart disease [ ] | ||
Increased mitochondrial volume [ ] | Increased aerobic capacity [ ] | ||
Improved glucose transport [ ] | Lower risk or metabolic syndrome/Type-2 diabetes [ ] | ||
Improved insulin sensitivity [ ] | Improved health in people with Type-2 diabetes [ ], prevention of Typ-2 diabetes [ ] | ||
Increased heart capacity [ ] | Lower risk for cardiovascular disease [ ], fewer depressions [ , ], also in children [ ] | ||
Increased skeletal volume and mineral content [ ] | Improved skeletal health [ , ] | ||
Improved body composition [ ] | Lower risk for metabolic syndrome [ ] | ||
Improved blood pressure regulation [ , ] | Lower risk for cardiopulmonary disease [ ] | ||
Improved blood lipid profile [ ] | Lower risk for cardiopulmonary disease in elderly [ , ] and Alzheimer’s [ ] No effect on blood lipid profiles in children and adolescents [ ] | ||
Improved peripheral nerve function [ ] | Better coordination, balance and reaction [ , ], especially in children and elderly [ ] | ||
Enhanced release of signaling substances [ , ] | Better sleep [ ], less anxiety [ ], treatment of depression [ ] | ||
Improved hippocampus function [ ] | Improved cognition and memory [ ], less medication [ ] | ||
Positive effects on mental capacity [ ] | Counteract brain degeneration by diseases [ ] and age [ ] | ||
Improved immune function [ ] | Decreased overall risk for disease [ , ], anti-inflammatory effects [ , ] | ||
Strengthening the connection between brain, metabolism and immune function [ ] | Decreased risk for disease [ ], improved metabolism [ ], decreased risk for depression [ ] | ||
Improved intestinal function [ , ] | Improved health [ ], mitigated metabolic syndrome, obesity, liver disease, and some cancers [ ] |
The effects of physical activity and exercise are both acute (during and immediately after) and long-lasting. Effects remaining after a long period of regular physical activity have far-reaching consequences for health and are described below. For example, some muscle enzymes’ activity can be quickly increased by physical exercise/training but just as quickly be lost when idle [ 118 ]. Other changes remain for months or years even if training ends—for instance, increased number and size of muscle fibers and blood vessels [ 49 , 119 , 120 ]. Good health, therefore, requires physical activity to be performed with both progression and continuity. Most of the conducted physical exercise/training is a combination of both aerobic and muscle strengthening exercise, and it can be difficult to distinguish between their health effects ( Table 2 ).
To describe ill-health, indicators of life expectancy, disease incidence (number), and prevalence (how often) are used [ 121 ]. In describing the relationship between physical activity and falling ill with certain diseases, the dose–response relationship, the effect size (the risk reduction that is shown in studies), and the recommended type and dose of physical activity are considered [ 122 ]. Table 3 shows the relative effects of regular physical activity ton the risk of various diseases (US Department of Human Services, 2009). The greatest health gains are for people who move from completely sedentary to moderately active lifestyles, with health effects seen before measurable improvements in physical performance. Previously, most scientific studies collected data only on aerobic physical activity. However, resistance exercise also shows promising health (mental and physical) and disease-prevention effects [ 123 , 124 , 125 , 126 , 127 ].
Disease prevention effects of regular physical activity.
Health Condition | Risk Reduction or Health Improvement | Recommendations for Physical Activity | Dose-Response Relationship | Differences between Sex, Age, Ethnicity etc. |
---|---|---|---|---|
30% (44% elderly) | General recommendations | Yes | No | |
20%–35% | General recommendations | Yes | Insufficient evidence | |
30%–40% | General recommendations | Yes | No | |
25%–42% | General recommendations, data primarily on aerobic PA | Yes | Insufficient evidence | |
Brain cancer: Limited evidence ; Breast cancer: 20%; Bladder cancer: 13%–15%; Colon cancer: 30%; Endometrial cancer: 17%–35%; Esophageal cancer : 6%–21%; Gastric cancer: 19%; Head & neck cancers: 15%–22%, limited evidence; Hematological cancers: No-low effect, limited evidence ; Lung cancer: 13%–26%; Ovarian cancer: Limited/conflicting evidence; Pancreatic & prostate cancer: Limited evidence; Renal cancer: 11%–23%; Rectal cancer: No risk reduction, limited evidence; Thyroid cancer: No risk reduction | General recommendations, data primarily on aerobic PA | Renal & thyroid cancer: No. Lung, hematological, head and neck cancers: Limited evidence. Other; Yes. | Breast cancer: Weaker evidence for Hispanic and Black women. Gastric cancer: Weaker evidence for women Renal cancer: Weaker evidence for Asians Lung cancer: Greater effect for women Other: Limited evidence/No known difference | |
PA alone, without diet intervention only has an effect at large volume | General recommendations, combined with diet interventions | Yes | No | |
PA supports weight maintenance | General recommendations, stronger evidence for aerobic PA | Limited evidence | Insufficient evidence | |
36%–68% for hip fracture 1%–2% increased bone density | General recommendations including muscle- strengthening physical activity | Yes | Hip fracture: Largest effect in elderly women Bone density: Largest effect in women | |
Magnitude is highly variable and mode-dependent | Weight bearing activity | Yes | Decreased effect with age | |
30% increased chance to counteract or postpone a decrease in functional strength/capacity 30% lower risk of falls | General recommendations including muscle- and skeletal-strengthening physical activity | Functional health: Yes Falls: No/unclear | Increased functional capacity mostly seen in older adults ages 65 or more. | |
20%–30% lower | General recommendations | Yes | No | |
Improved quality, sleep onset latency and total sleep time | General recommendations | No | No | |
20%–30% lower | General recommendations | No | No | |
20%–30% lower | General recommendations | No | No | |
Improved for preadolescent children and adults aged 50 years or older | General recommendations | Conflicting findings | Insufficient evidence for adolescents and adults. Ethnicity: No. |
Compiled from US Department of Health and Human Service, https://health.gov/paguidelines/report/ [ 62 , 146 ] 1 : Risk reduction refers to the relative risk in physically active samples in comparison to a non-active sample, i.e., a risk reduction of 20% means that the physically active sample has a relative risk of 0.8, compared to the non-active sample, which has 1.0. 2 : In general, general recommendations for PA that are described and referred to herein apply to most conditions. However, in some cases, more specific recommendations exist, more in depth described by the US Department of Health and Human Service, amongst others [ 62 ]. 3 : Evidence is dependent on cancer subtype; refer to US Department of Health and Human Service [ 62 ] for in-depth guidance. PA = Physical.
Aerobic physical activity has been shown to benefit weight maintenance after prior weight loss, reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, normalize blood lipids, and help with cancer/cancer-related side effects ( Table 2 and Table 3 ), while effects on chronic pain are not as clear [ 29 ].
Muscle-strengthening physical activity has, in contrast to aerobic exercise, been shown to reduce muscle atrophy [ 128 ], risk of falling [ 75 ], and osteoporosis [ 74 ] in the elderly. Among the elderly, both men and women adapt positively to strength training [ 129 ]. Strength training also prevents obesity [ 130 ], enhances cognitive performance if done alongside aerobic exercise [ 131 ], counteracts the development of neurodegenerative diseases [ 132 , 133 , 134 ], reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome [ 135 ], counteracts cancer/cancer-related side effects [ 135 , 136 ], reduces pain and disability in joint diseases [ 137 ], and enhances bone density [ 137 , 138 ]. The risk of falling increases markedly with age and is partly a result of reduced muscle mass, and reduced coordination and balance [ 76 , 139 , 140 ]. A strong correlation between physical performance, reduced risk of falls, and enhanced quality of life is therefore, not surprisingly, found in older people [ 141 ]. Deterioration in muscle strength, but not muscle mass, increases the risk of premature death [ 142 ] but can be counteracted by exercise as a dose–response relationship describes the strength improvement in the elderly [ 122 , 143 ]. Recommendations state high-intensity strength training (6–8 repetitions at 80% of 1-repetition maximum) as most effective [ 144 ]. Muscle strengthening physical activity for better health is recommended as a complement to aerobic physical activity [ 29 ]. Amongst the elderly, vibration training can be an alternative to increase strength [ 145 ].
Mental illness is a global problem affecting millions of people worldwide [ 147 ]. Headache, stress, insomnia, fatigue, and anxiety are all measures of mental ill health. The term “ ill health ” constitutes a collection of several mental health problems and symptoms with various levels of seriousness. Studies have compared expected health benefits from regular physical activity for improvement of mental health with other treatments, for example, medication. Most recent studies show that physical activity and exercise used as a primary, or secondary, processing method have significant positive effects in preventing or alleviating depressive symptoms [ 31 , 148 , 149 , 150 , 151 ] and have an antidepressant effect in people with neurological diseases [ 152 ]. Training and exercise improve the quality of life and coping with stress and strengthen self-esteem and social skills [ 69 , 153 ]. Training and exercise also lessen anxiety in people who are diagnosed with an anxiety- or stress-related disease [ 68 ], improve vocabulary learning [ 154 ], memory [ 155 , 156 ], and creative thinking [ 157 ].
The same Swedish data as used in Figure 1 show that between the years 2004–2007 and 2012–2015 anxiety, worry, and insomnia decreased but were not obviously correlated to the slightly increased level of physical activity in the population during the same period. Thus, in a multifactorial context, the importance of physical exercise alone cannot be demonstrated in this dataset.
Some of the suggested physiological explanations for improved mental health with physical activity and exercise are greater perfusion and increased brain volume [ 107 , 158 ], increased volume of the hippocampus [ 106 ], and the anti-inflammatory effects of physical activity, reducing brain inflammation in neurological diseases [ 159 ]. Physical exercise may also mediate resilience to stress-induced depression via skeletal muscle peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α), enhancing kynurenine conversion to kynurenine acid, which in turn protects the brain and reduces the risk for stress-induced depression [ 153 ]. Further, increased release of growth factors, endorphins, and signaling molecules are other exercise-induced enhancers of mental health [ 69 ].
Sport’s main purposes are to promote physical activity and improve motor skills for health and performance and psychosocial development [ 56 ]. Participants also gain a chance to be part of a community, develop new social circles, and create social norms and attitudes. In healthy individuals, and patients with mental illness, sport participation has been shown to provide individuals with a sense of meaning, identity, and belonging [ 160 , 161 ]. Whether the sport movement exists or not, training and competition including physical activity will happen. Sport’s added values, in addition to the health benefits of physical activity, are therefore of interest. Some argue that it is doubtful, or at least not confirmed, that health development can come from sport, while others believe that healthy sport is something other than health, reviewed in depth by Coakley [ 162 ]. In a sporting context, health is defined as subjective (e.g., one feels good), biological (e.g., not being sick), functional (e.g., to perform), and social (e.g., to collaborate) [ 163 ]. Holt [ 56 ] argued that the environment for positive development in young people is distinctly different from an environment for performance, as the latter is based on being measured and assessed. That said, certain skills (goal setting, leadership, etc.) can be transferred from a sporting environment to other areas of life. The best way to transfer these abilities is, at the moment, unclear.
Having the goal to win at all costs can be detrimental to health. This is especially true for children and adolescents, as early engagement in elite sports increases the risk of injury, promotes one-dimensional functional development, leads to overtraining, creates distorted social norms, risks psychosocial disorders, and has the risk of physical and psychological abuse [ 15 , 164 ]. Of great importance, therefore, is sport’s goal of healthy performance development, starting at an early age. For older people, a strong motivating factor to conduct physical activity is sports club membership [ 165 ]. One can summarize these findings by stating sport’s utility at the transition between different stages of the life; from youth to adulthood and from adulthood to old age. There, sports can be a resource for good physical and mental health [ 166 ].
Today, a higher proportion of the population, compared to 50 years ago, is engaged in organized sports, and to a lesser extent performs spontaneous sports ( Figure 3 ), something that Engström showed in 2004 [ 17 ] and is confirmed by data from The Swedish Sports Confederation ( www.rf.se ). Of the surveyed individuals in 2001, 50%–60% of children and young people said they were active in a sports club. The trend has continued showing similar progression to 2011, with up to 70% of school students playing sports in a club. Furthermore, the study shows that those active in sport clubs also spontaneously do more sports [ 167 ]. Similar data from the years 2007–2018, compiled from open sources at The Swedish Sports Confederation, confirm the trend with an even higher share of youths participating in organized sports, compared to 1968 and 2001 ( Figure 4 ).
Spontaneous sport has decreased over the last decades, to the advantage of organized sport. Data compiled from Engström, 2004, The Swedish Research Council for Sport Science.
Data compiled from open sources report Sport Statistics (Idrotten i siffror) at The Swedish Sports Confederation for the year 2011 ( www.rf.se ).
Taking part in sports can be an important motivator for physical activity for older people [ 165 , 166 ]. With aging, both participation in sports ( Figure 4 ) and physical activity in everyday life [ 168 ] decreases. At the same time, the number of people who are physically active both in leisure and in organized sports increases (The Public Health Agency of Sweden 2017; www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se ). Consequently, among elderly people, a greater proportion of the physical activity occurs within the context of sport [ 8 , 28 ]. Together, research shows that organized sports, in clubs or companies, are more important for people’s overall physical activity than ever before. Groups that are usually less physically active can be motivated through sport—for example, elderly men in sport supporters’ clubs [ 169 ], people in rural areas [ 170 ], migrants [ 171 ], and people with alternative physical and mental functions [ 172 ]. No matter how you get your sporting interest, it is important to establish a physical foundation at an early age to live in good health when you get older ( Figure 5 ). As seen in Figure 5 , a greater sport habitus at age 15 results in higher physical activity at 53 years of age. Early training and exposure to various forms of sports are therefore of great importance. Participation creates an identity, setting the stage for a high degree of physical activity later in life [ 173 ].
Odds ratio (OR) of physical activity at age 53 in relation to Sport habitus at age 15. Sport habitus (“the total physical capital"), including cultural capital, athletic diversity, and grades in physical education and health are, according to Engström [ 173 ], the factors most important for being physically active in later life. For a further discussion on sport habitus, the readers are referred to Engström, 2008 [ 173 ]. Numbers above bar show the 95% confidence interval. ** = significant difference from “Very low”, p < 0.01. *** = p < 0.001.
The effects of participation in organized sports for children and young people are directly linked to physical activity, with long term secondary effects; an active lifestyle at a young age fosters a more active lifestyle as an adult. As many diseases that are positively affected by physical activity/exercise appear later in life, continued participation in sport as an adult will reduce morbidity and mortality.
It must be emphasized that good physical and mental health of children and young people participating in sport requires knowledge and organization based on everyone’s participation. Early specialization counteracts, in all regards, both health and performance development [ 174 , 175 ].
According to several reviews, there is a correlation between high daily physical activity in children and a low risk for obesity, improved development of motor and cognitive skills, as well as a stronger skeleton [ 176 , 177 ]. Positive effects on lipidemia, blood pressure, oxygen consumption, body composition, metabolic syndrome, bone density and depression, increased muscle strength, and reduced damage to the skeleton and muscles are also described [ 178 , 179 ]. If many aspects are merged in a multidimensional analysis [ 8 , 173 ], the factors important for future good health are shown to be training in sports, broad exposure to different sports, high school grades, cultural capital, and that one takes part in sport throughout childhood ( Table 4 ).
Compiled health profiles for men and women at the age of 20 years, depending on participation in organized sports at the age of 5, 7, 8, 10, 14, and 17 years.
Physical Activity at Age 20 Years | Girls | Boys | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sport Participation as Young | ||||||
Participate | Quit | Never | Participate | Quit | Began late | |
⮉ | ⮉ | ⮋ | ⮉ | ⮉ | ⮋ | |
⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⮉ | ⮉ | ⮋ | |
⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | |
⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | |
⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⮋ | ⮉ | ⮉ | |
⮉ | ⮉ | ⮋ | ⮉ | ⮋ | ⮉ | |
) | ⮉ | ⮉ | ⮋ | ⮉ | ⮋ | ⮉ |
⮉ | ⮉ | ⮋ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | |
⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | |
⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⮉ | ⇔ | |
⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | |
⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ | ⇔ |
Classification with repeated latent class analysis creates three groups for girls and boys, respectively: Children who never participated (girls only), participated, quit prematurely, or began late (only boys) in sports. Arrows indicate whether participation in sports at young age has an effect on health at 20 years of age. Green up arrow is positive, red down arrow negative, and a horizontal black double arrow shows that sport had no significant effect. Modified from Howie et. al., 2016 [ 8 ].
Psychological benefits of sports participation of young people were compiled by Eime et al. [ 1 ], where the conclusion was that sporting children have better self-esteem, less depression, and better overall psychosocial health. One problem with most of these studies, though, is that they are cross-sectional studies, which means that no cause–effect relationship can be determined. As there is a bias for participating children towards coming from socially secure environments, the results may be somewhat skewed.
As Table 4 and Table 5 show, there are both positive and negative aspects of sports. Within children’s and youth sports, early specialization to a specific sport is a common phenomenon [ 175 ]. There is no scientific evidence that early specialization would have positive impact, neither for health nor for performance later in life [ 175 ]. No model or method including performance at a young age can predict elite performance as an adult. By contrast, specialization and competitiveness can lead to injury, overtraining, increased psychological stress, and reduced training motivation, just to mention a few amongst many negative aspects [ 174 , 175 ]. Another important aspect is that those who are excluded from sports feel mentally worse [ 8 ]. As there is a relationship between depressive episodes in adolescence, and depression as adults [ 116 ], early exclusion has far-reaching consequences. Therefore, sports for children and young people have future health benefits by reducing the risk of developing depression and depressive symptoms, as well as improved wellbeing throughout life.
Positive and negative aspects with sport (at young age).
Aspect | Positive | Negative |
---|---|---|
Better self-esteem Better academic results That endurance and hard work pay off Independence and responsibility Making wise decisions Keep a positive attitude Manage stress Set clear goals Higher assessment of skills Higher working standards Better discipline Late alcohol store Lower alcohol consumption (in most sports) Less drugs Greater social capital Better relationships with adults Uses TV/PC less Lower risk of school dropout | Emotional fatigue One-dimensional identity Risk of abuse Increased stress Injuries Temptation for doping Fear of punishment Fear of failure Feeling pressure from the surroundings Fear of disappointing surroundings Risk of burnout Risk of overtraining Poor sleep Decrepit Repeated infections Risk of self-sacrifice Risk of self-injury Increased risk of destructive decisions (doping, cheating etc.) Risk of depression in case of rejection | |
The usefulness of teamwork Good communication Larger contributions to society later in life Larger contributions to the family later in life Lower crime Opportunity in developing countries Increased chance of being active in sports clubs as older Easier to reach with education | Less integrated with the family Social isolation from other society | |
Greater physical literacy Abilities to live a healthy life as adult and elderly Less smoking Less drugs Lower body fat Larger muscle mass Beneficial metabolism Higher aerobic and anaerobic capacity Lower risk for fractures as older Reduced general disease risk | Physical fatigue Increased injury risk Risk of eating disorders Overtraining Temptation for doping Risk of abuse (physical and mental) Unilateral training and development For Para athletes, injury can be a double handicap Worse oral health |
While some degree of sport specialization is necessary to develop elite-level athletes, research shows clear adverse health effects of early specialization and talent selection [ 180 ]. More children born during the fall and winter (September–December) are excluded [ 181 ], and as a group, they are less physically active than spring (January–April) children, both in sports and leisure ( Figure 6 ). In most sports and in most countries, there is a skewed distribution of participants when sorted by birth-date, and there are more spring children than fall children among those who are involved in sport [ 182 , 183 , 184 , 185 , 186 ]. Because a large part of the physical activity takes place in an organized form, this leads to lower levels of physical activity for late-born persons (Malm, Jakobsson, and Julin, unpublished data). Early orientation and training in physical activity and exercise will determine how active you are later in life. Greater attention must be given to stimulating as many children and young people as possible to participate in sport as long as possible, both in school and on their leisure time. According to statistics from the Swedish Sports Confederation in 2016, this relative-age effect persists throughout life, despite more starting than ending with sport each year [ 18 ].
The figure shows the distribution of 7597 children aged 10 years and younger who in 2014 were registered as active in one particular, individual sport in Sweden (data compiled from the Swedish Sport Confederation, www.rf.se ). Spring, Summer, and Fall represent January–April, May–August, and September–December, respectively.
When summarize, the positive and negative aspects of sport at a young age can be divided into three categories: (1) Personal identification, (2) social competence, and (3) physiological capacity, briefly summarized in Table 5 . A comprehensive analysis of what is now popularly known as “physical literacy” has recently been published [ 187 ].
Sports can make children and young people develop both physically and mentally and contribute with health benefits if planned and executed exercise/training considers the person’s own capacities, social situation, and biological as well as psychological maturation. In children and adolescents, it is especially important to prevent sports-related injuries and health problems, as a number of these problems are likely to remain long into adulthood, sometimes for life. Comprehensive training is recommended, which does not necessarily mean that you have to participate in various sports. What is required is diverse training within every sport and club. Research shows that participation in various sports simultaneously during childhood and adolescence is most favorable for healthy and lifelong participation [ 8 , 173 , 188 , 189 ].
Adults who stop participating in sports reduce their physical activity and have health risks equal to people who have neither done sports nor been physical [ 190 , 191 ]. Lack of adherence to exercise programs is a significant hindrance in achieving health goals and general physical activity recommendations in adults and the elderly [ 192 ]. While several socioeconomic factors are related to exercise adherence, it is imperative that trainers and health care providers are informed about factors that can be modulated, such as intervention intensity (not to high), duration (not too long), and supervision, important for higher adherence, addressed more in depth by Rivera-Torres, Fahey and Rivera [ 192 ].
Healthy aging is dependent on many factors, such as the absence of disease, good physical and mental health, and social commitment (especially through team sports or group activities) [ 193 ]. Increased morbidity with age may be partly linked to decreased physical activity. Thus, remaining or becoming active later in life is strongly associated with healthy aging [ 194 ]. With increased age, there is less involvement in training and competition ( Figure 4 ), and only 20% of adults in Sweden are active, at least to some extent, in sports clubs, and the largest proportion of adults who exercise do it on their own. The following sections describes effects beyond what is already provided for children and youths.
Participation in sports, with or without competition, promotes healthy behavior and a better quality of life [ 166 ]. Exclusion from sports at a young age appears to have long-term consequences, as the previously described relative age effect ( Figure 6 ) remains even for master athletes (Malm, Jakobsson, and Julin, unpublished data). Because master athletes show better health than their peers [ 95 ], actions should be taken to include adults and elderly individuals who earlier in life were excluded from, or never started with sport [ 195 ]. As we age, physical activity at a health-enhancing intensity is not enough to maintain all functions. Higher intensity is required, best comprising competition-oriented training [ 196 , 197 ]. One should not assume that high-intensity exercise cannot be initiated by the elderly [ 198 ]. Competitive sports, or training like a competitive athlete as an adult, can be one important factor to counter the loss of physical ability with aging [ 199 ]. In this context, golf can be one example of a safe form of exercise with high adherence for older adults and the elderly, resulting in increased aerobic performance, metabolic function, and trunk strength [ 200 , 201 ].
Increased morbidity (e.g., cardiovascular disease) with aging is seen also among older athletes [ 202 ] and is associated with the same risk factors as in the general population [ 203 ]. An increased risk of cardiovascular disease among adults (master) compared to other populations has been found [ 204 ]. Unfortunately, the designs and interpretations of these studies have been criticized, and the incidence of cardiac arrest in older athletes is unclear [ 205 ]. In this context, the difference between competitive sports aiming to optimize performance and recreational sports has to be taken into account, where the former is more likely to induce negative effects due to high training loads and/or impacts during training and games. Although high-intensity training even for older athletes is positive for aerobic performance, it does not prevent the loss of motor units [ 206 ].
Quality of life is higher in sporting adults compared to those who do not play sports, but so is the risk of injury. When hit by injury, adults and young alike may suffer from psychological disorders such as depression [ 207 ], but with a longer recovery time in older individuals [ 208 ]. As with young athletes, secession of training at age 50 years and above reduces blood flow in the brain, including the hippocampus, possibly related to long-term decline in mental capacity [ 209 ].
As for children and young people, many positive health aspects come through sport also for adults and the elderly [ 210 ]. Sport builds bridges between generations, a potential but not elucidated drive for adults’ motivation for physical activity. The percentage of adults participating in competitive sports has increased in Sweden since 2010, from about 20 percent to 30 percent of all of those who are physically active [ 18 ], a trend that most likely provides better health for the group in the 30–40 age group and generations to come.
C.M. and A.J. conceived and designed the review. C.M., A.J., J.J. and interpreted the data and drafted the manuscript. J.J. edited the manuscript, tables, and figures. All authors approved the final version.
This work was supported by the Swedish Sports Confederation.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Sports are an important part of our lives. Cricket, soccer, hockey, or rugby. Impossible to imagine a life without sports.
Sports are not just games that we play for fun or recreation. They are also a way to stay fit and healthy and develop teamwork and communication skills.
While some play sports, most watch them; plenty of academics love to do research and make them better and more fun. After offering professional writing help , we can share loads of information with you. As we see you here, it means that you are one of those researchers, too, looking for some inspiration to find your sports research topics.
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Sports research is a very broad topic; it can take time for your supervisor to find sports research paper topics. This list of sports research paper topics may help you.
This list should give you some ideas for your next project, but feel free to explore other areas too!
FIFA 2022 was one of the greatest events in human history. It is a trend, and you can follow it with our sports research paper topics.
Thinking about starting your research? Let’sLet’s explore How To Write A Research Paper Fast?
Cricket is one of the most discussed sports research paper topics. Here are some ideas for sports research for sports science students
Worried about your outline? How To Write A Research Paper Outline ?
If you are more of a hockey fan, here are some more sports research paper topics that are all about hockey.
Curious about more research topics? Have a look at Paper Perk’sPerk’s 402 Best Research Paper Topics
When writing on sports research paper topics, we must always pay attention to fitness and health. That is the reason we play sports, don’t we?
Also related: 264 Medical Research Topics for The Proposal Of The Year
Sports are an important part of our lives. It may be possible to live without them, but that won’t be a very good life. Would it? Our sports research topics will help you score the goal right into the heart of your supervisor. If you still need assistance with your research paper, you can contact our team of writers . We can help you with any thesis or research problem you are facing.
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Published by Owen Ingram at January 2nd, 2023 , Revised On May 31, 2024
There is a wide range of dissertation topics in sports management that can be researched at the college and university levels. International sports are extremely popular worldwide, making sports management research issues very prominent.
The importance of finding solid sports management research topics cannot be overstated because if your chosen topic lacks focus and clarity, you will not be able to achieve the highest possible academic grade.
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Below, you will find a comprehensive list of sports management dissertation topics we have compiled for the benefit of our clients and students.
You can choose from any of these sports management dissertation ideas . Feel free to contact us if you experience any trouble choosing a topic for your dissertation.
Sports management is a field that has attracted a lot of academic attention in recent times thanks to the growing popularity of sporting events worldwide. If you need help with topic selection or writing your research proposal or the full dissertation paper, ResearchProspect provides all the necessary thesis writing solutions. Read about our research proposal writing service and thesis writing service to see how we can help you manage your workload.
List 5 best sports management topics for dissertation.
Certainly! Here are 5 great Sports Management dissertation topics: 1. Athlete Branding Strategies 2. Sports Sponsorship ROI Analysis 3. Ethical Issues in Sports Governance 4. Fan Engagement in the Digital Era 5. Sports Analytics for Performance Optimisation.
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Published by Denis on March 1, 2021 March 1, 2021
Sports is a billion-dollar industry and, as such, attracts tons of research; performance, injury recovery, drugs use, the impact of game rules, funding, gender roles, and so on. Whether you are writing on sports, compare and contrast research paper topics for your academics, fun, or the money, good work will always attract attention because it could mean the difference between a win and a loss.
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Sports research papers look into several aspects of sports such as analyzing and exploring a range of topics related to competitions, athletics, and physical activities. The research papers provide critical analysis, uncover new insights and add to the existing knowledge in psychology, sports science, sociology, and other disciplines.
Sports research should be based on scientific research. Writing a sports research paper will no doubt be more engaging than other topics e.g., in humanities. You will need to identify your data sources, collect the data, analyze it, and make your deductions.
This means much of the investigation you do will be in handling data. You must be skilled in using both quantitative and qualitative data tools. The research must be solid because it will be scrutinized for accuracy and facts.
Have a quick timeline, and you are wondering who will help you write an essay fast? Don’t overthink, hire a research paper writer online for undergraduate, graduate, master’s or PHD essays who will quickly and professionally complete your essay project.
Getting the right topic for the sports research paper sets a great foundation for your study. Your topic should align with your academic goals and interests. It should also be relevant and contribute to existing information by exploring new theories or addressing gaps in existing literature. This article covers brilliant sports research paper topics you can draw inspiration from.
There are interesting sports topics you can explore for your research, These topics are fun to research and find out more information about. They could involve the aspect of competition, athleticism, and human performances. They will help captivate the reader’s attention. They may include:
For the students that love controversial topics, this is your category. Controversial topics in sports research are quite interesting and can be eye-opening. They help you view things from a different perspective. Here are some of the controversial topics you can check out:
Read more – Brilliant examples of research proposal topics .
These topics dive into the marketing world in the athletic and sports events context. The research topic analyzes the marketing strategies that different athletes, teams, and sports organizations engage to create strong brand identities and increase their revenue. These marketing topics discover the dynamic landscape where commercial endeavors and sporting events intersect.
Another brilliant category of sports topics you could check out is psychology research topics. These topics inspect the various aspects of psychology in sports such as mental well-being, motivation, and performance. The topics also examine the relationship between sports and the human mind. By looking at these topics, researchers can help improve mental health and enhance performance. Here are some examples:
Sports medicine research topics examine medicine aspects as covered in sports. That could include injuries and how to handle them in sports. Among the topics you can check out include:
These are essay topics that support and implore specific positions in sports. They could involve economic, social, and political aspects in sports. Sports help students remain physically and mentally fit. However, there have been lots of controversies in sports. These are some of the argumentative essay topics you can research on:
These are brilliant topics you can pick to cover in your research. They are general topics that cover various aspects of life in the sports realm. Below are some examples:
These are basically research topics that cover how one can manage their training or body in sports. It is a wide category in that it covers even how other firms and clubs manage all their sporting activities. Example topics may include:
Sports nutrition topics major on the nutrition issues affecting and impacting athlete’s lives. These could be how they should eat, their energy needs, nutrition plans, and the relevance of macro- or micro-nutrients. Below are some examples you can consider:
The research topics cover everything to do with the history and culture of a given sport. If you love finding out more about how a sport came to be, these are some of the topics to consider:
Sports is a dynamic world where coaches and athletes constantly seek to understand the factors and principles contributing to athletic success and performance. Excellence in sports is not all about physical prowess but also involves effective team dynamics, psychological resilience, and strategic thinking. Here are examples of sports theory research topics:
Beyond competition and physical activity, sports also have implications for cultural, social, and psychological dynamics. Sports sociology explores the relationship between society and sports and sports as a social phenomenon. Below are example topics you can explore:
You want your writing to be perfect. Picking a good topic is a step closer to a good research paper. Avoiding the following mistakes when writing your sports research paper to prevent impediments in your grade.
When you choose a topic, stay away from the broad ones as they are usually either too vague or not specific. Such topics do not result in good papers. A precise topic will help you organize all the information you need for the paper easily. It will also give the reader an easy time understanding your points.
A chaotic structure will mess up your research paper. Before you submit it, ensure that your research paper has a clear structure. The sections that you should have included an introduction where you are required to state your research problem, methods where you will indicate how you plan to gather data to help you answer your research question. It should have a results section where you will explain your observation. You should have a section on discussion too, and here you are expected to interpret your observations.
The sports industry will always attract a vast audience. Writing sports research paper topics is an opportunity to make a mark in your favorite sports factually and accurately based on sound research.
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Essay topics, 300+ best motivational speech topics and ideas.
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When you start writing a research paper, it’s like diving into a big pool of exploration and analysis. A good research paper goes beyond just gathering facts. It’s more about exploring a topic, asking the right questions, and coming up with thoughtful answers. Whether you're looking at historical events, scientific discoveries, or cultural trends, the trick is to find interesting research topics that catch your interest and keep you motivated throughout the process.
This article is here to help with that sometimes tricky job of picking a topic. We’ll cover a variety of interesting research topics from different areas, making it easier for you to find one that not only fits your assignment but also grabs your attention.
But let’s be honest, picking the right topic isn’t always easy. If you’re still unsure after reading this article, EssayService is a great place to turn for help, whether you need assistance choosing a topic or writing the entire paper.
Choosing the right topic can make or break your research paper. Here's how to make it easier:
If you’re looking for easy research paper topics, keep these tips in mind to ensure you choose one that’s both manageable and engaging.
Choosing a successful research topic isn’t just about what sounds interesting — it’s about finding a topic that will help you produce a strong, insightful paper. Good research topic ideas should tick a few key boxes to ensure they’re both impactful and manageable.
Feature | Description |
---|---|
🔍 Specific and Focused | Narrow down broad areas like “climate change” to something more specific, like “the impact of urban development on local microclimates.” This gives your research a clear direction. |
✨ Unique Angle | Instead of rehashing well-covered topics like “social media and mental health,” explore a niche, such as “the effects of social media detox on productivity in college students.” |
🌍 Significant Impact | Choose topics that matter, like “renewable energy adoption in developing countries,” which could contribute to important discussions in your field or society. |
📚 Accessible Sources | Make sure there’s enough material available by checking databases for studies on topics like “the history of vaccine development” to ensure you have the resources you need. |
🔥 Current and Relevant | Focus on emerging issues, such as “the role of AI in cybersecurity,” which are timely and likely to interest both readers and reviewers. |
In 2024, new challenges and innovations are shaping the world around us, making it an exciting time to dive into research. Here are 15 detailed and highly relevant topics that will keep your paper ahead of the curve:
These topics explore some of the most relevant and intriguing issues facing college students today, offering plenty of angles to explore in your research:
Choosing a good research topic that aligns with your academic focus can make your work more relevant and engaging. Below, you’ll find topics organized by subject to help you get started.
Health is a dynamic field with ongoing developments and challenges, making it a rich area for research. These topics cover a range of health-related issues, from public health policies to advancements in medical technology:
Medicine is a vast field with plenty of areas to explore. Here are some specific topics that focus on medical advancements, practices, and challenges:
Explore the ever-changing world of media with these fresh and relevant topics. Each one dives into the trends and challenges shaping how we consume and create content today.
Politics is a field that’s constantly evolving, with new issues and debates emerging all the time. Whether you're interested in global dynamics, domestic policies, or the role of technology in politics, there’s no shortage of interesting topics to explore:
Technology is rapidly transforming our world, offering endless opportunities for research. Here are some intriguing ideas to explore:
Whether you’re interested in examining specific cultural practices or looking at how modern trends reshape traditional customs, these research topics will provide you with a focused and detailed starting point:
If you're looking to explore the depth and applications of math, these research topics are both specific and engaging:
Art is full of fascinating details and stories waiting to be explored. If you’re into art research, here are some research topics that might catch your interest:
Sports offer a wide range of topics that are both intriguing and highly relevant. Here are some specific research ideas to consider if you're looking to explore the world of sports:
In 2024, some of the most popular research topics include the impact of technology on sports, the psychological aspects of team dynamics, and the evolution of gender equity in athletics.
If you’re still unsure about which topic to choose or need help with your essay, EssayService is a great option. Our research paper writing service can assist with everything from selecting the perfect topic to crafting a well-written paper, making the whole process a lot easier.
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Jessika Bottiani discusses her research on the significant disparities in youth firearm violence and how understanding those gaps can help future prevention efforts.
Leslie Booren
August 26, 2024
This summer the United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a landmark advisory on firearm violence , declaring it a public health crisis. According to the advisory, gun violence reaches across the lifespan and is currently the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in America.
Researchers at Youth-Nex, the UVA Center to Promote Effective Youth Development, have been examining some of the root causes of youth firearm violence disparities to better understand this crisis and how future prevention efforts may work.
Recently, the Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA) recognized Dr. Jessika Bottiani, an associate research professor at the UVA School of Education and Human Development and faculty affiliate at Youth-Nex, and her co-authors with the 2024 Social Policy Publication Award for a paper on the prevention of youth firearm violence disparities . SRA highlighted this review as work that should be read by all policymakers.
We sat down with Bottiani to learn more about this research review.
A: Our review and synthesis of data demonstrated striking differences in firearm risk across intersectional identities. We separated out different types of firearm violence (e.g., homicide, suicide, injury), which revealed distinctions in risk across different demographic groups–most saliently gun homicide among Black boys and young men in urban settings.
A staggering degree of inequity in firearm fatalities is shouldered by Black boys and young men in this country, where the rate of firearm homicide is more than 20 times higher among Black boys and young men ages 15-24 than for white boys and young men in the same age groups. We also saw higher rates of gun suicide among white and Indigenous American boys and young men in rural areas of the United States.
When we examined rates by geography, we identified intersectional differences in risk that are important for policymakers to understand. For example, we saw that higher rates of firearm homicide among Black boys and young men were most salient in urban areas of the Midwest and south of the United States. Overlaying data onto maps demonstrated how young male suicide by firearm is also clustered geographically, for example, in rural counties in the Midwest and west for Indigenous young males, and in in rural counties in the west for White male youth (who have the second highest rate of suicide by firearm after Indigenous young males).
A: A lot of systematic and scoping reviews on firearm violence had come out in the literature around this time, but none of them focused on understanding why Black boys and young men in urban areas were so disproportionately affected, or why we were also seeing gaps affecting rural White boys and young men. This paper presented data that revealed the degree of these disparities and tried to understand the root causes.
We don’t pay enough attention to the role of racist historical policies and regulations that have calcified into today’s racially segregated geographies and poverty. With this paper, we wanted to reveal the way in which youth gun violence is inextricably bound to the history of race, place, and culture in the United States. The paper also delves into cultural norms around guns and masculinity. We feel insights on these aspects of context are vital for understanding how to address youth firearm violence.
A: We put forth a number of evidence-based solutions for settings ranging from emergency rooms to schools to address firearm violence at the individual level. Yet perhaps more importantly, we also provide suggestions for tackling the structural and sociocultural factors that underlie firearm violence.
At the community level, our recommendations range from violence interrupters to programs and policies that seek to disrupt racial segregation and redress housing inequities. We also note the potential for media campaigns addressing sociocultural norms to be a tool for prevention.
We provided a review of gun restriction and safety policies, and their potential effectiveness in addressing youth firearm violence (while also acknowledging the political climate wherein such policies have been increasingly challenged). We point out that some recent firearm related policies, purportedly race neutral in their language, had harmful impacts specifically on communities and people of color.
Individual level interventions or policies that seek to address only one piece of the puzzle are bound to be ineffective at scale. Rather, what is required are multisector, place-based initiatives that address structural factors related to poverty and the built environment in under-resourced segregated neighborhoods.
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The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 underscores the imperative of creating inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and communities by 2030. Here we employ bibliometric techniques to assess the evolving landscape of SDG11 research. Using a comprehensive dataset of over 21,000 scholarly publications, we investigate publication trends, thematic focus areas, authorship patterns, keyword co-occurrences and citation networks related to SDG11 research. The results reveal a consistent increase in research output, reflecting the growing global interest in urban sustainability studies. We identify influential authors, organizations and countries shaping the research landscape, highlighting existing global collaborative networks and emerging research hubs. Core thematic areas emphasize critical topics and interdisciplinary connections. Citation networks underscore the impacts of disseminating research outputs, including seminal works. This study offers insights for policymakers, academics and practitioners to align their collective efforts toward sustainable, inclusive and climate-resilient urban development. Moreover, it advances SDG11 by noting opportunities for further research, knowledge dissemination and international collaboration.
The growing interest in sustainable urban development is driven by challenges posed by urbanization, socioeconomic activities and environmental issues 1 . Urban areas contribute 80% of the world’s gross domestic product 2 , but also account for around 75% of global resource consumption, 65% of energy use and over 70% of carbon emissions 3 . The ecological footprint of urban environments, which measures the resources required to sustain socioeconomic activities, has been increasing 4 , 5 , and the global urban extent is projected to double by 2030 6 . Similarly, the global urban population is projected to reach 68% by 2050 7 , which could surpass the capacity of most urban areas 8 . Africa and Asia will host most of the future urban populations despite housing and infrastructure inadequacies 7 . Rapid urbanization, poverty and climate change (CC) further intensify the vulnerability of urban dwellers 9 .
Sustainable urban development aims to balance economic production, environmental protection and social inclusiveness. It emerged as a response to the critique of modernist views that prioritized physical appearance and order in cities over context, equity and inclusion 6 . Due to the limited progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were established in 2015 to ensure that no country is left behind in achieving sustainable development by 2030 10 . Many of the SDGs are closely related to urban settings, where sustainability challenges are complex and interwoven 11 . SDG11 specifically focuses on urban challenges and aims to make ‘cities and human settlements inclusive, safe resilient and sustainable’ by reducing the negative effects of urban development while improving socioeconomic development 10 .
The importance of SDG11 stems from the principles of inclusive, safe and resilient city. An inclusive city is characterized by the idea that all individuals, irrespective of their economic status, gender, race, ethnicity or religion, have the ability and empowerment to actively engage in the social, economic and political opportunities available within urban environments 6 . It seeks to address environmental racism and promote inclusive and fair urban development through social justice and equitable distribution of environmental benefits and burdens. In such a city, everyone is afforded equal access and participation in the diverse aspects that cities provide. On the other hand, a safe city refers to a city that possesses the capacity to provide protection and security against potential dangers, harm or risks, while a resilient city denotes a city’s ability to recover and restore its fundamental functions and structures following natural disasters and crises caused by human activities 6 , 8 . SDG11 is significant because it aims to ensure that cities develop sustainably.
However, SDG11 has been criticized for its limited emphasis on urban inequalities, decentralization and funding for local authorities 6 . Other challenges include localizing the universal indicators 12 , governance issues 13 , data accessibility and comparability 14 and smart city development 12 , 15 . Nevertheless, SDG11 serves as a platform for directing and monitoring urban development, fostering socioeconomic development and ensuring equity, inclusion and environmental protection 16 . Therefore, it is crucial to assess the literature on progress toward SDG11 targets 10 , especially at the halfway point to the target year, to inform interventions necessary for their achievement 17 .
While SDG11 has attracted significant global research attention 18 , comprehensive reviews of SDG11 literature are limited. Existing studies have primarily focused on assessing all the SDGs 19 , 20 , which obscures specific challenges and makes it difficult to track progress or design targeted interventions for individual goals. Recent work has highlighted the insufficient achievement of the SDGs and the need for transformative governance and participatory approaches 21 . Other studies have underscored the gap between research and policies, the underutilization of cities as pivotal arenas for achieving SDGs 22 and the lack of indicators to measure progress toward implementing SDGs 15 . Some studies have assessed SDGs’ implementation in specific region 17 , their impacts on addressing risks 23 and crises 1 , and their implications for health and well-being 24 , environmental research 25 and private sector involvement 26 . Most of the SDG research emanates from developed countries, showing a gap in the coverage of developing countries 27 . The few SDG11 studies in the Global South have narrow focus. While one paper investigated the impact of SDG11 on forest-based livelihoods 28 , another study researched the challenges of SDG11 implementation using a single-country experience 6 . Therefore, an in-depth and broad review of SDG11 literature is necessary to bridge this knowledge gap and identify key challenges and opportunities as well as potential pathways for achieving the targets set in SDG11.
Therefore, this research aims to assess the SDG11 research trends and themes using a bibliometric technique. It is the first global and comprehensive scientometric study on the SDG11 domain. By focusing on research conducted since the formulation of the SDGs, the study addresses the following research questions: (1) what are the global trends in SDG11 research? (2) How has the thematic focus of SDG11 research evolved over time? (3) What are the challenges and priority areas for SDG11 research? The contributions of the study to theory and practice are to:
Identify significant thematic areas and trends in SDG11 research since the promulgation of the SDGs, which can inform researchers, policymakers and practitioners about the current state of knowledge within the field and highlight priority areas for SDG11 research.
Map research clusters, knowledge sharing and collaboration patterns, thereby providing insights into the dynamics of research networks and facilitating the formulation of strategies to foster research excellence, interdisciplinary and international collaborations and the effective allocating of research resources.
Underscore the knowledge gaps, emerging topics and challenges within SDG11 research, offering evidence-based insights to align urban development initiatives with SDG11 research frontiers, enhance the efficacy of interventions and contribute to the development of inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities.
Research on SDG11 has significantly grown in terms of annual publications and citations since 2016, indicating a rising interest in this field (Fig. 1 ). The number of publications has increased by 1.3-fold, and this upward trajectory is expected to continue. Notable emerging research areas include the institutionalization of SDGs within local and global settings 18 and the impact of smart cities on advancing the SDGs 12 , 15 . Previously, studies on the epistemology and challenges of urban population growth were prevalent 29 . However, SDG11 research has now evolved into multidisciplinary fields, driven by heightened attention to urban challenges such as CC, urbanization and population growth.
A total of 21,153 articles were published, receiving 229,182 citations. The number of publications rose from 9,238 in period 1 (2016–2019) to 11,915 in period 2 (2020–2022).
The increasing trend in SDG11 publications can be attributed to several factors, including the desire to improve institutional rankings, a supportive research environment, investments and endowments, faculty promotion requirements and advancements in information and communication technology. There are also socioeconomic factors, such as increasing urbanization rates and gross domestic product, urban expansion and transformation, a deeper understanding of urban dynamics and challenges. Additionally, the policy environments in different countries can influence academic interests and research in urban studies, shaping research priorities and collaborations. Other contributing factors include research challenges faced by low-income countries and research support by governments, the private sector, international development agencies and scholars, all focusing on sustainable urban development.
SDG11 research is further propelled by recent international summits and collaborations that highlight the urgency of protecting the ecosystem and ensuring human safety 1 . Since 2015, CC issues have received greater attention due to key factors. The adoption of the Paris Agreement raised awareness and urgency for action on CC, resulting in a greater focus on related issues in various sectors, including urban planning and policy 13 . Scientific consensus on CC impacts and the role of human activities has also strengthened over the years, with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessments emphasizing the significance of cities in addressing CC 23 . As a result, CC considerations are increasingly integrated into research, policy and planning processes.
Urban planning and development strategies have prioritized climate mitigation and adaptation measures, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting renewable energy, enhancing resilience to extreme weather events and incorporating green infrastructure. The focus on CC has accelerated the transition toward low-carbon and resilient cities, with efforts directed toward sustainable transportation, energy-efficient buildings, green spaces and climate-responsive infrastructure 6 . Collaboration and international cooperation are essential in addressing climate change, with cities and countries sharing best practices, knowledge and resources to develop and implement climate action plans 24 . Initiatives such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group facilitate knowledge exchange and collective action among cities 30 . The increased attention to CC signifies a shift toward more sustainable and resilient urban development, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate risks and promote equitable and sustainable urban environments.
There is an imbalance in the attention given to research themes within SDG11 as revealed by co-occurrence map (Supplementary Fig. 1 ). The dominant themes are affordable housing (SDG11.1), urban transport (SDG11.2), policy and governance (SDG11.3) and access to public spaces (SDG11.7). Housing affordability issues have consistently remained a focal point in SDG11 research, with urban studies, policy development and community-driven efforts for finding solutions to these complex challenges 30 , 31 . These issues were highlighted in Habitat I (Vancouver, 1976), which emphasized the importance of shifting governance and planning paradigms to develop policies and strategies to address rapid urbanization challenges, including shelter shortages and urban inequalities, and promote affordable housing options 30 , 32 . Habitat I has laid the foundation for subsequent global efforts and policy frameworks, such as Habitat II (Istanbul, 1996) and the New Urban Agenda, which continue to prioritize housing as a pivotal component of sustainable urban development. The persistent focus on affordable housing shows that cities still face many challenges in providing adequate housing for all 30 .
Urban policy and governance are other significant terms, indicating scholarly focus on strategies for promoting inclusive and sustainable urban development, enhancing participatory, integrated and sustainable urban planning and management. However, many cities lack the capacity to address urban inequalities, provide adequate housing 31 , public spaces and other urban services, which disproportionately affect women and racial minorities 30 . Moreover, urban redevelopment practices that lead to gentrification exacerbate existing inequalities 32 . Governance-based approaches seek to improve collaboration between public agencies and civil society to prioritize the implementation of urban planning strategies that enhance livability standards while addressing challenges such as CC and sustainability 30 .
Urban transport, which is related to SDG11.2 aiming to ensure safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, has emerged as a key research theme. Important issues related to mobility, transportation and urban form include increased automobile dependence amid growing urbanization and suburbanization, challenges faced by public transit systems, growing awareness of environmental concerns, shift toward sustainable and multimodal transportation, transit-oriented development, integration of technology in transportation systems and the relationship between transportation and urban densification, compact development, CC adaptation and resilience, equity and social inclusion, and shifts in policy and governance approaches 1 , 6 , 11 . This theme also emphasizes the importance of walkability, public transit infrastructure and their role in enhancing transportation accessibility and influencing mode choice 33 . The transportation cluster also suggests that improving accessibility through urban form and built environment interventions can impact the travel behavior of urban residents and offer cobenefits for human health and environmental sustainability 24 . Incorporating such cobenefits in SDG11.2 could provide more incentives for access to safe efficient, equitable and sustainable transport infrastructure and systems in cities.
The implications of urbanization and land-use changes for sustainability, resilience and CC adaptation and mitigation in cities are also major themes. SDG11.6 aims to reduce the environmental impacts of cities, particularly in relation to air pollution and waste. The literature suggests that regulating urban growth 6 , controlling land-use changes, conserving biodiversity 27 and promoting green infrastructure are essential for achieving this target 34 . These actions, when implemented within integrated planning frameworks, can also reduce vulnerability, enhance resilience and contribute to progress in CC adaptation and mitigation, as emphasized in SDG11.5 (ref. 6 ). Such integrated frameworks should recognize the interconnections between various urban systems, including water, food, energy, waste and transportation, to promote sustainable and resilient urban development 35 . Cities are adopting strategies to reduce their carbon footprint, enhance energy efficiency and prepare for climate risks.
Smart cities and innovation enabled by information and communication technologies have increasingly been utilized to tackle urban development challenges and facilitate innovative and transformative urban governance mechanisms that contribute to the SDGs 15 . The rapid development and integration of digital technologies, such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, big data analytics and sensor networks, have opened new possibilities for improving urban services, infrastructure and quality of life 33 . Smart cities leverage these technologies to enhance efficiency, connectivity and sustainability. The interest in smart cities stems from the recognition that technology can play a transformative role in addressing urban challenges, improving quality of life, promoting sustainability and fostering economic growth 12 , 36 . However, it is important to ensure that smart city initiatives are inclusive, equitable and responsive to the needs and aspirations of all residents.
Comparing the co-occurrence maps of period 1 and period 2 reveals limited changes in key thematic areas, despite the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic during period 2 (Fig. 2 ). The key thematic areas in period 2, including urban governance and policy, transportation, urban sustainability and resilience, and urbanization and urban growth, remain consistent with period 1, indicating the continued relevance of these topics in research, albeit with potential expansions. However, a closer analysis of the clusters reveals that COVID-19 has emerged as a new area of SDG11 research in period 2, as attention has shifted toward adapting to the pandemic’s detrimental effects on cities. The pandemic has triggered paradigm shifts in various SDG11 domains, including public health, remote work, digitalization, vulnerabilities, inequalities, resilience, sustainability, urban spaces, proximity-based planning approaches such as the 15-minute city and global cooperation 9 . These shifts have influenced work, health, social equity, environmental stewardship 2 and urban planning, shaping innovative approaches and priorities in the postpandemic world. Urban inequality terms, such as slums and informality, inadequate housing and poverty, are brought to the forefront by the pandemic. Controlling the pandemic and addressing the citizen demand in slums and informal settlements has received significant attention 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 . Mobility restrictions and lockdowns to curb the virus’s transmission have presented challenges for service accessibility, particularly in disadvantaged neighborhoods where vulnerable groups reside. Lastly, the connection between sustainability and resilience has strengthened in the postpandemic period. The pandemic has offered new insights into the susceptibility of cities to various stressors and highlighted the inseparable connections between urban resilience and SDG11 (ref. 28 ).
a , b , The key thematic areas in period 1 (2016–2019) ( a ) are urban governance and policy (red), transportation (blue), urban sustainability and resilience (green), and urbanization and urban growth (yellow), while period 2 (2020–2022) ( b ) primarily focuses on urban governance and policies (red), urban studies (red), transportation (blue) and urbanization (green), particularly after the pandemic.
However, three SDG11 targets are not well-represented in both periods. One such target is SDG11.4, which aims to enhance efforts in preserving and conserving natural heritage, vital for improving urban sustainability 41 . Another target, SDG11.a, which focuses on strengthening urban–rural linkages, is also not adequately reflected in Fig. 2 . The intrinsic connection between cities and their surrounding rural areas necessitates the incorporation and strengthening of ties between urban and rural regions to achieve SDG11 (ref. 6 ). Gaps related to rural–urban linkages include limited understanding of interdependencies, inadequate infrastructure and services in rural areas, weak governance and coordination mechanisms, and social and cultural disconnect 13 . These gaps hinder the development of integrated strategies, contribute to economic disparities, limit access to services, impact agricultural productivity and food security, and create environmental and social challenges. Lastly, there is a lack of research on SDG11.c, which aims to support least-developed nations in developing safe and resilient urban areas, which is not surprising as these countries are often underrepresented in urban studies research 30 .
Various countries, institutions, journals and authors have contributed to SDG11 research between 2016 and 2022. China leads in terms of the number of publications and citations generated, followed by the United States and the United Kingdom (Supplementary Fig. 2 and Supplementary Table 1 ). Among the top 20 productive countries, 14 are from the Global North countries, with South Africa and Brazil as the sole representative of Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, respectively (Supplementary Fig. 3 and Supplementary Table 2 ). Increasing research collaboration among the top countries (Fig. 3 ), research infrastructure and facilities, manpower and financial support significantly contribute to their high SDG11 research output.
China followed by the United States and the United Kingdom dominates SDG11 research collaborations. There are significant connections among European, North American and Asian institutions, while Africa is less connected with Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. Freq, frequently.
A co-citation analysis (Supplementary Table 3 ) reveals that Chinese institutions, such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, have the highest number of articles and citation counts, followed by University College London and the University of Melbourne. The leading affiliations have changed over time, highlighting the strengthening of research institutes and the correlation between research collaboration and societal impacts (Supplementary Table 4 ). In terms of influential journals for SDG11 research, ‘land’ followed by ‘cities and land use’ policy tops the list (Supplementary Tables 5 and 6 ), with a growing interest in fields related to smart and sustainable cities, transport policies, regional planning and environmentally conscious building practices (Supplementary Fig. 4 ). These journals also address multiple issues related to environmental concerns, technological advancements, economic benefits, quality of life, justice and public awareness, driving the development of smart and sustainable cities.
The 15 most published authors in both periods focused on urbanization and urban growth, and the implementation, challenges and achievements of SDG11 (Supplementary Fig 5 ). This indicates an increased recognition of the SDG11 targets and their implementation over time, with the contributions of these authors significantly increasing from 2002 to 2016. Supplementary Table 7 shows that Chinese authors dominate the SDG11 publications, which correlates with China’s lead in institutions, affiliations and collaborations related to SDG11 research. The most cited SDG11 articles are revealed in Supplementary Table 8 , while the prominent authors that influenced SDG11 research are reported in Supplementary Table 9 . The top cited papers by SDG11 research are presented in Supplementary Tables 10 and 11 .
The research on SDG11 has gained significant prominence across various fields, including urban studies, environmental sciences, geography, transportation and urban governance (Supplementary Table 12 ). The increasing environmental concerns, urbanization and global economic growth have spurred academic interest in SDG11 research from disciplines such as human geography, transportation, forestry, CC and sustainability science (Supplementary Table 13 ). Key thematic areas within SDG11 research encompass urban governance, affordable housing, transportation, urban sustainability and resilience, smart cities, urbanization and urban growth, which align closely with SDG11 targets 18 , 20 , 42 , 43 . However, research focus on SDG11 has remained relatively stable, with limited attention given to urban inequalities, safeguarding cultural and natural heritage 41 and specific impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on urban sustainability.
This study reveals a notable increase in the total SDG11 research output from 2016 to 2022, reflecting the growing emphasis on SDG11 research in recent years compared with earlier periods. China emerges as the leaders in terms of research outputs, citations, authors, institutions and collaborations, closely followed by the United States and the United Kingdom. These three countries contribute 47.71% of SDG11 research productivity within this period, which is higher than 31% reported in a previous similar study 28 .
The dominance of Global North countries in the top 20 countries with the highest number of publications and citations related to SDG11 research is expected given their strong institutional capacity, research funding, highly ranked universities and collaborations. China’s surge in publications on SDG11 can be attributed to rapid urbanization, economic growth, government support and active international collaborations 2 , 11 . Generally, the landscape of research on SDG11 demonstrates an Anglo–American hegemony, which may reinforce power asymmetries and have significant implications for sustainability and resilience 30 . It is concerning that while projections indicate that 90% of future urban population growth will occur in cities of the Global South, particularly Africa and Asia, there is limited research on urban development challenges in these regions 7 .
The debate about the politics of knowledge production in SDG11 research often revolves around the controls of knowledge production processes. Large, well-funded institutions in developed countries tend to dominate research agendas, focusing on themes and solutions relevant to their own contexts, overlooking the unique needs and challenges of the Global South, which perpetuate existing inequalities and privileging certain types of knowledge. Also, knowledge production involves recognizing and integrating diverse ways of knowing. While Western scientific paradigms have traditionally dominated SDG11 research, there is an increasing recognition of the importance of indigenous and non-Western knowledge systems. Integrating these diverse epistemologies enriches understanding and leads to more effective and culturally relevant solutions.
Additionally, SDG11 research is inherently interdisciplinary, involving fields such as urban planning, sociology, environmental science and public policy. However, interdisciplinary collaboration can be challenging due to differing terminologies, methodologies and research priorities. Navigating these differences becomes crucial in the politics of knowledge production to create cohesive and comprehensive research outputs. Finally, bridging the gap between knowledge production and its implementation faces political, economic and social barriers. Researchers and practitioners are increasingly considering how knowledge on urban sustainability can effectively influence policymaking and practice in diverse urban contexts. Mobilizing knowledge to address these barriers becomes a key consideration in the politics of knowledge production.
There are several challenges to achieving SDG11 targets, including inadequate provision of affordable housing 31 , essential services 24 , green spaces 2 , 34 , efficient transportation 33 and conservation of cultural and natural assets 25 . Rapid urbanization 1 , 7 , CC impacts 44 , insufficient investment in public infrastructure 30 , poor governance 13 and widening livelihood, land and resources inequalities 43 further exacerbate these challenges. For example, rapid urbanization puts immense pressure on housing, infrastructure, services and resources, making it challenging to effectively manage urban growth and ensure sustainable urban development 11 . Inadequate urban planning and land-use policies lead to inefficient land utilization, urban sprawl and inadequate provision of basic services 7 , 21 . The existence of slums and informal settlements where a large portion of the urban dwellers live in substandard housing conditions without tenure security 14 and limited access to electricity, water, sanitation, education, healthcare and employment opportunities 23 , 37 , and marginalized and vulnerable populations facing social exclusion, add to the complexity.
Moreover, competing priorities and trade-offs, lack of integration among various urban sectors and agencies 35 , inadequate human, technical and material resources at local government levels 45 , and insufficient local indicators and methods for implementation and monitoring 46 often hamper the implementation of SDG11 targets. Additionally, limited awareness of SDG-related challenges for policy formulation and implementation hinders context-depended decision-making and targeted interventions 21 , 27 . Addressing social inequalities, ensuring inclusivity in urban development and synergy among multiple fields, including social, technical, environmental, policy and management are crucial for achieving SDG11 (refs. 14 , 26 , 46 ). A valuable lesson can be learned from the success of the framework for assessing the implementation of SDG11 targets at the local level in Japan 42 .
This study aims to enhance our understanding of urban sustainability and provide insights for future research, policies and actions needed to achieve SDG11 targets. By conducting a comprehensive bibliometric assessment of over 21,000 publications from 2016 to 2022, it significantly contributes to the existing body of knowledge, highlighting trends, thematic areas and knowledge gaps related to SDG11 research across countries, institutions, authors and journals. SDG11 research has evolved into a multidisciplinary field, encompassing diverse themes, such as transportation, housing, urban sustainability, smart cities, urbanization and urban governance and policy. However, there is a need to address the gaps in research on urban safety and inclusion, which are critical dimensions often overlooked in favor of environmental and economic aspects of sustainability. This imbalance in research thematic areas risks perpetuation of already existing disparities within SDG11 research and its goals.
China, the United States and the United Kingdom emerge as the top contributors to SDG11 research and collaboration. To foster more SDG11 research in low-income economies, it is essential to provide increased funding support, capacity building and training for scholars, promote collaboration and knowledge exchange, and improve research infrastructure and data collection. Despite global challenges such as armed conflicts, CC and the COVID-19 pandemic, progress toward achieving the SDGs will become apparent by 2030. However, there are still opportunities for further research, knowledge dissemination and international collaboration toward developing safe, sustainable and inclusive urban development. The following are priority areas for SDG11 research:
Urban policy and governance: reforms should focus on providing equitable access to basic services such as water, sanitation, electricity, healthcare and education; upgrading and formalizing informal settlements; and improving living conditions of over one billion people residing in slums 37 . Participatory governance, community engagement and empowerment can enhance social inclusion by considering the voices and needs of marginalized groups 13 , 23 . Urban policy should also prioritize preserving historic and natural resources, protecting vulnerable areas and implementing sustainable urban design principles 47 . Future studies can help understand the dynamics, challenges and opportunities and monitor progress toward SDG11 targets 15 .
Localizing SDG11 targets: spatial planning and land-use strategies should consider the needs of diverse urban populations, promote inclusive zoning and engage local communities and stakeholders in decision-making processes, crucial for fostering ownership, empowerment and social cohesion, leading to more sustainable and inclusive urban development 3 . However, enhancing the capacity for localizing SDG11 targets requires building the knowledge and skills of local governments, policymakers and practitioners. Capacity-building initiatives, such as training programs, workshops and knowledge exchange, can promote interdisciplinary understanding and sharing of best practices.
Concerted and collaborative efforts: the international community, academics, policymakers and stakeholders can work together to create inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable communities. Collaborative efforts can facilitate a comprehensive understanding of urban challenges and potential solutions by integrating diverse perspectives, data and methodologies. Disseminating research findings contributes to evidence-based policy development and informed decision-making, enabling the learning of lessons and replication of successful interventions.
Breaking down silos: integrated and cross-sectoral approaches help narrow the gaps between sectors, local governments, policymakers and stakeholders, leveraging local resources and capacities while fostering communication, knowledge sharing and collaboration 31 . Cross-sectoral working groups, joint planning processes and integrated policy frameworks promote holistic and coordinated decision-making among various sectors, including urban planning, housing, transportation, health, education, environment and social welfare 47 .
Digitalization and smart city development: maximizing the benefits of digitalization and smart city solutions requires addressing challenges such as bridging digital divides and ensuring data access, privacy and security. Prioritizing citizen-centric approaches and public accessibility to technology 36 are essential for leveraging expertise and resources 15 . Interoperability, scalability, data-driven decision-making and inclusivity contribute to evidence-based planning and equitable access to smart city technologies 12 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 .
This study comprehensively assessed SDG11 research, emphasizing significant thematic areas, trends, challenges and suggestions for prioritizing SDG11, including effective urban policy and governance, localizing SDG11 targets, concerted and collaborative efforts, and digitalization and smart city development. To broaden the scope of SDG11 research, future bibliometric reviews should encompass non-Web of Science databases and gray literature, including publications from government and nongovernmental agencies. Despite its limitations, this study’s findings provide valuable references for further research on SDG11.
The present study utilized a bibliometric technique to analyze academic publication on SDG11, tracing the research trend, the evolving key themes and identifying contributing authors, institutions and countries. Bibliometrics is a quantitative technique that allows for the analysis of trends in scholarly publications, such as research articles, conference papers and books, and visualizes scholarly publication patterns 52 . This technique is instrumental in analyzing extensive literature sets by relying on statistical observations and text-mining capabilities, which qualitative review methods such as systematic reviews cannot accomplish 53 . Additionally, it presents a scientific landscape of authors, countries, organizations and collaborations that contribute to worldwide scientific literature.
Bibliometric analysis requires interpretation, introducing an element of subjectivity 54 . Therefore, a sensemaking approach was adopted to transition from describing the bibliometric results to interpreting them. Sensemaking helps derive insightful information from bibliometric analysis and can be integrated into systematic literature reviews 55 , 56 . It applies to various international indexing, abstracting and citation databases, such as Scopus, Web of Science, Dimensions, PubMed and Education Resources Information Center, which cover journals, books, reviews and conference proceedings from around the world and different regions. For this study, Web of Science was chosen as the database to obtain bibliographic data due to its wide range of topics in various fields of study such as natural sciences, health sciences, engineering, social science, computer science and materials sciences. It is one of the world’s largest peer-reviewed scientific literature databases, with 87 million indexed items.
Specialized bibliometrics software were employed, including VOSviewer (version 1.6.19) 52 , Biblioshiny (version 4.1.3) 55 and BibExcel (version 2017) 57 . VOSviewer, known for its user-friendly interface, was used to understand the thematic focus and evolution of research on SDG11. It generates networks of nodes and links, with node size representing the frequency of the studied item, and link width indicating the strength of connections between items. Clusters of intricately linked nodes are shown in distinct colors. The thematic focus was examined for two periods: period 1 (2016–2019) and period 2 (2020–2022), considering the time since the SDGs were introduced to the time of data collection in this study. Another reason for this categorization is that evidence shows that the pandemic has significantly affected progress toward achieving SDGs 58 . VOSviewer allows for various types of analysis, including term co-occurrence, co-citation, citation and bibliographic coupling 53 . A term co-occurrence analysis was used in this study to highlight key thematic areas. To ensure accuracy and avoid separate counting of synonyms, a thesaurus file was developed and added to the software before the analysis. A summary of the data, including the number of authors and journals, used in the analysis is presented in Table 1 and will be further explained below.
A comprehensive search query was formulated to retrieve relevant data on SDG11, and it was executed in the title, abstract and keywords fields (TS) in Web of Science on 5 July 2023. The initial query shown the following box resulted in a total of 334,224 documents. Co-citation analysis was employed to identify the most influential journals contributing to SDG11 research. Two works are considered co-cited when they are both mentioned in the works cited section of a subsequent publication 59 (Zhao, 2006).
TS = ((‘city’ OR ‘cities’ OR ‘human settlement*’ OR ‘urban’ OR ‘metropoli*’ OR ‘town*’ OR ‘municipal*’ OR ‘peri-urban*’ OR ‘urban-rural’ OR ‘rural-urban’) AND (‘gentrification’ OR ‘congestion’ OR ‘transport*’ OR ‘housing’ OR ‘slum*’ OR ‘informal settlement*’ OR ‘sendai framework’ OR ‘Disaster Risk Reduction’ OR ‘disaster’ OR ‘DRR’ OR ‘smart cit*’ OR ‘resilient building*’ OR ‘sustainable building*’ OR ‘building design’ OR ‘buildings design’ OR ‘urbani?ation’ OR ‘zero energy’ OR ‘zero-energy’ OR ‘basic service*’ OR ‘governance’ OR ‘citizen participation’ OR ‘collaborative planning’ OR ‘participatory planning’ OR ‘inclusiveness’ OR ‘cultural heritage’ OR ‘natural heritage’ OR ‘UNESCO’ OR ‘ecological footprint’ OR ‘environmental footprint’ OR ‘waste’ OR ‘pollution’ OR ‘pollutant*’ OR ‘waste water’ OR wastewater* OR waste-water* OR ‘recycling’ OR ‘circular economy’ OR ‘air quality’ OR ‘green space’ OR ‘green spaces’ OR ‘nature inclusive’ OR ‘nature inclusive building’ OR ‘nature inclusive buildings’ OR ‘resilient’ OR ‘resilience’ OR ‘healthy cit*’ OR ‘sustainable’ OR ‘sustainability’ OR ‘green’ OR ‘nature*’ OR ‘Green infrastructure*’ OR ‘nature-based solution*’ OR ‘nature based solution*’ OR ‘child*’ OR ‘wom?n’ OR ‘elderl*’ OR ‘disabl*’ OR ‘disabilit*’ OR ‘disabled’)) AND PY = (2016–2022) NOT PY = (2023)
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework was used to report document search and filtration process. The PRISMA framework is designed to help scholars transparently report why their review study is conducted, what activities are performed and what discoveries are made, ideal for both systematic reviews and bibliometric studies 60 . PRISMA presents the four stages of the above query’s overall searching and filtration process (Fig. 4 ). The identification stage yielded 334,224 records, which were then screened to select only article-type documents ( n = 277,165). Subsequently, documents were further screened based on language, selecting only English documents ( n = 257,374). In the final stage, documents were screened based on specific categories closely related to cities and SDG11, resulting in a selection of six major categories: urban studies, environmental studies, geography, urban and regional planning, architecture, transportation and physical geography ( n = 21,168). Finally, 15 duplicated documents were removed, resulting in a final dataset of 21,153 documents.
A four-phase flow diagram of the data extraction and filtration process of SDG11 literature, adapted from Priyadarshini 57 . WoS, Web of Science.
Further information on research design is available in the Nature Portfolio Reporting Summary linked to this article.
The data that support the findings of this study are available as supplementary information. The steps for curating the data from the Web of Science have been provided in the text. If there is a further need, data are available on figshare at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.26360125 . Source data are provided with this paper.
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A.I.A. acknowledges Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, for their support in conducting this study. A.S. acknowledges the support of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI grant number 22K04493. We appreciate Hiroshima University for supporting the open-access publication of this article.
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Department of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Abdulaziz I. Almulhim
The IDEC Institute and Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
Ayyoob Sharifi
Department of Geomatics Engineering Technology, Yanbu Industrial College, Yanbu, Saudi Arabia
Yusuf A. Aina
Directorate of Library Affairs, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Shakil Ahmad
The Business School, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK
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Research and Transfer Centre ‘Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management’, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, Germany
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A.I.A.: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, data curation, writing—original draft, writing—review and editing, investigation and project administration. A.S.: methodology, software, formal analysis, visualization and writing—original draft. Y.A.A.: conceptualization, writing—original draft, investigation and validation. S.A.: methodology, software, formal analysis, visualization and data curation. L.M.: writing—review and editing, and investigation. W.L.F.: writing—review and editing, and investigation. I.R.A.: writing—review and editing, investigation, supervision, validation and resources.
Correspondence to Abdulaziz I. Almulhim or Ayyoob Sharifi .
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The authors declare no competing interests.
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Almulhim, A.I., Sharifi, A., Aina, Y.A. et al. Charting sustainable urban development through a systematic review of SDG11 research. Nat Cities (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-024-00117-6
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Gender inequality isn’t just unfair — it’s also a drag on the world economy. Giving women the same economic opportunities as men would add about US$12 trillion to global gross domestic product by 2025, one analysis found. That’s an 11% boost.
The link between women’s empowerment and economic growth is well established. When women are economically empowered, they invest more in their families, creating a cycle of positive outcomes that spans generations . Women’s participation in the workforce leads to greater productivity and brings diverse perspectives that enhance decision-making and drive innovation .
Recognizing these benefits, governments and nongovernmental organizations have increasingly directed aid — funds provided to developing countries to foster economic growth — toward promoting women’s empowerment.
As an economist who studies development , I wanted to know: Does all that money really make a difference? So, in a recent study , my colleagues and I analyzed the impact of gender-related aid on gender inequality using data from 118 countries over a 13-year period, from 2009 to 2022.
What we found was uplifting: Gender-related aid reduced inequality in most countries we studied.
We looked at two types of gender-related aid. The first is funding for projects that tie gender into larger economic goals. Development experts call this “ significant gender-related aid .” There’s also aid funding that narrowly and explicitly targets gender equality. Experts call this “principal gender-related aid.”
We found that the first approach consistently and significantly reduced gender inequality in 115 out of 118 countries we studied. The latter approach had statistically significant effects in 85 countries. It also appeared to be much more effective when paired with the first approach.
Our findings strongly suggest that integrating gender-related aid into broader development efforts is crucial for promoting gender equality. Gender and development are intricately intertwined, a fact often overlooked. Recognizing this connection is crucial for achieving sustainable and inclusive growth.
That might all sound pretty abstract, but our research shows that the world has made progress in real people’s lives over the past decades. Cases from several countries show just how much progress is possible:
Rwanda: Following the 1994 genocide, Rwanda made a concerted effort to rebuild its society with gender equality at its core. Today, women hold 61% of parliamentary seats , the highest percentage in the world . This remarkable achievement is in part a direct result of gender-focused policies and significant investments in women’s political empowerment. Rwanda’s progress illustrates how political will and dedicated gender-related aid can transform a society .
Bangladesh: Despite traditional gender roles, Bangladesh has made significant strides in gender equality , particularly in education and economic participation . Through targeted programs like the Female Secondary School Stipend Program and microfinance initiatives by organizations like the Grameen Bank, Bangladesh has seen substantial improvements in girls’ education and women’s economic empowerment. These initiatives have contributed to a decline in gender disparities and have spurred economic growth.
Ethiopia: In recent decades, Ethiopia has invested heavily in education , particularly for girls. Programs aimed at increasing school enrollment and reducing dropout rates among girls have led to improved literacy rates and better health outcomes. These educational advancements have empowered women economically and socially, reducing gender inequality .
Despite progress made, these achievements aren’t set in stone. Instability can rapidly undo years of progress. Recent policy backsliding in Afghanistan , Brazil and the United States shows the need for vigilance.
Discussions about the importance of reducing gender inequality often revolve around the direct benefits to women and girls. But everyone, including men, stands to win in a more gender-equal society.
First, women’s economic empowerment leads to stronger economies , which benefits everyone. Research shows that gender equality promotes healthier relationships, reduces violence and fosters more cohesive and supportive communities . Similarly, workplaces prioritizing gender equality tend to have better team dynamics, higher employee satisfaction and increased productivity . These are gains for everyone, regardless of gender.
And gender equality has distinct benefits for men. This is because it alleviates the pressures associated with traditional masculinity , which can lead to better mental health. For example, in more gender-equal societies, men report being happier with life and less stressed and depressed .
This shows that the benefits of gender equality aren’t limited to women and girls; they extend to all members of society. Everyone has a stake in helping progress move along.
Governments and aid professionals should follow five steps for success to safeguard the advances made in gender equality and continue progressing:
1. Keep the aid flowing: Continued financial and technical support for gender equality initiatives is vital. Our research suggests policymakers should focus on integrating gender considerations into all development projects.
2. Engage everyone: Involving men and boys in gender equality efforts helps to challenge and change harmful gender norms, fostering a more inclusive society.
3. Tailor strategies: Although aid has an effect across the board, gender equality initiatives must consider each country’s unique sociopolitical and cultural contexts. Tailoring strategies to fit these contexts ensures that interventions are relevant and practical .
4. Strengthen institutions: Effective institutions and governance are crucial for successfully implementing and sustaining gender equality initiatives. Efforts to improve governance and reduce corruption will enhance the impact of aid
5. Promote education: Schools are a powerful tool for promoting gender equality. Investing in educational programs that empower women and girls and raise awareness about gender issues is essential for long-term change .
Gender equality is a cornerstone of a just and prosperous society. The benefits of empowering women extend far beyond the immediate recipients of gender-related aid, fostering economic growth, political stability and social cohesion. Our research shows that efforts to empower women really do pay off — literally and otherwise.
Call for papers, 4th workshop on gamification in software development, verification, and validation (gamify2025).
Gamify2025 will be the fourth edition of the international workshop on Gamification in Software Development, Verification, and Validation . This edition of the workshop will be co-located with ICSE 2025 - Sun 27 April - Sat 3 May 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada . The workshop will be held on TBD.
Gamification is the practice of applying game-like mechanics to increase the engagement and fun in non-ludic activities. Gamification usually involves elements such as leaderboards, achievements, missions, and competitions between players. Evidence in Software Engineering literature demonstrates that gamification can improve software quality when applied to most phases of the software process. Gamify aims at investigating the current trends in the development of source code, and in the generation of test scenarios that leverage Gamified mechanics.
The workshop aims to bring together researchers, practitioners and tool developers working on topics related to the application of such gamified mechanics to software development, verification and validation. The workshop will aim to include both academic and empirical research, as well as presentations of gamified tools and industrial case studies.
This workshop was organized in the context of the “EndGame - Improving End-to-End Testing of Web and Mobile Apps through Gamification” project (2022PCCMLF) – funded by the Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca – within the PRIN 2022 program (D.D.104 - 02/02/2022).
Authors are invited to submit papers to the workshop, and present and discuss them at the event on topics related to Gamification in Software Development, Verification and Validation. Paper submissions can be of the following types:
All submissions must be in English and in PDF format. At the time of submission, all papers must conform to the ICSE 2025 Format and Submission Guidelines.
Gamify 2025 will employ a double-blind review process. Papers should be submitted through EasyChair .
At least three program committee members will review each paper.
Accepted papers will be published as part of ICSE workshop proceedings, through the IEEE Xplore. Submissions must conform to the IEEE conference proceedings template, specified in the IEEE Conference Proceedings Formatting Guidelines . When submitting to the workshop the authors acknowledge that they conform to the authorship policy of the IEEE.
At least one author of each accepted paper will need an ICSE workshop registration . A single-day registration will be sufficient.
AUTHORS TAKE NOTE:
The official publication date is the date the proceedings are made available in the IEEE Xplore. This date may be up to two weeks prior to the first day of your conference. The official publication date affects the deadline for any patent filings related to published work.
Mon 4 Nov 2024new Abstract Submission Deadline |
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The impact on our field of research cultivated by the foundation of the International Society of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise and its associated journal (Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health), for example, is notable, whilst qualitative studies are a mainstay of many sociological journals (Dart, 2014; Seippel, 2018 ).
In this paper, we intend to describe sport's physiological and psychosocial health benefits, stemming both from physical activity and from sport participation per se. This narrative review summarizes research and presents health-related data from Swedish authorities.
Sports Research Topics: Cricket, Football, Hockey, Badminton, and more. Sports research is a very broad topic; it can take time for your supervisor to find sports research paper topics. This list of sports research paper topics may help you. This list should give you some ideas for your next project, but feel free to explore other areas too!
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Find research paper topics for 2024. Explore relevant ideas across various fields, including technology, culture & sports, to kickstart your academic writing. ... The effects of early specialization in youth sports on long-term athletic development. The influence of sports media coverage on public perceptions of athletes.
Russ Tedrake, the Toyota Professor of EECS, Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Mechanical Engineering at MIT, vice president of robotics research at TRI, and CSAIL member, is a senior author of this research. The paper also credits University of California at Los Angeles PhD student Zhouxing Shi and associate professor Cho-Jui Hsieh, as well as ...
Recently, the Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA) recognized Dr. Jessika Bottiani, an associate research professor at the UVA School of Education and Human Development and faculty affiliate at Youth-Nex, and her co-authors with the 2024 Social Policy Publication Award for a paper on the prevention of youth firearm violence disparities ...
Using bibliometric techniques, this Article assesses the evolving landscape of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 research, highlighting publication trends, thematic focus areas, authorship ...
Abstract. Over the last 20 years, sport for development (SFD) has become an increasingly used tool to tackle education-related challenges around the world and has even become recognized by major ...
The SEI Digital Library provides access to more than 6,000 documents from three decades of research into best practices in software engineering. These documents include technical reports, presentations, webcasts, podcasts and other materials searchable by user-supplied keywords and organized by topic, publication type, publication year, and author.
A review of data from 118 countries shows that development aid works Published: August 22, 2024 8:09am EDT ... but our research shows that the world has made progress in real people's lives over ...
Position/Short papers (max. 4 pages) discussion of innovative ideas, identification of research opportunities and challenges, and plans for future work (to get quick feedback from the community); Tool papers (max. 4 pages) for researchers who want to present tools relevant to the workshop. Relevant topic of interest. Gamified software development;