Abstract
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58984/smb2602038b
Background: Social media platforms have increasingly been used as tools to promote physical activity and sports participation through digital interventions and online social interaction. Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to examine the influence of social media-based interventions on motivation for physical activity and sports participation. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted, and studies published between 2012 and 2025 were included according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 15 primary studies were analyzed, and methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Results: The majority of included studies reported positive effects of social media-based interventions on physical activity outcomes, including increased moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, daily step counts, exercise adherence, and motivation. Facebook was the most commonly used platform, followed by mobile applications and hybrid digital interventions. Sample sizes ranged from 25 to 301 participants, and intervention durations varied from 3 weeks to 6 months. Conclusion: Social media-based interventions appear to be effective in improving motivation and participation in physical activity; however, heterogeneity among studies limits strong general conclusions.
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Key words
Instagram, Facebook, online, digital, social media
