Characteristics of Outdoor Gym Interventions Promoting Physical Activity: A Systematic Review Toward Guiding Scalable, Population-Based Programs

INTRODUCTION: Scalable physical activity interventions are crucial in addressing the widespread issue of global physical inactivity. Outdoor gyms present as a promising setting to deliver physical activity interventions that can be scaled to engage significant proportions of the population. This systematic review aims to analyze how interventions conducted in outdoor gym settings to date have been delivered, identify their target populations, and describe the types of equipment and exercises used. METHODS: A systematic search of peer-reviewed English-language articles was conducted using the following databases: EBSCO, Embase, MEDLINE, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science. Studies that employed experimental pre-post designs, including randomized controlled trials and single-group designs, and promoted physical activity through outdoor gyms were eligible for inclusion. RESULTS: Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. Most interventions were fully supervised by exercise professionals, with a primary focus on older adults. Although males and females were equally targeted in most studies, female participants tended to be overrepresented. Variability existed in terms of intervention dosage, with session frequency ranging from fortnightly to 3 each week. Studies often only included 1 outdoor gym location, with the amount and type of equipment available varying between studies. CONCLUSION: More robust experimental trials using appropriate frameworks are required to guide scalable, population-based programs. This review aids researchers, practitioners, and planners by mapping program characteristics, providing evidence, and identifying gaps for future large-scale studies and initiatives.