Editorial: Sports, nutrition and public health: analyzing their interconnected impacts

Regular physical activity is not only an important means of maintaining individual physical and mental health but also a vital intervention within the global public health system for the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and various chronic conditions.Research indicates that long-term adherence to physical activity yields significant cumulative benefits in preventing major chronic diseases (Fang et al., 2026). Furthermore, the protective effect of exercise in reducing all-cause mortality spans every stage of adult life (Martinez-Gomez et al., 2024).However, the effectiveness of physical activity depends largely on the scientific support of dietary nutrition. Proper nutritional intake, as the material foundation for metabolic homeostasis and tissue repair, has a decisive impact on preventing non-communicable diseases. Current evidence suggests that both improving the quality of overall dietary patterns and exploring more targeted precision nutrition interventions are central to maintaining metabolic balance and long-term health (Bermingham et al., 2024). As highlighted by Lv et al., direct comparisons of various dietary patterns further clarify their specific advantages in managing metabolic syndrome.Based on this, integrating physical activity with dietary nutrition has become pivotal in addressing global public health challenges. A close physiological link exists between exercise and nutrition; their synergy can more effectively improve metabolic health and prevent disease than any single intervention (Soltani et al., 2025;The Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group (DNSG) Therefore, constructing comprehensive intervention programs that prioritize both exercise and nutrition, and integrating them into public health systems, has become an urgent priority (Saz-Lara et al., 2024).The importance of these integrative strategies is increasingly evident given the escalating global burden of disease. Projections from global burden of disease studies indicate a substantial increase in the global diabetes population by 2050, a significant portion of which is directly linked to overweight and obesity (Ong et al., 2023). Faced with this challenge, the public health sector has an imperative need for systemic intervention models. This Research Topic aims to synthesize global insights in the field. Through the systematic integration of 55 interdisciplinary research contributions, we have constructed a cohesive logical framework: from understanding macrosocial contexts and environmental barriers to analyzing micro-mechanisms of lifestyle interactions, developing precision assessment tools and evidence synthesis databases, and finally achieving inclusive health translation for diverse populations.A core contribution of this Research Topic is that it moves beyond a focus on disease alone to examine the environmental factors underlying global health challenges from a macro perspective. By integrating multiple studies based on Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data, this collection presents the severe challenges currently facing public health: the burden of endocrine, metabolic, and immune system diseases will continue to intensify over the coming Having identified these macro-contexts that shape health behaviors, it is necessary to further explore how individual lifestyle choices directly interact with physiological metabolism under these complex social forces.Having understood the impact of the macro-environment, this Research Topic utilizes a series of studies to analyze the complex interaction mechanisms among various lifestyle elements. The research here demonstrates that health status is a system of deeply interconnected behaviors. Regarding risk, A. The effectiveness of scientific interventions must be built upon reliable, evidence-based data. This Research Topic has constructed a comprehensive The ultimate value of scientific discovery lies in its translation into real-world The 55 research contributions gathered in this Research Topic collectively delineate how exercise and nutrition are deeply interwoven to reshape modern public health. From the analysis of macro-social determinants and micro-physiological interactions to the enhancement of evidence-based databases and innovations in precision assessment tools, these findings not only deepen our understanding of the complex "exercise-nutrition-health" system but also provide scientific guidance for developing inclusive, efficient, and targeted public health strategies. Through empirical research across diverse populations, this collection effectively demonstrates that the success of modern public health depends not only on changes in individual behavior but also on the improvement of social environments and the advancement of precision intervention technologies.Looking ahead, to fully release the potential of exercise and nutrition science in enhancing healthy lifespan for all, the field must continue to focus on the following areas:• Strengthening Precision Intervention and Digital Empowerment: Actively embrace artificial intelligence, machine learning, and omics technologies to drive the transition of health management from "generalized recommendations" to "precision customization" based on individual molecular responses and behavioral patterns.• Promoting Systematic Interdisciplinary Integration: Use policy guidance and mechanism innovation to deeply integrate evidence-based exercise and nutrition prescriptions into primary healthcare systems and community public services, building a systematic health promotion model that covers the entire life cycle.