Long-term associations between physical activity during adolescence and health in early adulthood: a systematic review

Background Despite the recent surge in cohort studies examining the long-term effects of physical activity (PA) during adolescence on health in adulthood, no recent literature review summarizes this relationship. We systematically reviewed the literature on the associations between PA in adolescence and health markers in early adulthood, including PA, physical health, mental health, quality of life, and general health. Main body We searched the AMED, Medline, CINAHL, APA PsycINFO and Embase databases with a combination of keywords representing five concepts: PA, adolescence, health status, early adulthood, and longitudinal. We considered only articles in English or French, included participants aged 12–29 years, and measured the association between adolescent PA and young adults' health. Of the 5,188 articles identified, we retained 44. Sixteen of the 18 studies that assessed the association between PA levels or participation over time, from adolescence to early adulthood, supported a low-to-moderate positive association. In 17 studies examining physical health as an outcome, 11 found a positive relationship, and 6 found no association. The results of 16 out of 18 studies using mental health outcomes suggest that PA in adolescence is beneficial to mental health in early adulthood. Only three studies have examined adolescent PA and quality of life in early adulthood, with two reporting positive associations. In all five studies that assessed this relationship, more PA in adolescence was associated with better general health in early adulthood. Conclusions This review highlights that PA during adolescence is associated with improved health outcomes in early adulthood.