Adults’ exercise-related ‘all-or-nothing’ thinking and leisure-time physical activity: a scoping review

In physical activity, all-or-nothing thinking (AONT) may occur when an individual is not willing or cannot adhere perfectly to their exercise intentions or plan and chooses to not exercise at all, rather than modify the plan. This scoping review sought to map the existence and description of published literature on AONT in the context of voluntary leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among adults. Studies needed to appear in peer-reviewed English-language journals, focus specifically on LTPA among adults, and include search terms related to both AONT and physical activity. Searches conducted in August 2024 included Ovid MEDLINE, Embase.com, PsycINFO (EBSCO), CINAHL Complete (EBSCO), SPORTDiscus (EBSCO), and Scopus.com. From 4,233 papers evaluated, 9 studies (5 quantitative, 4 qualitative) met criteria for data extraction. Established scales and open-ended responses from qualitative studies suggest that AONT is a phenomenon and may influence exercise decisions, but the current literature is limited. Future research should develop validated AONT measures, examine its prevalence, and explore its role in predicting physical activity across diverse populations, particularly in the current era of more inclusive (i.e. less rigid) physical activity guidelines.