A systematic review of the evolution of GPS use in active living research: A state of the evidence for research, policy, and practice

Tarun R Katapally; Jasmin Bhawra; Pinal Patel

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102453

A systematic review of the evolution of GPS use in active living research: A state of the evidence for research, policy, and practice

Health Place. 2020 Nov:66:102453. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102453. Epub 2020 Oct 30.

Authors

Tarun R Katapally¹, Jasmin Bhawra², Pinal Patel³

Affiliations

¹ Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada; Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada; Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Electronic address: tarun.katapally@uregina.ca.
² School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
³ Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

PMID: 33137684
DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102453

Abstract

This is the first systematic review to comprehensively capture Global Positioning Systems' (GPS) utilization in active living research by investigating the influence of physical contexts and social environment on all intensities of physical activity and sedentary behavior among all age groups. An extensive search of peer-reviewed literature was conducted using six databases. Out of 2026 articles identified, 129 studies met the inclusion criteria. After describing the evolution of GPS use across four themes (study designs and methods, physical contexts and social environment, active transportation, and behaviors), evidence-based recommendations for active living research, policy, and practice were generated.

Keywords: Active living; Global positioning systems; Physical activity; Physical contexts; Sedentary behavior; Social environment.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Exercise
Geographic Information Systems*
Humans
Policy
Sedentary Behavior*
Social Environment