Abstract
BACKGROUND: The importance of appropriate physical activity for the physical and mental health of adolescents is widely recognized, but the specific connection between physical activity and adolescent life satisfaction is not well defined. This paper systematically reviews the research progress in this area, analyzes the correlation between adolescent physical activity and life satisfaction, and explores the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: In accordance with the PRISMA statement, a literature search was conducted across six databases: PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Scopus, ProQuest, and EBSCO. Studies on the association between adolescent physical activity and life satisfaction were included, and key data were extracted. The quality of the literature was assessed using the adjusted QualSyst tool, and sensitivity analysis, heterogeneity testing, subgroup analysis, and assessment of publication bias were performed using STATA 18.0. RESULTS: After a rigorous literature screening process, a total of 29 studies were included, including 24 cross-sectional and 5 longitudinal studies. Of these, 22 were rated excellent, 6 were rated good and 1 was rated adequate. In these studies, 24 employed Pearson's correlation coefficient, 12 utilized standardized coefficients, and 5 conducted logistic regression analysis, involving a total of 1,065,560 participants. Using a random effects model to combine the different effect sizes, we obtained r = 0.145, β = 0.04, and OR = 1.433. CONCLUSION: This study confirms a positive correlation between adolescent physical activity and life satisfaction, with high-intensity and leisure-time physical activities showing significant effects. However, this relationship may be influenced and moderated by a variety of factors. This study underscores the importance of promoting physical activity among adolescents and highlights the need for further research to develop targeted intervention strategies.