From the viewpoint of behavioral medicine, analyzing various factors that determine physical activity (PA) is necessary to promote PA participation. In this study we aimed to identify the impact of constructs within the social ecological model (SEM) on PA within the Korean population. We reviewed journal articles and dissertations published between February 2012 and May 2022 in this meta-analysis. We searched the Korean Education Research Information Service (KERIS), Korean Information Service System (KISS), National Digital Library (NDL), PubMed Central (PMC), SCOPUS, and Web of Sciences; and we located 13 studies to include in this review. Collectively, these studies indicated that most SEM constructs were significantly correlated with PA. Self-efficacy was most strongly correlated (0.67), followed by perceived benefits (0.48), quality of exercise facilities (0.37), accessibility of exercise facilities (0.33), friend support (0.29), and family support (0.23). These data provide practical information for basing a PA promotion strategy on SEM to enhance community health through behavioral psychology.
Keywords: adolescent; meta-analysis; physical activity; social ecological model.