Author(s): TCYMBAL, A., ABU-OMAR, K., Institution: FRIEDRICH-ALEXANDER-UNIVERSITÄT ERLANGEN-NÜRNBERG, Country: GERMANY, Abstract-ID: 1959

Introduction:
Public health emergencies such as infectious disease outbreaks, climate-related disasters, and armed conflicts substantially disrupt physical activity (PA) behavior. Restrictions on movement, infrastructure damage, displacement, and environmental stressors consistently lead to reductions in PA and increases in sedentary behavior. These changes are associated with deteriorations in cardiometabolic health, physical functioning, and mental well-being, including elevated symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. Despite strong evidence for the protective role of PA, structured PA promotion strategies are rarely embedded within emergency preparedness and response planning. This project aimed to develop evidence-informed recommendations for integrating PA promotion into emergency preparedness and response strategies.
Methods:
A structured synthesis of current scientific evidence, international emergency preparedness frameworks, and interdisciplinary expert input was conducted. Recommendations were developed to address infectious pandemics, natural disasters, displacement settings, and climate-related events. The recommendations were guided by principles of safety, equity, and feasibility. Particular attention was given to vulnerable populations and to low-resource and remote delivery strategies.
Results:
The following core action areas were identified: (1) integrating PA into emergency preparedness and response plans; (2) maintaining and adapting active mobility infrastructure during crises; (3) enabling low-resource and remote PA delivery formats; (4) promoting short, flexible and safe PA sessions to reduce sedentary time; (5) tailoring interventions to vulnerable populations (e.g. older adults, individuals with chronic conditions and displaced populations); and (6) ensuring multisectoral coordination, rapid needs assessment and continuous monitoring for adaptive implementation. The recommendations position PA as both a preventive health behaviour and a psychosocial support tool that contributes to resilience and social cohesion in crisis settings.
Discussion:
The findings highlight a critical gap between sport science evidence and emergency preparedness policy. Integrating PA strategies into crisis planning requires cross-sector collaboration, implementation science approaches, and context-sensitive adaptation. Sport scientists can contribute by developing safe, scalable, and inclusive PA models suitable for low-resource and disrupted environments, as well as by generating robust evidence on mental health and resilience outcomes. Embedding PA promotion within emergency preparedness represents a scalable and cost-effective strategy to mitigate secondary health consequences of crises. Sport science has a critical role in providing evidence-based guidance for safe, adaptable, and inclusive PA interventions that strengthen individual and community resilience in emergency contexts.