Utilizing large-scale human mobility data to identify determinants of physical activity

Abstract Analyzing the habits of exercisers is crucial for developing targeted interventions that can effectively promote long-term physical activity behavior. While much of existing literature has focused on individual-level factors, there is a growing recognition of the importance of examining how...

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Main Authors: Giorgos Ioannou, George Pallis, Marios Dikaiakos, Christos Nicolaides
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87017-4
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author Giorgos Ioannou
George Pallis
Marios Dikaiakos
Christos Nicolaides
author_facet Giorgos Ioannou
George Pallis
Marios Dikaiakos
Christos Nicolaides
author_sort Giorgos Ioannou
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Analyzing the habits of exercisers is crucial for developing targeted interventions that can effectively promote long-term physical activity behavior. While much of existing literature has focused on individual-level factors, there is a growing recognition of the importance of examining how broader determinants impact physical activity. In this study, we analyze large-scale human mobility data from over 20 million individuals to investigate how visits to various locations, such as cafes and restaurants, influence visits to fitness centers. In particular, we (i) rank categories of locations that exercisers prefer to visit, (ii) compare visiting patterns between individuals who visit fitness centers and those who do not, (iii) investigate how exercisers replace fitness visits on non-exercise days, and (iv) identify location categories mainly visited before or after fitness sessions. We show that individuals engaging in physical exercise prefer to visit “Non-Alcoholic Beverage Bars” (e.g., Starbucks) in conjunction with their exercise sessions. On their rest days, they often substitute exercise with visits to full-service restaurants and parks. Moreover, they tend to visit grocery stores immediately after their exercise session. Our findings can help public health policy towards a more targeted promotion of exercise and well-being.
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spelling doaj-art-ce580bf8d68b48dda7e49409cf2193712025-02-02T12:18:38ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-87017-4Utilizing large-scale human mobility data to identify determinants of physical activityGiorgos Ioannou0George Pallis1Marios Dikaiakos2Christos Nicolaides3Department of Computer Science, University of CyprusDepartment of Computer Science, University of CyprusDepartment of Computer Science, University of CyprusSchool of Economics and Management, University of CyprusAbstract Analyzing the habits of exercisers is crucial for developing targeted interventions that can effectively promote long-term physical activity behavior. While much of existing literature has focused on individual-level factors, there is a growing recognition of the importance of examining how broader determinants impact physical activity. In this study, we analyze large-scale human mobility data from over 20 million individuals to investigate how visits to various locations, such as cafes and restaurants, influence visits to fitness centers. In particular, we (i) rank categories of locations that exercisers prefer to visit, (ii) compare visiting patterns between individuals who visit fitness centers and those who do not, (iii) investigate how exercisers replace fitness visits on non-exercise days, and (iv) identify location categories mainly visited before or after fitness sessions. We show that individuals engaging in physical exercise prefer to visit “Non-Alcoholic Beverage Bars” (e.g., Starbucks) in conjunction with their exercise sessions. On their rest days, they often substitute exercise with visits to full-service restaurants and parks. Moreover, they tend to visit grocery stores immediately after their exercise session. Our findings can help public health policy towards a more targeted promotion of exercise and well-being.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87017-4Exercise habitsHuman mobilityGPS devicesSocial networks
spellingShingle Giorgos Ioannou
George Pallis
Marios Dikaiakos
Christos Nicolaides
Utilizing large-scale human mobility data to identify determinants of physical activity
Scientific Reports
Exercise habits
Human mobility
GPS devices
Social networks
title Utilizing large-scale human mobility data to identify determinants of physical activity
title_full Utilizing large-scale human mobility data to identify determinants of physical activity
title_fullStr Utilizing large-scale human mobility data to identify determinants of physical activity
title_full_unstemmed Utilizing large-scale human mobility data to identify determinants of physical activity
title_short Utilizing large-scale human mobility data to identify determinants of physical activity
title_sort utilizing large scale human mobility data to identify determinants of physical activity
topic Exercise habits
Human mobility
GPS devices
Social networks
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87017-4
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