Content and quality of physical activity ontologies: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION: Ontologies are a formal way to represent knowledge in a particular field and have the potential to transform the field of health promotion and digital interventions. However, few researchers in physical activity (PA) are familiar with ontologies, and the field can be difficult to navigate. This systematic review aims to (1) identify ontologies in the field of PA, (2) assess their content and (3) assess their quality. METHODS: Databases were searched for ontologies on PA. Ontologies were included if they described PA or sedentary behavior, and were available in English language. We coded whether ontologies covered the user profile, activity, or context domain. For the assessment of quality, we used 12 criteria informed by the Open Biological and Biomedical Ontology (OBO) Foundry principles of good ontology practice. RESULTS: Twenty-eight ontologies met the inclusion criteria. All ontologies covered PA, and 19 included information on the user profile. Context was covered by 17 ontologies (physical context, n = 12; temporal context, n = 14; social context: n = 5). Ontologies met an average of 4.3 out of 12 quality criteria. No ontology met all quality criteria. DISCUSSION: This review did not identify a single comprehensive ontology of PA that allowed reuse. Nonetheless, several ontologies may serve as a good starting point for the promotion of PA. We provide several recommendations about the identification, evaluation, and adaptation of ontologies for their further development and use. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12966-023-01428-y.