The increasing mental health issues among young people (YP), alongside increasing childhood obesity, are raising major public health concerns. This is particularly concerning as the poor physical health of people with mental illness is the primary driver of the 15-20-year mortality gap observed in underserved populations. Research suggests that regular physical activity (PA) reduces symptoms of mental health conditions and may lower the incidence of depression and psychosis. Despite its benefits, YP from underserved communities often face structural and social barriers that make it harder to be active, reflecting broader health inequalities.


This mixed methods systematic review will provide an overview of integrated PA interventions for underserved youth, evaluate their effectiveness, and identify barriers and facilitators related to feasibility, acceptability, and implementation within complex systems.


We will include empirical studies published in the last 30 years, using qualitative or quantitative methods, that focus on YP from underserved communities. Grey literature meeting these criteria will also be sought. Eligible interventions must combine PA with a mental health component, such as emotional literacy education, psychosocial support or similar approaches, and may be delivered in schools, community settings, or youth services.


Searches will cover seven multidisciplinary databases: Embase, APA PsycINFO, Scopus, MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, Sport Medicine and Education Index, and Sport Discus. Records will be imported into Zotero, deduplicated, and then screened in Covidence. Titles and abstracts will be assessed independently by two reviewers, with disagreements resolved by discussion or a third reviewer. Full texts of eligible studies, data extraction and quality appraisal will undergo the same process.


Findings will be shared with a youth advisory group, who will support integration and synthesis. The review will generate a synthesis of evidence on integrated physical activity interventions for underserved youth. Completion and submission are planned by July 2026, with a preprint version potentially released earlier.