A JPAH Special Issue Call for Papers

 

“Physical Activity as a Necessary Solution to Current Global Health Challenges”

JPAH call for papers: "Physical Activity as a Necessary Solution to Current Global Health Challenges" a special issue about how physical activity influences key global health challenges including healthy aging, health equity, and climate change.

The year 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the Journal of Physical Activity & Health (JPAH), which began publishing in 2004 under the guidance of founding Editors Jim Morrow and the late Steven Blair. In an introductory editorial published in the first issue of JPAH, Morrow and Blair acknowledged the “growing body of knowledge on the relation between physical activity and health”1 and correctly asserted that researchers, practitioners, program developers, and policy makers would benefit from a core journal focused exclusively on this topic. They were also accurate in stating, “We realize that it will take time and effort for JPAH to be fully adopted by the research community.”1 Twenty years later, and with >2,300 articles published in its pages, JPAH is now a global journal that publishes impactful science from an incredibly diverse group of researchers and research settings. JPAH has indeed earned its reputation as a leading destination for influential research that aims to change the conversation on physical activity’s role in a healthier society.

JPAH Insights. Acceptance rate (2022): 20%. No article processing fees, No submission fees, Open access ublision is optional. 3.1 Impact Factor, 4.5 CiteScore, 41 Google h5-indexTo celebrate the Journal’s success and ascendency, current co-Editors Pedro Hallal and Melody Ding are announcing a Call for Papers for a Special Issue titled “Physical Activity as a Necessary Solution to Current Global Health Challenges”. As the title suggests, the focus of this special issue asks us to consider the hurdles we must clear today as well as those looming ahead. We expect diverse submissions surrounding themes related to how physical activity positions itself around the key global health challenges of our times:

  1. climate change and sustainability
  2. health inequities
  3. population aging
  4. the syndemic of chronic and infectious diseases
  5. mental and cognitive health
  6. conflicts, displacements, and other humanitarian crises.

“We desire your absolute best work for this important special issue,” says Ding. “This collection of invited papers and target articles will help policy makers and practitioners see the Big Picture around physical activity’s role in solving myriad global crises that impact planetary and population health. It is essential that we take a wide-lens approach to viewing this issue, and we ask that the entire physical activity and health community consider submitting your strongest research.”

Important Information

Expressions of Interest (EOI) must be pre-screened by Drs. Ding and Hallal prior to article submission (see below, “Submission guidelines”). The EOI must include the manuscript title, aims, methods, and proposed author team, and should not exceed 500 words. Approved submissions will then be blindly peer reviewed, as usual.

Accepted articles will be published online Ahead of Press prior to final publication in the Special Issue. Accepted articles will be published free access (freely available to non-subscribers) for the first 12 months of publication. In addition, Creative Commons open access and permanent free access publication is available for a charge, with select discounts available for ISPAH members.

Key Dates

Deadline for Expression of Interest: December 15, 2023

Deadline for manuscript submission: February 15, 2024

Expected final publication: October/November 2024 (with prior Ahead of Print publication)

Submission Guidelines

Expressions of Interest should be emailed to Melody Ding (melody.ding@sydney.edu.au) and Pedro Hallal (prchallal@gmail.com) by December 15, 2023. If approved, submissions should be prepared according to the author instructions and submitted via the journal submission page by February 15, 2024. Please note in the cover letter that the submission is for the special issue and has prior approval by the Editors.

Publication Bias

JPAH welcomes physical activity research from all cultures, countries, and climates and encourages our editorial leadership, reviewers, authors, and readers to help reduce publication bias based on where we live, work, and play. Read our position statement on publication bias related to research from Majority World (i.e., Global South, low-to-middle income) countries.

References

1. Morrow JR, Blair SN. Another new journal? Is this really needed? J Phys Act Health. 2004;1:4-6. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.1.1.4

 

For a PDF version of this open call, please click here.

Last Updated: October 16, 2023