Adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) search for self-management strategies to manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life (QOL). Physical activity (PA) is one of the self-management strategies widely adopted by adults with IBD. This integrative review aimed to synthesize the evidence on health outcomes of PA in adults with IBD as well as to identify the barriers to engaging in PA. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), published literature was searched to identify the articles that addressed PA in adults with IBD. Twenty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria. Many of the reviewed studies used the terms of PA and exercise interchangeably. Walking was the most common PA reported in the studies. The findings from the majority of the reviewed studies supported the benefits of moderate-intensity exercise/PA among adults with IBD. The reviewed studies noted the following positive health outcomes of PA: improvement in QOL, mental health, sleep quality, gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue and cardiorespiratory fitness. More importantly, participation in PA reduced the risk for development of IBD and the risk for future active disease. The findings from the reviewed studies highlighted the following barriers to engage in PA: fatigue, joint pain, abdominal pain, bowel urgency, active disease and depression.
Keywords: Barriers; Exercise; Health outcomes; Inflammatory bowel disease; Integrative review.