Evidence mapPaperPMID 41789368Full record

ArticleBMJ public health2026

Influence of lifestyle factors on susceptibility, disease course and recovery from post COVID-19 syndrome: a scoping review.

W Marty Blom, Mark C Dessing, Suzan Wopereis, Jolanda H M van Bilsen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

W Marty Blom *Unit Health & Work, The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Utrecht, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6853-0900
Mark C Dessing *Unit Health & Work, The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Suzan WopereisUnit Health & Work, The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9612-657X
Jolanda H M van BilsenUnit Health & Work, The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Utrecht, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3439-5445

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: A healthy lifestyle is crucial for preventing illnesses and aiding recovery. Many individuals suffer long-term effects from SARS-CoV-2 infection, known as post COVID-19 syndrome (PCS). However, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of how lifestyle factors influence development and recovery of PCS. Methods: A scoping review was conducted to explore the impact of various lifestyle factors-exercise, smoking, alcohol, diet, mental health, sleep and overall lifestyle-on PCS susceptibility, progression and recovery. Systematic reviews, clinical studies and additional literature from PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus and the Cochrane Library (January 2022 to December 2024) were included. Findings: Out of 4665 unique articles, 82 met the inclusion criteria. The evidence indicates that smoking and poor mental health increase the risk of developing PCS, while adequate sleep and maintaining multiple healthy lifestyle factors reduce susceptibility to PCS. Dosed exercise-based rehabilitation and cognitive behavioural therapy are effective in relieving PCS symptoms. Specific food-derived components, mind-body therapies and combined healthy lifestyle factors may be beneficial in PCS course/recovery. However, the evidence remains insufficient or inconsistent regarding the effects of exercise, alcohol consumption and habitual diets on PCS susceptibility. Likewise, evidence is lacking on the effectiveness of smoking or alcohol cessation, sleep or combined lifestyle interventions in aiding PCS recovery. Most studies focus on hospitalised adults, leaving gaps for paediatric and outpatient populations. Conclusions: The evidence shows that certain lifestyle factors can reduce PCS susceptibility and improve symptom relief and quality of life in PCS. However, substantial knowledge gaps remain. Further research is needed to understand how lifestyle factors interact with PCS, so that new knowledge can contribute to the development of treatment strategies.

Indexed as

COVID-19HumansPublic Health PracticeScoping Review

Identifiers

PMID41789368
PMCPMC12958944

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.