A Review of Physical Literacy Development in Portugal: From Conceptual Understanding to Policy, Research, and Training Initiatives

Purpose: To systematically map and analyse the available evidence on physical literacy (PL) development in Portugal, focusing on its conceptual foundations, presence in policy, research contributions, and training initiatives within physical education, sport, physical activity (PA), and health. Methods: A structured search strategy, guided by the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews, was used to collect data from various sources. Data selection and charting were conducted collaboratively, and findings were synthesised narratively. Results: The search identified 38 national policy sources from education, health, and PA or sport sectors. Of these, 33 were published documents and five were websites, with PL explicitly mentioned in 11 sources. In the research domain, 35 references were included, primarily observational studies focused on developing assessment tools and exploring connections between PL and health outcomes, along with conceptual and review papers. The most frequently cited definitions were those proposed by Margaret Whitehead/International Physical Literacy Association, and Sport Australia. Training initiatives mostly originated from the education sector but remain limited, with challenges in maintaining consistent programmes. Conclusion: There is growing national interest in PL research, with increasing inclusion in policy documents, especially in health, but practical implementation and training efforts are still scarce.