: Motivation is a critical factor in supporting sustained exercise, which in turn is associated with
important health outcomes. Accordingly, research on exercise motivation from the perspective of self-determination
theory (SDT) has grown considerably in recent years. Previous reviews have been mostly narrative and theoretical.
Aiming at a more comprehensive review of empirical data, this article examines the empirical literature on the
relations between key SDT-based constructs and exercise and physical activity behavioral outcomes.