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Cited by 117Physical Activity and HealthErgonomics and Musculoskeletal DisordersMusculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation

Worldwide surveillance of self-reported sitting time: a scoping review

Open access
Mclaughlin, M., Atkin, A. J., Starr, L., Hall, A., Wolfenden, L., Sutherland, R., Wiggers, J., Ramirez, A. +29 more·2020·International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
DOI 10.1186/s12966-020-01008-4PMC PMC7469304
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Abstract

Background: Prolonged sitting time is a risk factor for chronic disease, yet recent global surveillance is not well described. The aims were to clarify: (i) the countries that have collected country-level data on self-reported sitting time; (ii) the single-item tools used to collect these data; and (iii) the duration of sitting time reported across low- to high-income countries. Methods: Country-level data collected within the last 10 years using single-item self-report were included. The six-stage methodology: (1) reviewing Global Observatory for Physical Activity! Country Cards; (2–4) country-specific searches of PubMed, the Demographic and Health Survey website and Google; (5) analysing the Eurobarometer 88.4; and (6) country-specific searches for World Health Organization STEPwise reports. Results: A total of 7641 records were identified and screened for eligibility. Sixty-two countries (29%) reported sitting time representing 47% of the global adult population. The majority of data were from high-income (61%) and middle income (29%) countries. The tools used were the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ; n = 34), a modified IPAQ (n = 1) or the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ; n = 27). The median of mean daily sitting times was 4.7 (IQR: 3.5–5.1) hours across all countries. Higher-income countries recorded a longer duration of sitting time than lower-income countries (4.9 vs 2.7 h). Conclusions: This study provides an updated collation of countries collecting self-reported sitting time data. The daily sitting time findings should be interpreted cautiously. Current surveillance of sitting time is limited by a lack of coverage. Measures of population sitting time that are valid, feasible and sensitive to change should be embedded within global surveillance systems, to help guide future policy, research and practice. Trial registration: Not applicable.

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  1. [15]United Nations. Prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. Outcomes of the high-level meeting of the general assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and the first global ministerial conference on healthy lifestyles and noncommunicable disease control. A65/6. New York: United Nations; 2012.

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Authors
Mclaughlin, M., Atkin, A. J., Starr, L., Hall, A., Wolfenden, L., Sutherland, R., Wiggers, J., Ramirez, A., Hallal, P., Pratt, M., Lynch, B. M., Wijndaele, K., on behalf of the Sedentary Behaviour Council Global Monitoring Initiative Working Group, Adli, S., Gardiner, P. A., Doyle, C. B., Meadows, A., Mabry, R. M., Pregonero, A. F., Sadarangani, K. P., Hadgraft, N. T., Boyle, T., Farias, N. A., Mair, J. L., Hafoka, S. F., Mielke, G. I., Lin, S. K. P., McLeod, V. R., Ranasinghe, C., Storning, P. C., Dohrn, I.-M., Müller-Riemenschnieder, F., Al Subhi, L., Yee, A. C. H., Gad, M., Marques, A., & Kontostoli, E.
Affiliations
  • Hunter Medical Research Institute (AU)
  • University of East Anglia (GB)
  • University of Warwick (GB)
  • Universidad de Los Andes (CO)
  • University of California San Diego (US)
  • The University of Melbourne (AU)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
Corresponding author
Mclaughlin, M.
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2020-09-03
Volume
17
Issue
1
Pages
111-111
ISSN
1479-5868 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/s12966-020-01008-4
PMC
PMC7469304
OpenAlex
W3081855355
Cited by
117
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 2
FWCI
2.10
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (acceptedVersion)
  • UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • UniSA Research Outputs Repository (University of South Australia) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • NOVA (University of Newcastle Australia) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Apollo (cc-by)
  • Apollo
Funders
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12015, MC_UU_12015/3)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
Keywords
sitting time, sedentary behavior, global surveillance, country-level data, single-item questionnaire, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, income level, low- and middle-income countries, physical activity surveillance
MeSH terms
Sitting Position, Female, Humans, Income, Male, Poverty, Surveys and Questionnaires, Time Factors, Global Health, Exercise, Sedentary Behavior, Self Report

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