Physical activity and sedentary behaviour research in Thailand: a systematic scoping review

Validation and Measurement Invariance of the Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport Scale (TAPAS) Among Thai Young Adults

Examining ways of reducing physical inactivity has been at the forefront of public health research. Moreover, valid and reliable scales are needed to objectively assess physical activity (PA) avoidance. Previous research has shown that experiencing weight stigma and physical appearance-related concerns are associated with physical inactivity. However, there is currently no Thai instrument that assesses physical inactivity in relation to weight stigma. Therefore, the present study examined the psychometric properties of the Thai version of the Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport Scale (TAPAS). Thai university students (N = 612) recruited via convenience sampling completed an online survey using SurveyMonkey between September 2022 and January 2023. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), multigroup CFA, and Pearson correlations (between TAPAS scores, age, body mass index, and time spent exercising) were used to analyze the data. The CFA showed robust psychometric properties for the Thai version of TAPAS regarding its unidimensional structure. The TAPAS was measurement invariant across sex, weight status, and daily hours of exercise. However, no significant Pearson correlations were found. In general, the results showed that the TAPAS is a good scale for assessing PA avoidance among Thai young adults across different sexes, weight status, and daily hours of exercise.

Neighbourhood Walkability and Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study investigated whether living in a walkable neighbourhood could mitigate the adverse effects of the lockdown and closure of public open spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity among adults in Bangkok, Thailand. We conducted a telephone survey with 579 respondents and collected information on their physical activity, access to green open spaces, neighbourhood walkability, and socioeconomic characteristics during the pandemic. Our study indicates that living in a walkable neighbourhood is associated with a higher likelihood of engaging in sufficient physical activity during the pandemic. Furthermore, we confirm the influence of socioeconomic factors and health behaviours on physical activity levels, aligning with previous research. Notably, our study highlights the significant association between access to green open spaces during lockdown and increased physical activity. These results underscore the importance of promoting walkable neighbourhoods and ensuring accessible green spaces to enhance physical activity and improve health outcomes during and beyond the pandemic.

Association of land urbanization and type 2 diabetes mellitus prevalence and mediation of greenness and physical activity in Chinese adults

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is higher in urban than in rural areas. Limited information is available on the association between T2D and Land urbanization (LU) while LU influences not only greenness and Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) but also inhabitant behavior. We aimed to explore the association between the LU level and T2D prevalence, as well as whether greenness, PM2.5, or conscious physical activity mediated any of the observed associations. This study encompassed 27,633 adult participants from Shandong Province who completed the sixth National Health Service Survey in 2018. Ambient LU exposure was estimated by spatial characteristics, including the existing impervious surface area (ISA), road density (RD), and annual night light (NL). Exposures were estimated using satellite images and OpenStreetMap, with 1000 m used as the main analysis buffer. Two-level logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between the LU metrics and T2D. Additionally, we explored potential mechanisms of the association through mediation analysis. The prevalence of T2D among participants was 5.14%, with average exposures to ISA_1000m of 1.441 km2, RD_1000m of 3.856 km/km2, and NL_1000m of 9.821 nW/cm2/sr. Higher levels of LU exposure were associated with higher T2D ORs [for each interquartile of ISA_1000m, RD_1000m, and NL_1000m, the adjusted OR (95% CI) for the T2D prevalence were 1.29 (1.19-1.4), 1.25 (1.15-1.36), and 1.25 (1.15-1.36), respectively]. This relationship persisted in several sensitivity analyses including use of different buffer sizes. We observed stronger associations among participants younger than 65 years or in men. Greenness mediated a 20.78%-65.36% of the estimated associations, conscious physical activity mediated a 10.35%-15.85%, while PM2.5 mediated insignificantly. These results suggest a deleterious association between higher levels of LU and T2D among adult residents in a developing country. Greenness and conscious physical activity mediate the association.

Ecological correlates of sport and exercise participation among Thai adolescents: A hierarchical examination of a cross-sectional population survey

BACKGROUND

Understanding factors influencing adolescents' sport/exercise participation (S/EP) is vital to developing effective interventions, but currently, evidence from less developed countries is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine correlates of S/EP across individual, interpersonal, and environmental levels in a nationally representative sample of Thai adolescents.

METHODS

Data from 4617 Thai adolescents aged 14-17 years old were obtained from recruited schools across Thailand. Data on S/EP (outcome variable), and psychosocial, home, and community environment covariates were collected from individual adolescents using the Thailand Physical Activity Children Survey, Student Questionnaire. School environmental data were collected at the school level using a School Built Environment Audit. Hierarchical regressions taking into account school clustering effects were applied for data analysis.

RESULTS

At the individual level, age and body mass index were independently and strongly correlated with S/EP. Adolescents with high preference for physical activity (PA) (odd ratio (OR) = 1.71, p < 0.001) and at least a moderate level of self-efficacy (OR = 1.33, p = 0.001) were more likely to have high S/EP. At the interpersonal level, adolescents whose parents joined their sports/exercise at least 1-2 times/week (OR = 1.36, p = 0.003) received ≥3 types of parental support (OR = 1.43, p = 0.005) and who received siblings' (OR = 1.26, p = 0.004) and friends' (OR = 1.99, p < 0.001) support had a greater chance of high S/EP. At the environmental level, adolescents' S/EP was greater when there were at least 3-4 pieces of home sport/exercise equipment (OR = 2.77, p = 0.003), grass areas at school (OR = 1.56, p < 0.001), and at least 1-2 PA facilities in the community (OR = 1.30, p = 0.009).

CONCLUSION

Multiple factors at different levels within an ecological framework influencing Thai adolescents' S/EP were generally similar to those found in developed countries, despite some differences. For those interested in promoting and supporting Thai adolescents' engagement in sports/exercise, further exploration of the influence of self-efficacy and attitude toward PA is required at the individual level; parental and peer support at the interpersonal level; and home sport equipment, school grass areas, and neighborhood PA facilities at the environment level.

Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep in the Thai population: A compositional data analysis including 135,824 participants from two national time-use surveys

PURPOSE

To determine the amounts of time spent in physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB), and sleep in the Thai population, as well as their sociodemographic correlates and changes over time.

METHODS

We analysed cross-sectional data collected in a population-representative, stratified random sample of 135,824 Thais aged 10 years and over as part of the two most recent Thai National time-use surveys (2009 and 2015). Daily activities reported by the participants were coded using the International Classification of Activities for Time-Use Statistics (ICATUS) and categorised as PA, SB, or sleep.

RESULTS

In the latest survey, participants spent on average the largest amount of time sleeping (geometric mean [g] = 9.44 h/day; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.42, 9.47), followed by PA (g = 8.60 h/day; 95% CI: 8.55, 8.64) and SB (g = 5.96 h/day; 95% CI: 5.93, 6.00). The time spent in PA was higher on weekdays, while the amounts of SB and sleep were higher on weekends (p < 0.05). Males, older age groups, and unemployed people spent less time in PA and more time in SB, compared with other population groups (p < 0.05). We found a relatively large increase in SB (mean difference [d] = 39.64 min/day; 95% CI: 36.18, 42.98) and decrease in PA (d = 54.33 min/day; 95% CI: -58.88, -49.30) over time. These findings were consistent across most sociodemographic groups, with the most concerning shifts from active to sedentary lifestyle found among people with a higher education degree and on weekends.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings revealed a shift to a more sedentary lifestyle in the Thai population. Public health interventions should focus on improving time use among males, older age groups, and unemployed people, while preventing the rapid decrease in PA and increase in SB among those with a higher education degree and on weekends.

The physical activity at work (PAW) study: a cluster randomised trial of a multicomponent short-break intervention to reduce sitting time and increase physical activity among office workers in Thailand

Background

Sedentary behaviour increases the risks of non-communicable diseases. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effect of the Physical Activity at Work multicomponent intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour in Thai office workers.

Methods

Offices under the Ministry of Public Health Thailand, were randomly allocated to the intervention and control group in a 1:1 ratio, stratified by office size. The intervention included individual (pedometer and lottery-based financial incentives), social (group movement breaks), environmental (posters), and organisational (leader encouragement) components. At baseline and 6-month follow-up, participants wore ActiGraphTM on the waist for ten days. The primary outcome was the between-group difference in sedentary time at 6-month, analysed using a linear mixed-effects model. Other outcomes were physical activity, biomarkers, productivity, and musculoskeletal health. Trial registration: The PAW study was registered at the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (ID TCTR20200604007) on 02 June 2020.

Findings

282 office workers were recruited and randomly allocated to the control group (142 participants, nine offices) and the intervention group (140 participants, nine offices). The mean age was 38.6 years (SD = 10.4), and 81% were women. There was no evidence of intervention effects on sedentary time during waking hours (-26.8; 95% CI = -69.2 to 15.7 min), physical activity levels, or biomarkers between groups at 6-month. In the adjusted analysis, increases in time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (5.45; 95% CI = -0.15 to 11.1 min) and step count (718; 95% CI = -45 to 1481 steps) during waking hours were observed, although there was no evidence of a difference between groups.

Interpretation

The intervention did not significantly reduce sedentary time in Thai office workers. Suboptimal intervention uptake due to Covid-19 pandemic restrictions and loss of statistical power associated with recruitment constraints may explain this result. Further investigations are needed to evaluate the processes of the trial.

Funding

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation and the International Decision Support Initiative (iDSI).

Interventions based on environmental determinants for nutritional and physical activity behaviours in Colombia: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To identify, systematically, the interventions based on environmental determinants to improve the nutritional and physical activity (PA) habits available in Colombia.

DESIGN

A scoping review was performed according to the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute.

STUDY SELECTION

All studies about intervention programmes for PA and nutritional behaviours in Colombia were included.

METHODS

Searches in Medline/PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Scielo and Lilacs, using MeSH, Decs and Emtree terms, were performed up to August 2020. Additionally, a manual search was made in specialised national journals. An internet documentary search of the official websites on policies and programmes by departmental, district and municipal secretariats was also performed.Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts. Then, the full texts were reviewed to select documents to be included.Data management relevant information from selected documents and articles was extracted. A descriptive analysis was considered.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven documents and 70 published articles were found. The programmes were identified in 13 initiatives, 7 in the area of PA and 6 with a nutrition focus. They were on physical and social environmental modifications such as the 'muévete' ('get moving') programmes in Bogota, Quindio and Cartagena; a modification of 'ciclovía'; or bicycle path programmes as well as nutrition programmes in schools, universities and companies.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review identified national programmes and policies in Colombia in the area of nutrition and PA from the environmental perspective in different scenarios: from schools to workplaces and communities. The need to implement such programmes from public and private institutions is also noted, promoting the practice of PA and healthy eating in every scenario in the national territory. New research to determine the impact of these programmes is essential to get a glimpse of the effects of these programmes and the implications for public health.

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour of female adolescents in Indonesia: A multi-method study on duration, pattern and context

Background/Objective

Exploring comprehensive information on the duration, pattern and context of physical activity and sedentary behaviour is important to develop effective policies and interventions. Especially in lower- and middle-income countries, our understanding of these health-behaviours is limited. Our study aimed to investigate physical activity and sedentary behaviour of female Indonesian adolescents by using a multi-method approach.

Methods

Female adolescents (n = 5; 13-15 years old) from Yogyakarta, Indonesia wore accelerometers and automated wearable cameras for four days, and completed diaries, and interviews between February and March 2020.

Results

Participants' activity, especially on non-school days, was dominated by light-intensity physical activity. Four of the 5 participants did not meet the physical activity guidelines. Participants spent a great proportion of time on screen-based sedentary behaviour (school days: 83.2% of wear time; non-school days: 75.7% of wear time). During school days, most physical activity and sedentary behaviour was done at school. Screen time was mainly done on the school day evenings and weekend mornings. Participants mostly used smartphones in the bedroom and living room in a solitary environment. Interviews suggest that the high amount of screen time seemed to be influenced by a lack of awareness of current guidelines, the feeling of urgency to check information, and the lack of parental supervision. Non-screen-based sedentary behaviour comprised just over 10% of total camera images.

Conclusion

The use of a multi-method approach facilitated a rich understanding of the duration, patterns, and contexts of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in participants. Future studies might consider using similar methods in a larger sample.

Manorah training alleviates median neural tension and improves physical fitness in sedentary young adults: A randomized control trial

INTRODUCTION

Most young adults do not achieve the recommended physical activity, and physical inactivity thus is a worldwide public health problem contributing to premature death. Although Thai dance has been reported to increase physical activity, a small number of studies have reported on the impact of Manorah. Herein Manorah is a signature traditional dramatic art of Southern Thailand. The present study aimed to reveal the effects of Manorah training on health-related variables.

METHODS

Thirty-four young females were divided into two groups, where one group underwent Manorah training and the other represented the control. Manorah training was performed for 45 min/day, 3 days/week for 4 weeks. Median neural tension, balance, flexibility, and muscle endurance were determined.

RESULTS

Manorah significantly decreased nerve tension (p < 0.001). Physical fitness was also markedly improved after the training.

CONCLUSIONS

This Manorah program may be recommended as an exercise and an intervention for symptoms related to positive tension.

The effectiveness of two levels of active office interventions to reduce sedentary behavior in office workers: a mixed-method approach

Sedentary behavior (SB) rates are rising globally, especially during working hours. This research focused on the effectiveness of two levels of active office interventions to reduce SB in office workers. Participants were 78 nonacademic university employees divided into a control (CON) group and an intervention (INT) group. At the organizational level, it was found that the organizational health culture, the physical and social environment, and the organizational health behavior were dramatically changed. At the individual level, compared with the CON group, the INT group was significantly higher in the METs rate; light-intensity physical activity (LPA); and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity, and was lower in SB (CON, 397.30 ± 39.33 minutes vs. INT, 389.09 ± 37.59 minutes), all p < .05. The intervention was effective in changing health behavior related to SB of office workers in both organization and individual levels.

Mindfulness-based interventions for psychological wellbeing and quality of life in men with prostate cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are increasingly being encouraged for managing treatment-related symptoms but much less is known about the extent to which mindfulness is effective in relieving the psychosocial distress experienced by men with prostate cancer. A systematic review was conducted to synthesise the literature on MBIs for psychological wellbeing and quality of life improvement in men with prostate cancer.

METHODS

Embase, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PsycArticles and Web of Science were searched up to 7th November 2020. Included studies were assessed for quality using appropriate appraisal tools. Homogeneous study results were pooled in a meta-analysis while narrative synthesis was used to summarise the findings from heterogeneous results. Effect size was expressed as Cohen's d (95% confidence intervals) and statistical significance (p-value) was set at 0.05.

RESULTS

Four studies comprising three randomised trials and one non-randomised study met the inclusion criteria. MBIs for men with prostate cancer showed small to moderate effect for improving psychological outcomes. The pooled result of quality of life and post-traumatic growth in study participants showed moderate (d = -0.29 [-1.29, 0.71], p = 0.57) and large (d = 0.77 [-0.33,1.88], p = 0.000) effects, respectively.

CONCLUSION

MBI is potentially promising for psychological outcomes, quality of life and post-traumatic growth symptoms improvement in men with prostate cancer but recommendations cannot be made based on current evidence due to limited research and inadequate methodological rigour of published literature. Robust research is needed to draw a reliable conclusion about its sustained effect in men with advanced disease.

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Research in Indonesian Youth: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to map physical activity and sedentary behaviour research trends, designs, and topics for Indonesian youth.

METHODS

This review conforms to the "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR)." A systematic search on eight platforms was performed in August 2018 and was updated in April 2020.

RESULTS

From 10,753 documents screened, 166 met the selection criteria. Over half of the studies were cross-sectional, and the majority utilized self-reported measurements (physical activity: 81.1%, sedentary behavior: 88.5%). More than two-thirds of the studies examined physical activity only (67.5%). The top three subtopics reported were prevalence/measurement, correlates, and outcomes of physical activity (28%, 24.6%, and 17%, respectively). The prevalence of "sufficient" physical activity ranges between 12.2% and 52.3%, while the prevalence of sedentary behavior ≥3 h per day ranges between 24.5% and 33.8%.

CONCLUSIONS

Future studies need to focus more on intervention and validation, and research needs to be conducted more with nationally representative samples and on youth at the junior high school level. Future studies need to investigate more on psychological, cognitive, affective, social, cultural, and environmental correlates, and in-depth personal views of physical activity and sedentary behavior. More studies using device-based measurements, longitudinal designs, as well as qualitative and mixed-methods approaches are warranted.

Planning for active office intervention in Thailand: survey and in-depth interview of university employees

Purpose

This study aimed to explore knowledge, attitude, behavior and causes of sedentary behavior (SB) among office workers and guidelines for active office intervention.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was comprised of a survey and an interview. In total, 39 nonacademic office workers responded to the Past-day Adults Sedentary Time-University (PAST-U) and workplace sitting break (SITBRQ) questionnaire to measure SB level, sitting bout, frequency and duration of sitting interrupted in 1 h and in whole working hours. Eleven executives and staffs participated in in-depth interviews to understand knowledge, attitude, behavior and cause of SB and guidelines for active office intervention.

Findings

Participants commonly spend most of their working time in SB (383.85 ± 93.03 min or 6 h 23 min). The interview indicated that at an individual level, participants lack knowledge and understanding of SB. The most common causes of SB are huge workload, personal characteristics and the weather. At the organizational level, there is no policy, no support from colleagues or organizations, while the physical environment is not conducive to reducing SB.

Originality/value

The outcomes of the study are used as basic information and guidelines for establishing an active office intervention in accordance with the culture and context of Thai society. There have been studies in Thailand that examine SB but no studies that have been conducted to study basic information on knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and causes of SB to be used in planning active office intervention to reduce SB.

The physical activity at work (PAW) study protocol: a cluster randomised trial of a multicomponent short-break intervention to reduce sitting time and increase physical activity among office workers in Thailand

BACKGROUND

High levels of sedentary behaviour (SB) are associated with non-communicable diseases. In 2016, the estimated total healthcare expenditure from physical activity (PA) in Thailand added up to $190 million in international dollars. The challenge to reduce SB and increase PA among office workers is more urgent now than ever as Thailand is transforming itself from a predominantly rural country to an increasingly urban one. This study will investigate the effectiveness of a multicomponent short break intervention on the reduction of SB during office hours.

METHODS/DESIGN

This two-armed Physical Activity at Work (PAW) cluster randomised controlled trial will recruit 360 office workers from 18 offices in the Thailand's Ministry of Public Health (MOPH). Offices will be randomised to either the intervention group or the control group. The multicomponent intervention is informed by the Social Ecological Model and Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) and contains four components: (i) organisational, including heads of the participating divisions leading exercises, sending encouragement text messages and acknowledging efforts; (ii) social, including team movement breaks and team-based incentives; (iii) environmental, including posters to encourage exercise; and (iv) individual components including real-time PA feedback via an individual device. The main intervention component will be a short break intervention. The primary outcome of this study is the sedentary time of office workers. Secondary outcomes include time spent on PA, cardiometabolic outcomes, work productivity, musculoskeletal pain, and quality of life. The study also includes process and economic evaluations from the individual and societal perspective.

DISCUSSION

The study will be the first experimental study in Thailand to investigate the effect of a short-break intervention at the workplace on SBs of office workers and health outcomes. The study will also include a cost-effectiveness analysis to inform investments on short break interventions under the Universal Healthcare Coverage in Thailand, which includes health promotion and disease prevention component.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The PAW study has been registered at the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR) under the study ID TCTR20200604007 . Registered 02 June 2020,.

Trends and correlates of meeting 24-hour movement guidelines: a 15-year study among 167,577 Thai adults

Background

Time spent in physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB), and sleep always takes up the whole day. New public health guidelines combining recommendations for PA, SB, and sleep have been issued in several countries. Thailand was the first country to release the 24-h guidelines for adults. Currently, there is no evidence on the population prevalence of meeting 24-h movement guidelines in Thailand. This study, therefore, aimed to determine 15-year trends and associations of meeting 24-h movement guidelines among Thai adults.

Method

We analysed cross-sectional data from 2001, 2004, 2009, and 2015 Thai Time-Use Surveys, coded using the International Classification of Activities for Time-Use Statistics (ICATUS). All ICATUS-based activities were categorised into moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), light PA (LPA), SB, and sleep based on a previously developed classification system. A total of 167,577 adult participants were included. The participants were classified according to the Thai 24-h movement guidelines into meeting or not meeting the following criteria: 1) ≥150 min/week of MVPA; 2) interrupting SB every 2 h; 3) sleeping 7–9 h per day; and 4) adhering to all three guidelines.

Results

In 2015, the prevalence of adults who met the MVPA, SB, sleep, and overall recommendations was 81.7, 44.6, 56.4, and 21.3%, respectively. A significant linear increase was found for the prevalence of meeting the SB recommendation, while the prevalence meeting the MVPA, sleep, and overall recommendations was lowest in 2001, peaked in 2004 or 2009, and declined in 2015. The lowest odds for meeting the 24-h guidelines were found among males, those living in urban areas, inhabitants of Bangkok and South Thailand, unemployed, and those with low education level.

Conclusions

Despite promising trends in the prevalence of meeting PA, SB, and sleep recommendations, a majority of Thai adults still do not meet the overall 24-h movement guidelines. Further actions are needed to promote more MVPA, less SB, and adequate sleep in Thai adults, particularly among males, those living in urban areas, inhabitants of Bangkok and South Thailand, unemployed, and those with low education level.

Sedentary Behavior Research in the Chinese Population: A Systematic Scoping Review

Background: The negative effects of sedentary behavior (SB) on public health have been extensively documented. A large number of studies have demonstrated that high prevalence of SB is a critical factor of all-cause mortality. Globally, the frequency of SB research has continued to rise, but little is known about SB in the Chinese population. Therefore, this review was conducted to scope the research situation and to fill the gaps related to the effects of SB in the Chinese population. Methods: Using a scoping review based on York methodology, a comprehensive search of published journal articles and grey literature was carried out through 12 databases. The literature research was conducted by two authors in July 2019, and included journal articles that targeted on the Chinese population were published between 1999 and 2019. The two authors screened the records independently and included those research topics related to SB in the Chinese population. Results: The number of included studies increased from 1 to 29 per year during the analyzed period, during which, a remarkable climb happened from 8 in 2013 to 19 in July 2019. Out of the 1303 screened studies, a total of 162 studies (81 English and 81 Chinese journal articles) met the inclusion criteria in this review. Most of the included studies (66.0%) reported the overall estimated prevalence of SB, in which, 43.2% of studies reported the average time of SB, and 40.0% of studies reported the cutoff point of SB. Besides this, 54.9% and 23.5% of studies focused on the outcomes and correlates/determinants of SB, and the proportions of studies based on testing the validation of measurement tools and on interventions were 3.7% and 4.9%, respectively. Nearly all of the reviewed articles used data from cross-sectional studies (75.9%) and longitudinal studies (13.6%), while intervention trials are less developed. The majority of the studies (64.8%) used self-reported surveys, and only 3.7% studies used device-based measurement tools. Furthermore, 35.8% of the included studies were focused on children and adolescents, while only a few studies investigated infants/toddlers and older adults. Both female and male were examined in most studies, and non-clinical populations were investigated in the context of SB in a relatively large number of studies. Conclusions: The number of research articles on SB in the Chinese population published per year has increased year by year, indicating a growing interest in this research area. More studies using population subgroup samples are needed, particularly among infants/toddlers, older adults, and clinical populations. To provide stronger evidence of the determinants and outcomes of SB, longitudinal studies using device-based measures of SB are required.

Correlates of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the Thai population: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Given the importance of knowing the potential impediments and enablers for physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) in a specific population, the aim of this study was to systematically review and summarise evidence on individual, social, environmental, and policy correlates of PA and SB in the Thai population.

METHODS

A systematic review of articles written in Thai and English was conducted. Studies that reported at least one correlate for PA and/or SB in a healthy Thai population were selected independently by two authors. Data on 21 variables were extracted. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

RESULTS

A total of 25,007 records were screened and 167 studies were included. The studies reported associations with PA for a total of 261 variables, mostly for adults and older adults. For most of the variables, evidence was available from a limited number of studies. Consistent evidence was found for individual-level and social correlates of PA in children/adolescents and adults and for individual-level correlates of PA in older adults. Self-efficacy and perceived barriers were consistently associated with PA in all age groups. Other consistently identified individual-level correlates in adults and older adults included self-rated general health, mental health, perceived benefits, and attitudes towards PA. Consistent evidence was also found for social correlates of PA in adults, including social support, interpersonal influences, parent/family influences, and information support. The influence of friendship/companionship was identified as a correlate of PA only in children/adolescents. A limited number of studies examined SB correlates, especially in older adults. The studies reported associations with SB for a total of 41 variables. Consistent evidence of association with SB was only found for obesity in adults. Some evidence suggests that male adults engage more in SB than females.

CONCLUSIONS

More Thai studies are needed on (i) PA correlates, particularly among children/adolescents, and that focus on environment- and policy-related factors and (ii) SB correlates, particularly among older adults. Researchers are also encouraged to conduct longitudinal studies to provide evidence on prospective and causal relationships, and subject to feasibility, use device-based measures of PA and SB.