Prevalence of Physical Inactivity and Sedentary Behaviors and Associations with Obesity among Saudi Adults

Abstract

Abstract Background: Worldwide, physical inactivity is ranked as the fourth leading risk factor for mortality. This study aimed to provide an update on the prevalence of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior among adults in Saudi Arabia and to examine associations with obesity.Methods: This study was conducted as secondary analysis of a national survey that was conducted in Saudi Arabia in 2018. In this study, a proportional quota-sampling technique was used to obtain equal distributions of participants, stratified by age and gender, across the 13 regions of Saudi Arabia. Participants (n = 3,699) were recruited mainly via random phone interviews. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations (150 minutes of moderate activity/week or 75 minutes of intensive activity/week) were used to classify physical activity. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis.Results: The prevalence of physical inactivity (not meeting the WHO recommendations) ranged between 66.8% and 81.2%. Females and males did not differ in their frequency of physical activity. Participants spent an average of 275 minutes/day watching TV or using phone apps and 267 minutes/day doing office work. Physical inactivity was associated with increased likelihood of obesity (BMI ≥ 30), as compared to those who met the WHO intensive physical activity criteria (odds ratio [OR]: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.23–2.13) and to those who met WHO mixed intensive/moderate physical activity criteria (OR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.24–1.81), adjusted for age and gender. However, sitting long hours for work or leisure was not significantly associated with obesity.Conclusions: Future research is needed to identify public health interventions that would be most feasible and suitable for physical inactivity and sedentary behavior reduction at the national level for national implementation; and health policies are needed to facilitate sustainability.