Prevalence, Risk Factors and Consequence of Sedentary Lifestyles in Early Life. Literature Review

Abstract: Introduction: There is currently alarming global concern about sedentary lifestyles and physical inactivity, particularly at an early age. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that around 60% of the world's population does not get enough daily physical activity, and it is estimated that 55% of children and 70% of adolescents who suffer from pathologies derived from physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles will also suffer from them in adulthood. Objectives: To find out the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles and non-communicable diseases at an early age and to identify risk factors due to sedentary lifestyles at an early age. Aim: To understand the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles and non-communicable diseases at an early age and to identify risk factors for sedentary lifestyles at an early age. Methods: The PRISMA methodology was used and the databases Mendeley, Pubmed, Scielo, Dialnet and Google Scholar were searched. Results & discussion: 25 articles met the previously established inclusion criteria. Several studies found a relationship between sedentary lifestyles and various diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases and psychological disorders that influence health in children and adolescents. They highlight findings on the association between time spent in sedentary activities, such as watching television or playing video games, and the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and other health problems.. Conclusions: A person is considered sedentary if he/she performs a prolonged action for more than 2 hours involving ≤1.5 METs. Future research should investigate which variable increases sedentary behaviour the most.