Accelerometer-derived physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns among Korean adults

This study aimed to provide an overview of accelerometer-derived physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) patterns among Korean adults. We also investigated the association between participant characteristics and the likelihood of adherence to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), SB, and the MVPA-SB guidelines.

Data from the 2014-2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. The study involved a nationally representative sample of 2,260 Korean adults aged ≥20 years. Accelerometers were used to measure PA and SB for seven days. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the association between the participant characteristics and the likelihood of adhering to the MVPA, SB, and MVPA-SB guidelines.

SB (60.61%), light intensity (26.22%), and lifestyle activities (9.4%) accounted for the majority of the participants' days. MVPA and vigorous physical activity (VPA) accounted for 3.72% and 0.06% of the days, respectively. The MVPA guidelines were more likely to be adhered to by men, older adults, participants with higher education, non-smokers, and individuals without multimorbidity. Participants with higher education and household income were less likely to adhere to the SB guidelines. Women (OR=0.51), participants with high education levels (OR=0.54), current smokers (OR=0.47), and patients with multimorbidity (OR=0.46) were less likely to adhere to the MVPA-SB guidelines.

This study found that participants were predominantly sedentary, with only a small proportion engaging in VPA. There were differences related to demographic factors and health status. Most Korean adults do not adhere to the recommended MVPA-SB guidelines, and that is a serious public health concern. These findings highlight the need to promote PA and reduce SB through public health policies and interventions, particularly for adults facing PA barriers.