Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Interventions in Thailand: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Health Promotion

Background:

• Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are significant contributors to noncommunicable diseases in Thailand.
• This systematic review focuses on interventions implemented within Thailand to address these health challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically identify and evaluate interventions aimed at promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in Thailand.
• To synthesize findings on the effectiveness and characteristics of these interventions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review following PRISMA guidelines, searching 5 international databases, Google Scholar, and Thai sources (2014-2024).
• Inclusion of articles reporting individual-level physical activity or sedentary behavior outcomes from interventions conducted in Thailand.
• Data extraction and risk of bias assessment (ROBINS-I) by four independent reviewers; narrative synthesis of results.

Main Results:

• 22 articles (7 RCTs, 15 non-RCTs) met inclusion criteria, with interventions ranging from 6 to 104 weeks, primarily targeting adults.
• Educational (17), technology-assisted (12), exercise (9), and environmental (6) components were common; multicomponent interventions (17) showed favorable outcomes for both physical activity and sedentary behavior.
• Most interventions demonstrated improvements in physical activity or reductions in sedentary behavior, though the majority had moderate to serious risk of bias.

Conclusions:

• Interventions in Thailand generally succeeded in increasing physical activity, with sedentary behavior being less frequently assessed.
• Educational, technological, exercise, and environmental strategies enhanced awareness, self-monitoring, and opportunities for physical activity.
• Most interventions were characterized by short durations and small scales, indicating a need for larger, longer-term studies.