David Thivel · Frontiers in Public Health 2018 · narrative review · n=?

Physical Activity, Inactivity, and Sedentary Behaviors: Definitions and Implications in Occupational Health

Cited 480 times in the scientific literature.

Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data

Narrative review and conceptual commentary without primary empirical data or systematic review methodology.

OpenAlex W2894564094 · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2018.00288 · record verified 2026-08-29

What was done

This narrative review summarizes definitions distinguishing sedentary behavior from physical activity and physical inactivity, with a focus on adult occupational health settings and workplace interventions.

What was found

The abstract reports no numerical data, effect estimates, or statistical comparisons. It outlines conceptual boundaries between physical activity, inactivity, and sedentary behavior and highlights that working adults spend a large proportion of waking hours in sedentary tasks.

Why it matters

Standardizing terminology prevents the conflation of physical inactivity with sedentary behavior, establishing clearer targets for workplace health policies and interventions.

Limits

The abstract describes a non-systematic narrative review with no original empirical data, sample size, or quantitative outcome measures. It does not evaluate the comparative efficacy of specific workplace modifications.

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