The findings matter at a time when students worldwide are spending more hours seated, both in classrooms and in front of digital screens. Habits formed during school years often persist into adulthood, meaning today’s sedentary behavior can translate into tomorrow’s burden of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Why Sedentary Behavior Has Become a Public Health Concern
Over the past decade, daily routines for students have changed dramatically. Academic demands, digital learning, online entertainment, and smartphone use have sharply increased sitting time. Physical activity, meanwhile, has declined. This shift accelerated during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, when lockdowns and remote schooling normalized long hours of inactivity.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic disorders were once considered adult problems. Today, risk factors for these diseases are appearing much earlier. International health data now show rising rates of childhood obesity, poor cardiometabolic health, and low physical fitness, all closely linked to sedentary lifestyles.
Schools sit at the center of this issue. They shape daily routines, influence behavior, and can either reinforce inactivity or promote movement. Understanding how sedentary behavior, physical fitness, and disease risk interact in students is therefore critical for education and health policy.
How the Researchers Examined the Evidence
Rather than collecting new field data, the research team conducted a systematic literature review, a method that synthesizes findings from multiple high-quality studies. Following PRISMA guidelines, the authors analyzed recent observational and experimental research published between 2020 and 2025.
The review drew on major scientific databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. From hundreds of initial articles, 10 key studies were selected after rigorous screening. These studies focused on children, adolescents, and students, examining:
·Daily sedentary time and screen use
·Levels of physical fitness, including endurance and muscle strength
·Early risk indicators for non-communicable diseases, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular markers
The results were analyzed using a narrative synthesis approach to identify consistent patterns and gaps across different countries and age groups.
Key Findings at a Glance
Across national and international studies, a clear pattern emerged: sedentary behavior is closely linked to declining physical fitness and rising health risks among students.
The review highlights several consistent findings:
- High sedentary time reduces physical fitness. Longer sitting and screen exposure are associated with lower cardiorespiratory endurance and weaker muscle strength in children and adolescents.
- Sedentary lifestyles increase early NCD risk. Studies report higher rates of obesity, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome among students with prolonged inactivity.
- Physical fitness acts as a protective factor. Students with higher fitness levels show lower disease risk, even when exposed to some sedentary behavior.
- Screen time is a major driver. Excessive use of digital devices is strongly linked to metabolic and cardiovascular risk indicators.
- School environments matter. Institutions that encourage physical activity help buffer the negative effects of sedentary habits.
Although some studies reported variations due to differences in age, measurement methods, or social context, the overall direction of the evidence was consistent.
What This Means for Schools, Families, and Policymakers
The findings underline that sedentary behavior should be treated as an early warning sign, not a harmless byproduct of modern education. Preventive action during school years offers the greatest long-term payoff.
For schools, the research supports integrating structured physical activity into daily routines. Active breaks, quality physical education, and supportive facilities can significantly reduce sitting time.
For families, limiting recreational screen time and encouraging movement outside school hours can strengthen children’s physical fitness and resilience.
For policymakers, the study provides evidence to support school-based health policies that prioritize active lifestyles as part of disease prevention strategies. Investing in youth fitness today can reduce healthcare costs tomorrow.
As digital technology becomes more embedded in learning, the challenge is not eliminating screens, but balancing them with regular physical movement
Expert Insight from the Authors
Reflecting on the findings, the authors emphasize the preventive power of fitness. “Physical fitness plays a protective role against the negative health effects of sedentary behavior in students,” explain Moch. Yunus and colleagues from Universitas Negeri Malang, noting that students with adequate activity levels face lower long-term risks even when exposed to unavoidable sitting time.
This insight reinforces the idea that physical activity is not optional but essential for healthy development.
Author Profile
Moch. Yunus
Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Negeri Malang Field of expertise: Preventive medicine, physical fitness, student health
Tisnalia Merdya Andyastanti
Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Negeri Malang Field of expertise: Public health, adolescent health Erianto Fanani
Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Negeri Malang Field of expertise: Health promotion and disease prevention
Source
Journal Article Title: From Sedentary Behavior to Early Non-Communicable Disease Risk: The Protective Role of Physical Fitness among Students
Journal: Formosa Journal of Science and Technology
Publication Year: 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/fjst.v5i1.379
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