Machine learning applications in the analysis of sedentary behavior and associated health risks

Abstract

Background: The rapid advancement of technology has brought numerous benefits to public health but has also contributed to a rise in sedentary lifestyles, linked to various health issues. As prolonged inactivity becomes a growing public health concern, researchers are increasingly utilizing machine learning (ML) techniques to examine and understand these patterns. ML offers powerful tools for analyzing large datasets and identifying trends in physical activity and inactivity, generating insights that can support effective interventions. Objectives: This review aims to: (i) examine the role of ML in analyzing sedentary patterns, (ii) explore how different ML techniques can be optimized to improve the accuracy of predicting sedentary behavior, and (iii) assess strategies to enhance the effectiveness of ML algorithms. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus, targeting peer-reviewed articles published between 2004 and 2024. The search included the subject terms "sedentary behavior," "sedentary lifestyle health," and "machine learning sedentary lifestyle," combined with the keywords "physical inactivity" and "diseases" using Boolean operators (AND, OR). Articles were included if they addressed the health impacts of sedentary behavior or employed ML techniques for its analysis. Exclusion criteria involved studies older than 20 years or lacking direct relevance. After screening 33 core articles and identifying 13 more through citation tracking, 46 articles were included in the final review. Results: This narrative review describes the characteristics of sedentary behavior, associated health risks, and the applications of ML in this context. Based on the reviewed literature, sedentary behavior was consistently associated with cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and mental health conditions. The review highlights the utility of various ML approaches in classifying activity levels and significantly improving the prediction of sedentary behavior, offering a promising approach to address this widespread health issue. Conclusion: ML algorithms, including supervised and unsupervised models, show great potential in accurately detecting and predicting sedentary behavior. When integrated with wearable sensor data and validated in real-world settings, these models can enhance the scalability and precision of AI-driven interventions. Such advancements support personalized health strategies and could help lower healthcare costs linked to physical inactivity, ultimately improving public health outcomes.