Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Apr 8:7:1518884.
doi: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1518884. eCollection 2025.

Active futures: combating youth sedentary lifestyles in Pakistan through smart use of fragmented time

Sumaira Aslam  1 , Shi Yong Bin  1
Affiliations

Active futures: combating youth sedentary lifestyles in Pakistan through smart use of fragmented time

Sumaira Aslam et al. Front Sports Act Living. .

Abstract

Sedentary behavior among adolescents is a growing concern globally, including in Pakistan, due to its association with negative physical and psychological health outcomes. Fragmented time agility training has arisen as a prospective solution to tackle these challenges. The proposed work evaluates the impact of a structured six-week agility training protocol on sedentary behavior, mood, and stress among adolescents aged 12-18 in Pakistan. A total of 100 participants (50 intervention, 50 control) were recruited from three schools in Islamabad, with equal representation of males and females. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group that completed daily 30-min agility training sessions (including high-knee running, lateral shuffles, and cone drills, five days a week) or a control group that maintained their usual routines. Sedentary behavior (sitting and screen time), mood [Profile of Mood States (POMS)], and stress levels [Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)] were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Differences between groups were analyzed using independent t-tests. At post-intervention, significant between-group differences were observed. The intervention group showed reductions in sitting time (6-4 h/day, p < 0.001) and screen time (4-2.5 h/day, p < 0.001) equated to the control group. Mood improvements were noted with decreased tension and fatigue and increased vigor (p < 0.01 for all). Stress levels in the intervention group decreased significantly from 31 to 24 (p < 0.001), though no notable alterations were detected in the control group. Concise, systematically organized agility-oriented training significantly diminishes sedentary behavior while concurrently improving psychological well-being in adolescent populations. This adaptable and economically feasible intervention provides critical insights for public health initiatives focused on mitigating sedentary lifestyles and addressing mental health issues among young individuals, especially in contexts with limited resources.

Keywords: Pakistan; fragmented time; health promotion; intervention; physical activity; sedentary behavior; youth.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Perceived stress score pre-test & post-test interventions.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Physical activity improvement pre-test & post-test interventions.
Figure 3
Figure 3
POMS pre-test vs. post-test.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Optimal duration and intensity for fragmented training.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Tremblay MS, LeBlanc AG, Kho ME, Saunders TJ, Larouche R, Colley RC, et al. Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for children and youth: an integration of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. (2016) 41(6):S311–27. 10.1139/apnm-2016-0151 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ramírez Varela A, Hallal PC, Mejía Grueso J, Pedišic Ž, Salvo D, Nguyen A, et al. Status and trends of physical activity surveillance, policy, and research in 164 countries: findings from the global observatory for physical activity—GoPA! 2015 and 2020 surveys. J Phys Act Health. (2023) 20(2):112–28. 10.1123/jpah.2022-0464 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Hamilton MT, Healy GN, Dunstan DW, Zderic TW, Owen N. Too little exercise and too much sitting: inactivity physiology and the need for new recommendations on sedentary behavior. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep. (2008) 2(4):292–8. 10.1007/s12170-008-0054-8 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Chaput JP, Willumsen J, Bull F, Chou R, Ekelund U, Firth J, et al. 2020 WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour for children and adolescents aged 5–17 years: summary of the evidence. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. (2020) 17(1):141. 10.1186/s12966-020-01037-z - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Naseer R. Physical inactivity and health. Pak BioMed J. (2022) 5(10):02–02. 10.54393/pbmj.v5i10.816 - DOI

LinkOut - more resources