Abstract
Introduction: With changing lifestyle patterns, sedentary behaviour has increased significantly, often coexisting with low levels of physical activity. While both factors are known to influence health, their combined association with functional exercise capacity has not been explored extensively, particularly in Indian populations. Understanding this relationship is important because it helps to identify lifestyle factors that can be modified to improve daily functional performance.
Aim: To examine the correlation of sedentary behaviour and physical activity with functional exercise capacity in the healthy adult population of India, with particular focus on the Gujarat region.
Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional, multicentre observational study at various hospitals, physiotherapy colleges, Physiotherapy Outpatient Departments (OPDs), and residential societies across the Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Navsari, and Dahod regions of Gujarat, India from March 2025 to March 2026. The study included 713 apparently healthy adults (407 males and 306 females) aged 18-60 years. Sedentary behaviour and physical activity levels were assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), while functional exercise capacity was evaluated using the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT). Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships among physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and 6MWT distance. Additionally, a One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), followed by a post-hoc Tukey’s test, was used to compare the mean 6MWT distance across physical activity categories. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant for all analyses.
Results: The mean 6MWT distance of the study population was 370.88±68.47 m. Male participants achieved greater walking distances than females, and performance declined with increasing age despite gender differences. 6MWT distance increased progressively across physical activity groups (p<0.001), with significant differences observed between all groups on post-hoc analysis. Correlation analysis demonstrated that prolonged sitting time was associated with lower 6MWT performance (r=-0.517, p<0.001), whereas total physical activity was associated with better 6MWT performance (r=0.398, p<0.001). No significant correlation was observed between sitting time and total physical activity (r=-0.051, p=0.173).
Conclusion: Sedentary behaviour and physical activity both significantly influence functional exercise capacity. Increased sitting time is associated with reduced performance, while higher physical activity levels are linked to improved functional capacity. These findings highlight the importance of promoting an active lifestyle while simultaneously reducing sedentary time to maintain functional health in adults.