How Many Chinese Adults Meet the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 35,495 Participants

Background : Increasing the prevalence of meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines in the population is a public health priority. However, population-level prevalence is the first step for health policy decision making. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines among Chinese adults. Methods : Six electronic databases were systematically searched for relevant studies published between January 1, 2020 and November 25, 2024. Observational studies including prevalence rate of meeting or not meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines among Chinese adults aged 18 years or older were included. A meta-analysis was conducted to calculate the pooled prevalence. Results : A total of 12 studies comprising 35,495 participants were included. The meta-analysis showed that only 16.35% (95% CI, 8.46%–26.19%) of Chinese adults met all 3 24-hour movement guidelines, 37.27% (95% CI, 23.52%–52.17%) met any 2 of the guidelines, 35.37% (95% CI, 26.76%–44.49%) met only 1, and 8.58% (95% CI, 4.24%–14.23%) met none. A significant age-related difference was found in the prevalence of meeting only 1 guideline (18–64 y: 31.24%; 95% CI, 25.81%–36.93% vs ≥65 y: 49.79%; 95% CI, 48.74%–50.84%; P < .001), whereas no significant age or sex differences were found in meeting the guidelines. Conclusions : The prevalence of meeting the entire 24-hour movement guidelines among Chinese adults is low (~16%), highlighting the need for tailored interventions against unhealthy movement behaviors. Future research is needed to better understand patterns of movement behaviors in this population.