A systematic review exploring challenges, achievements, and future directions of the impacts of children’s 24-hour movement behaviors and health in Nigeria

The 24-hour movement behavior (24h MB) framework integrates physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep as interdependent determinants of child and adolescent health. Evidence from low- and middle-income countries suggests suboptimal adherence to these behaviors, with implications for growth, cognitive development, and cardiometabolic risk. However, synthesized evidence from Nigeria remains limited. This systematic review systematically mapped evidence on prevalence patterns, health outcomes, contextual determinants, and intervention opportunities related to 24h MB among Nigerian children and adolescents. The systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines and included studies retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Frontiers, BMC, and African Journals Online between 2010 and 2025. A total of eight empirical studies met the inclusion criteria. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Findings indicate consistently suboptimal movement behavior patterns. PA adherence ranged from 37% to 87.5%, while sedentary behavior compliance ranged from 87% to 100%, and sleep deficits affected up to one-third of adolescents. Urban children consistently demonstrated lower PA levels and higher sedentary time compared with rural counterparts. Health outcomes included impaired gross motor development, elevated cardiometabolic risk indicators, and reduced sleep quality among adolescents. Key determinants included inadequate PA infrastructure, increasing screen-based entertainment, academic pressures, gender norms, insecurity, and socioeconomic disparities. Facilitators included rural active-play environments, school-based physical education initiatives, and emerging policy engagement through national surveillance frameworks. Despite these insights, the evidence base is limited by small sample size, cross-sectional design, and geographic clustering in south-western Nigeria. The review concludes that Nigerian children’s 24h MB patterns are socially patterned and suboptimal, requiring integrated, equity-focused interventions across education, health, and urban systems to support Sustainable Development Goal 3 and broader child well-being targets.