Prevalence of physical inactivity and associated factors among adults in Eastern African countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

Abstract

IntroductionPhysical inactivity is a major global public health concern, increasing the risk factor of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mortality. The WHO has initiated the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity to reduce global physical inactivity by 15% by 2030. Rapid urbanisation and insufficient physical activity in the Global South have significant implications for public health, leading to increased NCDs. Understanding physical inactivity and related risk factors among adults is essential in addressing the growing NCD epidemic. This study aims to estimate the pooled prevalence of physical inactivity and its associated risk factors among adults in Eastern African countries.Methods and analysisThis review protocol will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2020) Guideline. A comprehensive search will be conducted using the CoCoPop (condition, context, population) frameworks to include all observational studies published from 1 January 2010 to 31 October 2024. Databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Embase, CINAHAL, Web of Science, Science Direct and Google Scholar will be searched. Studies with citations without an abstract or full text and qualitative studies will be excluded. The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool will be used to assess the quality of each study. The heterogeneity of studies will be quantified using the I2statistic, and a fixed-effects or random-effects model will be used for the pooled analysis. Publication bias will be assessed using visual (funnel plot) and statistical methods. The study countries will be the basis for subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis will be used to see how one study’s results may affect the estimate as a whole.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required for this systematic review. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Furthermore, this systematic review and meta-analysis will be used to generate comprehensive and robust evidence for public health interventions.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42024567592