The Effectiveness of Interventions to Improve Movement Behaviors Over the 24-Hour Day Among Immigrants: A Systematic Review.

Abstract

Background: Achieving a healthy balance of 24-hour movement behaviors-physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and sleep-represents a public health imperative to promote health among immigrants. Effective interventions that target movement behaviors over the 24-hour day must be evidence based.

Objective: To systematically review and assess the strategy (ie, content and delivery) and effectiveness of interventions targeting movement behaviors among adult immigrants in immigrant-adopting countries.

Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and Cochrane processes guided this review. Six databases were searched for studies published up until February 2025 about interventions to engage immigrant adults in at least one movement behavior. Two independent reviewers used Covidence software to screen and extract data according to inclusion criteria. Evidence was graded using the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute's critical appraisal tools for quality assessment.

Results: The search yielded a total of 27 relevant studies. Of these, 4 studies reported on interventions targeting PA and sedentary behavior, and the remaining studies targeted PA only. No studies targeted sleep. Most interventions were educational. All interventions were culturally tailored, and some interventions effectively improved at least one of the targeted movement behaviors.

Conclusion: There is evidence to suggest that interventions targeting PA and sedentary behavior among immigrants are effective, but there is no published evidence about interventions to promote sleep in this group. Further research is needed to inform interventions to promote movement behaviors over the 24-hour day among immigrants.