Assessment of Physical Activity Levels and Sedentary Behaviour Among Civil Servants in Abuja

Background: Physical inactivity is a key contributor to the growing non-communicable disease burden in Nigeria, and office-based workers represent a high-risk group due to sedentary occupational demands. This study assesses physical activity levels and sedentary behaviour among civil servants in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, located in the North Central geopolitical zone. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 310 civil servants using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and a self-designed sedentary behaviour tool. Participants were recruited through stratified random sampling from selected ministries. Descriptive and inferential statistics were computed in SPSS version 26. Results: The majority of respondents were classified as physically inactive based on WHO guidelines. Screen time and commuting by vehicle were the dominant sedentary behaviours. Awareness of the health benefits of physical activity was relatively high, but enabling factors such as gym access and time availability were limited. Conclusion: Civil servants in Abuja face significant physical inactivity challenges driven by occupational and environmental factors. Family medicine practitioners should promote physical activity through structured counselling and advocate for workplace wellness policies across government ministries. Keywords: physical activity, sedentary behaviour, civil servants, Abuja, non-communicable diseases