Jan Seghers

At a glance

• Professor at the Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, in the Physical Activity, Sports and Health research group.
• Studies why people move more or less, and how to change movement behaviour for good — at school, at work and later in life.
• Follows people through the transition to retirement: their activity, sitting time and sleep (‘24-hour movement behaviour’) change a lot then, and not in the same way for everyone.
• Found differences by socio-economic position, and examined the barriers and facilitators retirees experience in staying active.
• Recent work (2026) shows that social group membership and satisfaction with relationships help predict how that behaviour evolves.
• Relevant because retirement is a turning point: building an active routine then lays the groundwork for the years that follow. His research shows the social environment matters as much as individual motivation.