New data shows that nearly one third (31%) of adults worldwide, approximately 1.8 billion people, did not meet the recommended levels of physical activity in 2022. The results point to a concerning trend of physical inactivity among adults, which increased by about 5 percentage points between 2010 and 2022.
If the trend continues, inactivity levels are projected to rise even further to 35% by 2030, and the world is currently off track to meet the global target of reducing physical inactivity by 2030. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults engage in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or equivalent, per week. Physical inactivity puts adults at greater risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and cancers such as breast and colon cancer.
The study was conducted by researchers from the World Health Organization in collaboration with academic colleagues and published in the journal The Lancet Global Health.
“These new findings highlight a missed opportunity to reduce cancer and heart disease, and improve mental health and well-being through increased physical activity,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “We must renew our commitment to increasing levels of physical activity and prioritize bold actions, including strengthened policies and increased funding, to reverse this concerning trend.”
The highest rates of physical inactivity were observed in the high-income Asia-Pacific region (48%) and South Asia (45%), with inactivity levels in other regions ranging from 28% in high-income Western countries to 14% in Oceania.
Of concern, disparities persist between gender and age. Physical inactivity is still more common among women globally compared to men, with inactivity rates of 34% versus 29%. In some countries, this difference reaches 20 percentage points. Additionally, people over 60 years old are less active than other adults, reinforcing the importance of promoting physical activity for the elderly.
Despite the concerning results, there are some signs of improvement in certain countries. The study showed that nearly half of the countries in the world recorded some improvement in the last decade, and 22 countries were identified as likely to achieve the global target of reducing inactivity by 15% by 2030, if the trend continues at the same pace.
Source: WHO