Lack of physical activity is a silent threat to global health

Nearly 1.8 billion adults are at risk of disease due to lack of physical activity.

According to a recent analysis, about 1.8 billion adults (31%, almost a third) did not meet recommended levels of physical activity in 2022. Physical inactivity among adults continued to be a worrying trend between 2010 and 2022, as it fell by five percentage points.

If this trend continues, the physical inactivity deficit is expected to increase by 35% between now and 2030, putting us further away from achieving the global 2030 target. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or equivalent. Being sedentary increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke, as well as type 2 diabetes, dementia and some cancers such as breast and colon cancer.

The study, a collaboration between WHO researchers and university professors, was published in the journal Lancet Global Health.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said: “These data show that we have missed an opportunity to reduce cancer and cardiovascular disease and improve well-being and mental health through active physical activity. “We must redouble our efforts to increase physical activity levels and take decisive action to reverse this worrying trend, including through new policies and increased funding.”

The highest rates of sedentary behavior were observed in high-income countries in Asia and the Pacific at 48% and in South Asia at 45%, while in other regions the proportion ranged from 28% in high-income Western countries to 14% in Oceania.

It should be noted that differences by gender and age continue to be found. Women continue to be less physically active than men, with inactivity rates of 34% and 29% for each gender, respectively. However, in some countries, the difference is as high as 20%. On the other hand, people over 60 have been found to be less active than other adults, highlighting the importance of promoting physical activity among this age group.

Dr Rüdiger Krech, Director of Health Promotion at WHO, said: “Lack of physical activity is a hidden threat to global health and contributes significantly to the rise in chronic diseases. We need to find innovative ways to motivate people to be more active, taking into account factors such as their age, environment and culture. “We must make physical activity more accessible, affordable and enjoyable for everyone because by doing so we will significantly reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases and improve everyone’s health and productivity.”

Despite these results, some countries are showing signs of improvement. Almost half the world’s countries have made some progress over the past decade, and 22 countries are likely to reach the global target of reducing inaction by 15% by 2030 if they maintain the current pace.

Taking these data into account, WHO asks countries to try to implement their policies to promote and encourage physical activity through popular and participatory sports, active recreation and transport (walking, cycling and public transport), among other measures.

Dr Fiona Bull, WHO’s head of physical activity, explains: “Promoting physical activity is not enough to simply encourage people to adopt certain habits. We need to take a whole-of-society approach and create environments that make activity easier and safer so that everyone can enjoy the many health benefits that come from regular practice.”

Reaching less active people and reducing inequalities in access to interventions to promote and improve physical activity will require teamwork, alliances between the public sector and other stakeholders, and greater investment in innovative approaches.