WHO New Study Raises Alarm On Rising Physical Inactivity And Its Health Impacts
Approximately 1.8 billion people, or 31% of adults worldwide, did not meet the recommended levels of physical activity in 2022, according to new data. This represents a worrying increase of about 5 percentage points between 2010 and 2022. If this trend continues, inactivity levels could rise to 35% by 2030, and the world is currently off track from meeting the global target to reduce physical inactivity by that year.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends engage in 150 minutes moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week. The rising trend of physical inactivity among adults worldwide is concerning as it increases the risk of various health issues such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and certain cancers.
The study was conducted by researchers from WHO and academic colleagues and published in The Lancet Global Health journal.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said that the findings highlight a missed opportunity to reduce cancer and heart disease and improve mental health and well-being through increased physical activity. He called for renewed commitment to increasing physical activity levels and prioritizing bold action, including strengthened policies and increased funding.
High-income Asia Pacific region (48%) and South Asia (45%) had the highest rates of physical inactivity, while other regions ranged from 28% in high-income Western countries to 14% in Oceania. Disparities between gender and age persist, with women having higher inactivity rates (34%) than men (29%). People over 60 are also less active than other adults.
Dr Rüdiger Krech, Director of Health Promotion at WHO, described physical inactivity as a silent threat to global health that contributes significantly to chronic diseases' burden. He emphasized the need for innovative ways to motivate people to be more active while considering factors like age, environment, and cultural background.
Some countries have shown signs of improvement; nearly half have made progress over the past decade. Twenty-two countries are likely to reach the global target of reducing inactivity by 15% by 2030 if their trend continues at the same pace.
In response to these findings, WHO urges countries to strengthen policy implementation promoting physical activity through grassroots community sport, active recreation and transport (walking, cycling, public transport), among other measures.
Dr Fiona Bull, Head of the WHO Unit for Physical Activity, stressed that promoting physical activity requires a whole-of-society approach and creating environments that make it easier and safer for everyone to be more active in ways they enjoy. Collective efforts based on partnerships between government and nongovernmental stakeholders will be needed to reach the least active people and reduce inequalities in access to measures promoting and improving physical activity.
Addressing this issue requires a whole-of-society approach with innovative ways to motivate people while considering factors like age, environment, and cultural background. Strengthened policies and increased funding are necessary for reversing this worrying trend and achieving global targets for reducing physical inactivity by 2030.
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