Almost 1.8 billion adults are at risk of disease due to insufficient physical activity

New data shows that nearly one-third (31%) of adults worldwide, roughly 1.8 billion people, did not meet recommended levels of physical activity in 2022. The findings point to a worrying trend in physical inactivity among adults, which has increased by around 5 percentage points between 2010 and 2022.

If the trend continues, inactivity levels are predicted to rise further to 35% by 2030, and the world is currently not on track to meet the global goal of reducing physical inactivity by 2030. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults get 150 minutes of physical activity moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity or the equivalent per week. Physical inactivity puts adults at greater risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and breast and colon cancer.

The study was conducted by researchers from the WHO together with academic colleagues and was 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, WHO Director-General. “We must renew our commitment to increasing physical activity levels and prioritize bold action, including strengthened policies and increased funding, to reverse this worrying 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.

Differences between gender and age are worrying. Physical inactivity is still more common among women worldwide compared to men, with inactivity rates of 34% compared to 29%. In some countries, this difference is as much as 20 percentage points. In addition, people over 60 are less active than other adults, which highlights the importance of promoting physical activity for older people.

“Physical inactivity is a silent threat to global health, contributing significantly to the burden of chronic disease,” said Dr Rüdiger Krech, Director for Health Promotion at WHO. “We need to find innovative ways to motivate people to be more active, taking into account factors such as age, environment and cultural background. By making physical activity accessible, affordable and enjoyable for all, we can significantly reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases and create a population that is healthier and more productive.”

Despite the worrying results, there are some signs of improvement in some countries. The study found that nearly half of the world's countries had made some improvements over the past decade, and 22 countries were identified as likely to achieve the global goal of reducing inactivity by 15% by 2030, if their trends continue at the same pace.

In light of these findings, WHO urges countries to strengthen the implementation of their policies to promote and facilitate physical activity through mass and community sports and active recreation and transportation (walking, cycling and use of public transport), among other measures.

“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, WHO Director-General. “We must renew our commitment to increasing physical activity levels and prioritize bold action, including strengthened policies and increased funding, to reverse this worrying trend.”

“Promoting physical activity goes beyond promoting individual lifestyle choices – it will require a whole-of-society approach and creating environments where it's easier and safer for everyone to be more active in ways they enjoy in order to reap the many health benefits of regular physical activity,” said Dr Fiona Bull, head of the Physical Activity Department of the World Health Organization.

Joint efforts based on partnerships between governmental and non-governmental stakeholders and increased investment in innovative approaches will be needed to reach the least active people and reduce inequalities in access to measures to promote and improve physical activity.