1.8 Billion Adults Inactively Risking Health.
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Nearly 1.8 billion adults worldwide are at risk of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer due to insufficient physical activity, according to a recent report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with The Lancet. The report reveals that more than 31 percent of adults globally did not get the recommended amount of physical exercise in 2022, an increase of five percentage points from 2010.
The study, which is billed as the most comprehensive to look at the subject yet, combined the findings from more than 500 studies involving 5.7 million people across 163 countries and territories. It highlights a gender disparity, with more women (57%) than men (42%) in India being inactive.
The WHO recommends all adults spend at least 150 minutes every week doing moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking, cycling, or even household chores, or at least 75 minutes of more vigorous exercise, such as running or competing in sport. However, the data shows that nearly a third of adults around the world do not exercise enough, with inactivity rates of 34 percent among women and 29 percent among men.
The report underscores the urgent need for increased action and investment in policies that promote physical activity to mitigate the health risks and economic burdens associated with sedentary lifestyles. The WHO is calling on countries to strengthen policy implementation to promote and enable physical activity through community sports, active recreation and transport, through walking and cycling, as well as the use of public transit.
While the WHO analysis did not take into account the impact of COVID-19 on people’s levels of activity, the pandemic restrictions also likely played a role in these trends. The WHO is urging countries to prioritize physical activity as key to improving health and tackling non-communicable diseases, integrate physical activity into all relevant policies, and develop tools, guidance, and training to improve implementation.
The findings of the report serve as a wake-up call that more needs to be done to encourage people to be more active and reduce the burden of chronic diseases associated with physical inactivity.
