Alarming: Nearly a Third of the World’s Adults Not Meeting WHO Physical Activity Recommendations
The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning on Wednesday after releasing a study that shows nearly a third of adults worldwide are not engaging in enough physical activity, putting their health at risk. According to the study published in The Lancet Global Health, in 2022, 31.3% of adults, approximately 1.8 billion people, did not meet the recommended physical activity levels, which is about five percentage points higher than in 2010.
Dr. Ruediger Krech, director of health promotion at WHO, expressed concern over the trend of increasing physical inactivity, calling it a silent threat to global health. Dr. Fiona Bull, head of the WHO’s physical activity department, described the results as an alarm bell, highlighting that if the current trend continues, physical inactivity levels could reach 35% by 2030, moving further away from the global goal of reducing inactivity by 15% by 2030.
The WHO recommends that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week or 75 minutes of intense activity to promote good health. Physical inactivity is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and mental disorders. The study also identified disparities in physical inactivity among different countries, regions, genders, and age groups, with women
