Physical Activity
Key facts
Insufficient physical activity is one of the leading risk factors for death worldwide.
Insufficient physical activity is a key risk factor for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as
cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes.
Physical activity has significant health benefits and contributes to prevent NCDs.
Globally, 1 in 4 adults is not active enough.
More than 80% of the world's adolescent population is insufficiently physically active.
Policies to address insufficient physical activity are operational in 56% of WHO Member States.
WHO Member States have agreed to reduce insufficient physical activity by 10% by 2025.
What is physical activity?
WHO defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy
expenditure – including activities undertaken while working, playing, carrying out household chores, travelling,
and engaging in recreational pursuits.
The term "physical activity" should not be confused with "exercise", which is a subcategory of physical activity
that is planned, structured, repetitive, and aims to improve or maintain one or more components of physical
fitness. Beyond exercise, any other physical activity that is done during leisure time, for transport to get to and
from places, or as part of a person’s work, has a health benefit. Further, both moderate- and vigorous-intensity
physical activity improve health.
How much of physical activity is recommended?
WHO recommends:
Children and adolescents aged 5-17years
Should do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.
Physical activity of amounts greater than 60 minutes daily will provide additional health benefits.
Should include activities that strengthen muscle and bone, at least 3 times per week.
Adults aged 18–64 years
Should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or do at
least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or an equivalent
combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
For additional health benefits, adults should increase their moderate-intensity physical activity to 300
minutes per week, or equivalent.
Muscle-strengthening activities should be done involving major muscle groups on 2 or more days a
week.
Adults aged 65 years and above
Should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or at least
75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or an equivalent combination of
moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
For additional health benefits, they should increase moderate-intensity physical activity to 300 minutes
per week, or equivalent.
Those with poor mobility should perform physical activity to enhance balance and prevent falls, 3 or
more days per week.
Muscle-strengthening activities should be done involving major muscle groups, 2 or more days a week.
The intensity of different forms of physical activity varies between people. In order to be beneficial for
cardiorespiratory health, all activity should be performed in bouts of at least 10 minutes duration.
Benefits of physical activity and risk of insufficient physical activity
Regular physical activity of moderate intensity – such as walking, cycling, or doing sports – has significant
benefits for health. At all ages, the benefits of being physically active outweigh potential harm, for example
through accidents. Some physical activity is better than doing none. By becoming more active throughout the
day in relatively simple ways, people can quite easily achieve the recommended activity levels.
Regular and adequate levels of physical activity:
improve muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness;
improve bone and functional health;
reduce the risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, various types of cancer
(including breast cancer and colon cancer), and depression;
reduce the risk of falls as well as hip or vertebral fractures; and
are fundamental to energy balance and weight control.
Insufficient physical activity is one of the leading risk factors for global mortality and is on the rise in many
countries, adding to the burden of NCDs and affecting general health worldwide. People who are insufficiently
active have a 20% to 30% increased risk of death compared to people who are sufficiently active.
Levels of insufficient physical activity
Globally, around 23% of adults aged 18 and over were not active enough in 2010 (men 20% and women 27%).
In high-income countries, 26% of men and 35% of women were insufficiently physically active, as compared to
12% of men and 24% of women in low-income countries. Low or decreasing physical activity levels often
correspond with a high or rising gross national product. The drop in physical activity is partly due to inaction
during leisure time and sedentary behaviour on the job and at home. Likewise, an increase in the use of
"passive" modes of transportation also contributes to insufficient physical activity.
Globally, 81% of adolescents aged 11-17 years were insufficiently physically active in 2010. Adolescent girls
were less active than adolescent boys, with 84% vs. 78% not meeting WHO recommendations.
Several environmental factors which are linked to urbanization can discourage people from becoming more
active, such as:
fear of violence and crime in outdoor areas
high-density traffic
low air quality, pollution
lack of parks, sidewalks and sports/recreation facilities.
How to increase physical activity?
Countries and communities must take action to provide individuals with more opportunities to be active, in
order to increase physical activity.
Policies to increase physical activity aim to ensure that:
in cooperation with relevant sectors physical activity is promoted through activities of daily living;
walking, cycling and other forms of active transportation are accessible and safe for all;
labour and workplace policies encourage physical activity;
schools have safe spaces and facilities for students to spend their free time actively;
quality physical education supports children to develop behaviour patterns that will keep them
physically active throughout their lives; and
sports and recreation facilities provide opportunities for everyone to do sports.
Policies and plans to address physical inactivity have been developed in about 80% of WHO Member States,
though these were operational in only 56% of the countries in 2013. National and local authorities are also
adopting policies in a range of sectors to promote and facilitate physical activity.
REFFERENCE: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity
