One month before the opening of the Olympic Games, this is a real “alarm signal” from the World Health Organization, which is concerned about the lack of physical activity everywhere on the planet. According to a study published in The Lancet Global, one in three adults in the world, or around 1.8 billion people, do not move enough, which threatens their physical and mental health. This trend is also up by five points compared to 2010.
If continued, levels are expected to reach 35% by 2030, with the global target of reducing physical inactivity by 15% by 2030 slipping further away. “Physical inactivity is a silent threat to global health” and “unfortunately, the world is not moving in the right direction,” commented Dr. Ruediger Krech, director of health promotion at WHO, pointing to a trend “opposite to expectations”.
Between 75 and 150 minutes of activity per week
It is in Asia-Pacific (48% of adults) and South Asia (45%) that the lack of physical activity is greatest, in contrast to Oceania. In ten countries around the world (United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Cuba, Lebanon, South Korea, Panama, Qatar, Iraq, Portugal, Saudi Arabia), more than 50% of adults are also too sedentary. And it is also women who are most affected by the lack of physical activity with 33.8% of them on the planet, compared to 28.7% for men.
To promote good health, the WHO recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week (walking, swimming, cycling, etc.) or 75 minutes of intense activity (running, team sports, etc.), or a equivalent combination of moderate or sustained physical activity.
Inactivity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, such as breast and colon cancer, and mental health problems. In addition to its individual impact, lack of physical activity represents “a financial burden on health systems,” noted Dr Leanne Riley, from the WHO’s Department of Noncommunicable Diseases.