PARIS: Nearly a third of adults are not getting enough exercise, posing a growing health threat around the world, a major survey said on Wednesday.
According to a survey by researchers including the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2022, more than 31% of adults (1.8 billion people) will not be achieving the recommended amount of physical activity, a five-point increase from 2010.
“Physical inactivity is a silent threat to global health and a major contributor to the burden of chronic diseases,” said Rüdiger Krech, head of WHO’s health promotion department.
“Unfortunately the world is not moving in the right direction,” he said at an online press conference.
To stay healthy, WHO recommends that all adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, which could include walking, cycling or housework, or at least 75 minutes of more vigorous activity, such as running or competitive sports.
Combining these two things will help people achieve their goals.
Not getting this level of exercise increases the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and even mental health problems, Krech said.
If current trends continue, adult inactivity levels are predicted to rise to 35 percent by 2030, according to a study in The Lancet Global Health.
This falls far short of the WHO’s target of reducing physical inactivity by 15 percent by the end of the decade.
Fiona Bull, head of the WHO’s physical activity division, said the study was “a wake-up call that we are not doing enough”.
Every step counts
There were also gender disparities: around the world, around 34% of women did not meet activity standards, compared with 29% of men.
Bull said there were “multiple causes” for the overall decline in activity rates, including less walking, more time working on computers and generally more leisure time spent looking at screens.
During a busy few months for world sport, with the Olympics, European Championships and Copa America, Krejci reminded people that “watching sport is not the same as physical activity.”
“Don’t just sit in your chair, get up and be active. Every step counts,” he said.
WHO stressed that changing individual behaviour is not enough, and called on countries to promote physical activity through walking, cycling and using public transport, as well as promoting community sport.
The study, said to be the most comprehensive examination of the topic to date, involved an international team of researchers combining the findings of more than 500 studies involving 5.7 million people from 163 countries and regions.
Nearly half of countries have made progress over the past decade, and 22 countries are on track to meet the 2030 target if they continue to move in the right direction.