On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning on the increasing levels of physical inactivity among adults worldwide. A study published in The Lancet Global Health revealed that almost a third of adults globally, which is approximately 1.8 billion people, do not engage in enough physical activity, putting their health at risk. This number is up from 2010 by five percentage points.
Dr. Ruediger Krech, director of health promotion at WHO, expressed concern over the trend of increasing physical inactivity and called 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, 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