Nearly a third of the global adult population was insufficiently active in 2022, highlighting a significant public health challenge.
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Global and Regional Trends
A comprehensive study has revealed alarming trends in physical inactivity among adults worldwide.
The analysis, covering data from 507 population-based surveys across 197 countries, shows that the global prevalence of insufficient physical activity increased from 23.4% in 2000 to 31.3% in 2022.
This rise underscores a growing concern for global health, as physical inactivity is linked to a higher risk of non-communicable diseases, cognitive decline, weight gain, and mental health issues.
Overall Findings
The study’s findings are clear: more people need to get more exercise.
In 2022, nearly one in three adults globally did not meet the recommended levels of physical activity.
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests adults should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week. Failure to meet these guidelines classifies individuals as insufficiently active.
Regional Insights
Different regions showed varying levels of insufficient physical activity.
The high-income Asia Pacific region and South Asia had the highest prevalence rates, while Oceania and sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest.
This regional variation points to diverse cultural, economic, and policy-related factors influencing physical activity levels.
Demographic Disparities
The global analysis also highlights significant disparities in physical activity levels based on sex and age.
Sex Differences
Women are generally less active than men. In 2022, the global prevalence of insufficient physical activity was 33.8% among women compared to 28.7% among men.
The disparity was particularly stark in South Asia, where the difference was 14 percentage points, and in some Middle Eastern countries such as Afghanistan and Iran, where women’s insufficient activity levels were at least 20 percentage points higher than men’s.
This pattern reflects gender norms and socio-economic factors that limit women’s opportunities for physical activity in many regions.
Age Differences
Physical activity decreases with age. Among those aged 60 and older, insufficient physical activity levels rose significantly in all regions.
For younger adults, patterns varied more by region and sex. For instance, in East and Southeast Asia, insufficient physical activity levels among men were stable or even decreased up to age 60, while women’s activity levels showed a clear decline.
These findings suggest that interventions to increase physical activity need to be tailored to different age groups and consider regional and cultural contexts.
Progress Towards Global Targets
Despite global efforts to combat physical inactivity, the majority of countries are not on track to meet the World Health Assembly’s target of a 15% reduction in insufficient physical activity by 2030.
Global Target
The World Health Assembly set a goal to reduce the prevalence of insufficient physical activity by 15% between 2010 and 2030.
Unfortunately, if current trends continue, the global prevalence is projected to reach 34.7% by 2030, a more than 8 percentage point increase from 2010 levels. This trend suggests a significant gap between policy goals and actual outcomes.
Trends and Projections
From 2010 to 2022, the age-standardized prevalence of insufficient physical activity rose from 26.4% to 31.3%.
The most significant increases were observed in the high-income Asia Pacific and South Asia regions, with high certainty that these trends will continue. Conversely, some regions such as high-income western countries, sub-Saharan Africa, and Oceania have shown decreasing trends in insufficient activity.
However, these decreases are not sufficient to meet the global target, except for Oceania and sub-Saharan Africa, where progress is uncertain but promising.
Regional and Country Analysis
High-income western countries are close to the required rate of reduction, with 12 countries in Western Europe classified as on track.
These countries have seen positive trends, potentially linked to effective physical activity promotion policies. Oceania, with its island nations, has shown the greatest relative decreases in insufficient physical activity, attributed to increased policy efforts and greater opportunities for physical activity.
Sub-Saharan Africa also shows promise, with several countries on track to meet the target, though data sparsity makes these predictions uncertain. In contrast, most countries in other regions are far from meeting the target, highlighting the need for more robust and effective interventions.
Policy and Implementation
The findings from this study underscore the urgent need for enhanced and targeted policy efforts to increase physical activity levels globally.
Despite some regions showing positive trends, the overall global progress is insufficient to meet the 2030 target.
Effective Strategies
Effective strategies to promote physical activity involve multisectoral approaches that integrate physical activity promotion into various aspects of daily life. Successful policies often include:
- Community Programs: Initiatives that encourage walking, cycling, and recreational sports.
- Urban Planning: Designing cities to include parks, pedestrian paths, and cycling lanes.
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Educational campaigns to raise awareness about the benefits of physical activity.
- Workplace Interventions: Programs that encourage employees to be active during breaks and commute.
Barriers to Implementation
Several barriers hinder the implementation of these strategies:
- Socioeconomic Factors: In low-income regions, economic constraints limit access to safe spaces for physical activity.
- Cultural Norms: In some cultures, societal expectations and gender roles restrict physical activity, especially for women.
- Lack of Infrastructure: Poor urban planning and lack of recreational facilities can limit opportunities for exercise.
Success Stories
Some countries have implemented successful physical activity promotion policies. For instance, high-income western countries in Europe have shown positive trends due to comprehensive, multisectoral approaches.
These countries have integrated physical activity into public health policies, urban planning, and community programs, demonstrating that targeted efforts can lead to significant improvements.
Oceania also shows promising results, with countries like Samoa and the Solomon Islands making substantial progress.
Increased policy efforts in the WHO Western Pacific region have likely contributed to these positive trends, providing greater opportunities for physical activity and raising awareness.
Conclusion
The study reveals a significant increase in insufficient physical activity among adults globally from 2000 to 2022. While some regions show promising trends, the overall progress is far from sufficient to meet the 2030 global target.
There is a pressing need for increased investment and implementation of effective policies to promote physical activity, reduce inequalities, and improve public health outcomes.
Data and Methodology
The study’s robust data collection and comprehensive analysis provide a detailed understanding of global physical activity trends over the past two decades.
Data Sources
Researchers compiled data from 507 population-based surveys conducted in 163 of 197 countries, covering 93% of the global population. These surveys included:
- Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ): Used in 228 surveys.
- International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-short): Used in 137 surveys.
- Other Questionnaires: Used in 142 surveys, ensuring broad data coverage across different regions and populations.
Survey Inclusion Criteria
The surveys included in the analysis had to meet specific criteria to ensure accuracy and comparability:
- Nationally Representative or Broad Coverage: Surveys needed to be nationally representative or cover at least three areas within a country.
- Minimum Sample Size: Surveys required a minimum sample size of 200 participants.
- Time Frame: Data collected from the year 2000 onwards.
- Activity Reporting: Surveys had to report total weekly duration of moderate and vigorous physical activity across all domains (work, household, travel, and leisure).
Analytical Approach
The study employed a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the prevalence of insufficient physical activity across countries, years, age groups, and sexes. This method allowed for:
- Comprehensive Estimates: Using all available data to make estimates for each country-year-age unit.
- Adjusted Comparisons: Adjusting for variations in survey types and methodological differences to ensure comparability.
- Age and Sex Patterns: Modeling age-specific and sex-specific prevalence using natural cubic splines.
Statistical Analysis
- Posterior Sampling: The model obtained 4,000 samples from the parameters’ posterior distributions, which were used to compute prevalence estimates.
- Crude and Age-Standardized Prevalence: Calculated for adults aged 18 years and older by sex, country, region, and globally.
- Uncertainty Intervals: All reported uncertainty intervals (UIs) are 95% Bayesian credible intervals.
Progress Assessment
The analysis assessed progress towards the global target of a 15% relative reduction in insufficient physical activity between 2010 and 2030 by projecting trends from 2010 to 2022 forward to 2030. Countries, regions, and the world were categorized based on their likelihood of meeting the target.
