One in four adolescents worldwide report no active days in a week

One in four adolescents worldwide reported failing to achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity on any day during the previous week, according to new estimates released by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The findings show that approximately 240 million young people aged 11 to 17 did not meet the recommended activity threshold on any day, raising concerns about their long-term health.

“Our new estimates suggest that only 14% of adolescents globally are reaching that level, and one in four adolescents globally report not getting 60 minutes of physical activity on any day in a week, let alone every day,” said WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Tedros noted that adolescent physical inactivity levels have remained virtually unchanged over the past 15 years, with girls continuing to face greater barriers than boys in almost every country and region.

He stressed that addressing the problem requires government investment rather than simply encouraging young people to exercise more.

“The answer is not simply to tell young people to try harder, governments must make physical activity the easy choice by investing in safe schools, public spaces, walking and cycling routes, transport policy, and affordable opportunities for sport and recreation,” Tedros said.

The study, published in The Lancet Global Health, analysed 389 population-based surveys involving more than 3.2 million adolescents across 140 countries and territories.

It found that 28% of girls reported no active days, compared with 22% of boys. Only 11% of girls were active daily, against 17% of boys.

WHO warned that physical inactivity increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.

The organisation called for coordinated action across education, transport, urban planning, sport and health sectors to make physical activity safer, more affordable and accessible to adolescents worldwide.