Not even 150 minutes

WHO: Almost one in three people don’t get enough exercise

Cyclists in Illmitz (archive photo)

(Bild: P. Huber)

Almost one in three adults do not get enough exercise. This is a threat to global health, according to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO). It recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.

Examples include walking, cycling and swimming. Alternatively, 75 minutes of more intensive exercise such as running or sporting competitions is also sufficient. A mixture is also conceivable. According to the WHO, more than 31 percent of adults worldwide did not reach the recommended level in 2022. The causes cited in the study include increasing computer work and fewer journeys on foot.

People are also increasingly sitting in front of screens in their free time.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

Higher risk of illness
"Physical inactivity is a silent threat to global health and contributes significantly to the burden of chronic disease," said Rüdiger Krech, WHO Director of Health Promotion, in an online press conference. According to him, examples include heart disease, diabetes, some types of cancer and mental health problems.

If the current trend continues, the lack of physical activity among adults could rise to 35 percent by 2030. However, according to the research team, the extent varies from country to country: people in the United Arab Emirates, for example, move significantly less than those in Malawi.

Governments have a responsibility
According to the WHO, changing individual habits is not enough to counteract the increasing lack of physical activity. Governments should encourage their populations to be physically active, for example by promoting sports clubs.

For the study, an international research team compiled the results of more than 500 studies on 5.7 million people. These people live in a total of 163 countries.