Half of Indians Physically Inactive, Women Less Active Than Men: WHO Data

Half of India’s population is physically inactive, with women showing lower levels of activity than men, the latest WHO data shows.

The worrying trend shows that globally, 31 per cent of adults are physically inactive, but in India, this figure rises to 49.4 per cent, followed by 45.7 per cent in Pakistan. Conversely, the inactivity rate is much lower in Bhutan at 9.9 per cent and Nepal at 8.2 per cent.

The new WHO data published in the medical journal The Lancet Global Health shows another alarming trend – the prevalence of insufficient physical activity in India has rocketed from 22.3 per cent in 2000 to 49.4 per cent in 2022.

The data projects, that if current trends continue till 2030, 59.9 per cent of adults in India will not meet the recommended level of physical activity. Studies have shown that insufficient physical activity increases the risk of non-communicable diseases, poor physical and cognitive function, weight gain, and mental ill-health.

It means Indians are likely to be more unfit with high chances of suffering from various non-communicable diseases including heart attacks, heart strokes, type 2 diabetes, dementia, cancer and hypertension due to insufficient physical activity.

The study defined insufficient physical activity as not meeting the WHO recommendations for moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity – at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or an equivalent combination.

The study was undertaken by researchers from WHO together with academic colleagues and published in The Lancet Global Health journal.

Lost Opportunity to Reduce Cancer, Heart Disease: WHO Chief

According to the data, the highest rates of physical inactivity were found in the high-income Asia Pacific region (48 per cent) and South Asia (45 per cent). In contrast, inactivity levels in other regions varied from 28 per cent in high-income Western countries to 14 per cent in Oceania.

Data show that nearly one-third (31 per cent) of adults worldwide, approximately 1.8 billion people, did not meet the recommended levels of physical activity in 2022.

The findings point to a worrying trend of physical inactivity among adults, which has increased by about 5 percentage points between 2010 and 2022, according to the press release by WHO dated 26 June.

“These new findings highlight a lost opportunity to reduce cancer and heart disease, and improve mental health and well-being through increased physical activity,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “We must renew our commitment to increasing levels of physical activity and prioritising bold action, including strengthened policies and increased funding, to reverse this worrying trend.”

Data showed that physical inactivity is still more common among women globally compared with men, with inactivity rates of 34 per cent compared to 29 per cent. “In some countries, this difference is as much as 20 percentage points,” said the press release while analysing the data. “Additionally, people over 60 are less active than other adults, underscoring the importance of promoting physical activity for older adults.”