Pune: More than 80 per cent of school-going adolescents globally did not meet current recommendations of at least one hour of physical activity per day - including 85 per cent of girls and 78 per cent of boys. India and Bangladesh have fared poorly in this list.
This was revealed in a new study published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health journal and produced by researchers from the World Health Organization (WHO).The study is based on data from 1.6 million students between the age of 11 to 17 years across 146 countries studied between 2001 to 2016. It was also found that girls were less active than boys in all but four countries: Tonga, Samoa, Afghanistan and Zambia.
Slight improvement for boys
Globally, the prevalence of insufficient physical activity slightly decreased in boys between 2001 and 2016 from 80 per cent to 78 per cent.
However, there was no change over time in girls which remained around 85 per cent.
Some of the lowest levels of insufficient activity in boys were found in Bangladesh, India and the USA.
The countries showing the greatest decreases in boys being insufficiently active were Bangladesh (from 73 pc to 63 pc), Singapore (78 pc to 70 pc), Thailand (78 pc to 70 pc), Benin (79 pc to 71 pc), Ireland (71 pc to 64 pc), and the USA (71 pc to 64 pc).
However, among girls, changes were small, ranging from a 2 percentage-point decrease in Singapore (85 pc to 83 pc) to a 1 percentage-point increase in Afghanistan (87 pc to 88 pc).
The difference in the proportion of boys and girls meeting the recommendations was greater than 10 per cent in almost one in three countries in 2016 that is in 43 countries. The biggest gaps were seen in the United States of America (USA) and Ireland. In 107 countries the gender gap widens between 2001-2016.
Young people’s health compromised by insufficient physical activity
In an official statement, study author Dr Regina Guthold from WHO said that the levels of insufficient physical activity in adolescents continue to be extremely high, compromising their current and future health.
“Urgent policy action to increase physical activity is needed now, particularly to promote and retain girls’ participation in physical activity. The health benefits of a physically active lifestyle during adolescence include improved cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, bone and cardiometabolic health, and positive effects on weight,” said Dr Guthold.
Dr Fiona Bull from WHO, co-author of the study, said that the study highlights that young people have the right to play and should be provided with the opportunities to realise their right to physical and mental health and wellbeing.
“Strong political will and action can address the fact that four in every five adolescents do not experience the enjoyment and social, physical, and mental health benefits of regular physical activity. Policymakers and stakeholders should be encouraged to act now for the health of this and future young generations,” said Dr Bull.
Insufficient activity among adolescents a major concern
Co-author Dr Leanne Riley from WHO said that the trend of girls being less active than boys is concerning.
“More opportunities to meet the needs and interests of girls are needed to attract and sustain their participation in physical activity through adolescence and into adulthood. To increase physical activity for young people, governments need to identify and address the many causes and inequities - social, economic, cultural, technological, and environmental - that can perpetuate the differences between boys and girls,” the authors said.