Overview
- One in three adults and eight in ten adolescents worldwide fall short of WHO activity guidelines.
- Analysis across 68 countries shows stark inequalities in activity types, with recreational participation about 40 percentage points higher in socially advantaged groups.
- Review of 661 national policy documents finds limited execution, narrow intersectoral coordination and frequent absence of measurable targets.
- Promoting walking, cycling and public transit can reduce emissions and strengthen climate resilience, yet unsafe infrastructure and extreme heat hinder participation.
- Brazil illustrates the scale of the problem, with about 47% of adults sedentary and up to 84% of youth inactive, according to IBGE.