Teenage Physical Inactivity: One in Four Adolescents Gets No Active Hour of Daily Exercise, WHO Warns

Teenage physical inactivity is now a global health concern of considerable scale. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday that one in four adolescents worldwide reports no full hour of exercise on any day of the week, and said this significantly raises health risks for young people.

Teenage Physical Inactivity: What the New Global Estimates Show

WHO's new global estimates found that one in four adolescents aged 11 to 17 report no active days in the previous week. An active day is defined as at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity. That benchmark makes the finding on teenage physical inactivity particularly stark.

The findings appear in The Lancet Global Health. The Lancet Global Health study draws on hundreds of population-based surveys from 140 countries and territories, involving more than 3.2 million teens. When extrapolated, the figures amount to some 240 million young people with no active days across a week, the United Nations health agency said.

Average Activity Levels Remain Low

Adolescents in the surveys reported being active for 2.7 days a week on average. Only 14 percent said they were active on all seven days. These WHO adolescent activity estimates show that 60 minutes of daily exercise is far from the norm among teenagers, and that teenage physical inactivity affects a very large number of young people.

Gender Gap in Physical Activity Leaves Girls Furthest Behind

The estimates highlight a stubborn gender gap in physical activity. Girls are far less active than boys in almost every country and region.

• 28 percent of girls reported no active days, compared with 22 percent of boys.
• Only 11 percent of girls reported being active every day, compared with 17 percent of boys.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "For 15 years, the world has made almost no progress in getting young people moving, and girls are being left furthest behind."

The organisation lamented the lack of progress, noting that physical activity among adolescents has remained "virtually unchanged" in the past 15 years. It urged societies to step up their response to teenage physical inactivity.

Wide Differences Between Countries in Teenage Physical Inactivity

The report also revealed stark differences between nations. In countries such as Namibia, Nepal and the Philippines, fully 40 percent of adolescents reported no active days. In Bangladesh and Serbia, by contrast, more than 30 percent of youths reported daily physical activity.

The contrast shows that levels of teenage physical inactivity vary sharply from one place to another, and that the global average hides very different realities for young people.

Health Risks Linked to Teenage Physical Inactivity

WHO warned that "physical inactivity is a major risk factor for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers". The agency said teenage physical inactivity therefore carries consequences well beyond adolescence.

"Helping young people develop active habits early in life is critical to protecting their health and reducing the global burden of these diseases," the WHO said in a statement. The agency's wider guidance on exercise is set out in its physical activity fact sheet.

Building Active Habits for Young People

WHO stressed that physical activity is shaped by the environment in which young people live. It pointed to factors such as modes of transportation, access to safe space and the ability to walk or cycle safely. The school environment, social norms and lifestyles increasingly centred around screens can also have a big impact on activity levels, it said.

Tedros was direct about where responsibility lies. "The answer is not to tell adolescents to try harder. It is to build schools, streets and communities where moving, playing and being active is safe, easy and normal," he said.

That message has resonance for UAE families and educators as they consider how young people travel and spend their time. Mobility rules are one part of the picture, including the UAE e-scooter rules for 2027, under which permits become mandatory and the minimum age is set at 15. School life is another, from the UAE school winter break dates for 2026-2027 to the registration now open for the world's first school esports championship in Dubai.

Why Policy Must Address Teenage Physical Inactivity

WHO's conclusion is that individual effort alone will not reverse teenage physical inactivity. "Countries need policies that make physical activity an easy, safe and accessible part of everyday life," the organisation said.

With 240 million young people reporting no active days in a week, and little change in 15 years, the estimates give governments, schools and communities a clear baseline. They also show that closing the gender gap in physical activity is central to any serious effort to build active habits for young people.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is teenage physical inactivity according to the WHO?

WHO defines an active day as at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Teenage physical inactivity refers to adolescents aged 11 to 17 who report no such days in the previous week, which is the case for one in four worldwide.

How many teenagers are affected by teenage physical inactivity?

WHO's estimates, based on surveys of more than 3.2 million teens in 140 countries and territories, amount to some 240 million young people with no active days in a week. On average, adolescents reported being active for 2.7 days a week, and only 14 percent were active on all seven days.

Are girls or boys more affected by teenage physical inactivity?

Girls are more affected. The estimates show 28 percent of girls reported no active days, compared with 22 percent of boys, and only 11 percent of girls were active every day, against 17 percent of boys.