The WHO reports that around one in four adolescents worldwide get less than an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. The findings suggest roughly 240 million young people aged 11 to 17 have no “active days,” meaning they report none in the previous week meeting a minimum activity threshold.
The study, published in The Lancet Global Health, draws on hundreds of population surveys across 140 countries and territories, covering more than 3.2 million teens. Overall, adolescents report being active on average 2.7 days per week, and only 14% report being active on all seven days. The WHO links physical inactivity to higher risks for conditions including heart disease, type two diabetes and some cancers, and says progress over the past 15 years is “virtually unchanged.”
Several outlets emphasize the gender gap. Coverage highlights that girls report less activity than boys in most places, with one report citing higher proportions of girls with no active days and fewer reporting activity every day. UK-focused reporting additionally spotlights very low day-to-day activity levels for girls.
