The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that the majority of adolescents worldwide are not active enough, representing a serious public health problem. According to an analysis of data collected from 3.2 million children and adolescents in 140 countries, one in four adolescents did not have at least 60 minutes of physical activity on any day during the previous week.
Only 14 per cent of young people aged 11 to 17 reported being physically active every day during that period. For example, teenagers from Finland and Canada are among the most active, with around 30 per cent of young people stating they engaged in physical activity daily. On the other hand, in some countries, the proportion of adolescents without physical activity during the week exceeded 40 per cent.
In the United Kingdom, data from the University of Oxford shows that 21 per cent of boys and 13 per cent of girls were physically active for at least 60 minutes every day. Furthermore, younger adolescents, such as 11-year-olds, were more likely to report being physically active than 17-year-olds, indicating a decline in activity with age.
Experts warn of the importance of physical activity during adolescence as it improves current and future physical and mental health and helps prevent non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. Physical inactivity is considered a major risk factor for these diseases.
Tessa Strain from the University of Edinburgh emphasises the need for physical activity to be a simple and enjoyable choice for young people. She calls for ensuring safe routes for adolescents to walk or cycle to school, as well as creating green environments for young people to explore. She also highlights the importance of providing opportunities for physical activity throughout the school day, not just during physical education and health classes.
