34 Percent Indians Are Not Active Enough: WHO Study

The World Health Organization (WHO) has found that 34 percent of Indians are not active enough to keep their physical and mental health in a good state. Citing the inactiveness figures across the world, it has said that absence of physical activities can lead to non-communicable diseases like diabetes, heart related problems among these people.
The data published by the world health body in The Lancet Global Health states that more than one in four adults globally (28% or 1.4 billion people) are physically inactive. However, in some countries it can reach up to one in three adults. It also stated that women were found to be less active than men, with an over 8% difference at the global level (32% men vs 23%, women).
Appealing the people to adopt a physically active lifestyle, WHO shared the major finding of this report on its Twitter handle.

The paper was authored by four WHO experts, who pooled data from population-based surveys reporting the prevalence of insufficient physical activity. Data from 358 surveys, with 1·9 million participants across 168 countries was analyzed to underline the trend.
If a respondent was not doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, or any equivalent combination of the two, his/her physical activity was considered as insufficient. Physical activity at work, at home, for transport, and during leisure time were included while assessing a person’s physical activeness level.
At global level, women were found to be less active but there was the difference in the level of inactiveness based on their country’s income. High income countries women are more inactive (37%) compared with middle income (26%) and low-income countries (16%).
Citing the risks of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension and several types of cancer associated with physical inactiveness, this analysis stresses on the need of adopting physical activities in day-to-day life.
WHO in its statement pitched for conducive environments in countries for physical activities, saying, “These data show the need for all countries to increase the priority given to national and sub-national actions to provide the environments that support physical activity and increase the opportunities for people of all ages and abilities, to be active every day.”
Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director-General (Programs), WHO said, “Urban planners must consider health impacts of city designs.”

WHO also said that the new Global Action Plan on physical activity sets the target to reduce physical inactivity by 10% by 2025 and 15% by 2030.