One in four adolescents globally reported no physical activity during the previous week, according to a new study published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in The Lancet Global Health. The data, released on November 4, 2026, indicates that progress toward improving youth activity levels has remained stagnant for the past 15 years.
The study, which examined data from 140 countries and territories involving more than 3.2 million adolescents aged 11 to 17, found that approximately 240 million young people failed to reach the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on any single day of the week. On average, adolescents reported being active only 2.7 days per week, with just 14% achieving daily physical activity.
Global Stagnation in Physical Activity Levels
The findings highlight a persistent lack of improvement in global health metrics. Since 2011, levels of physical activity among youth have remained virtually unchanged. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted in a statement that the global community has made almost no progress in encouraging young people to move, despite the well-documented risks associated with inactivity.
The organization classifies physical inactivity as a major risk factor for chronic conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and various cancers. “The solution is not to tell adolescents to try harder,” Tedros said. “It is about making sure that schools, streets, and neighborhoods are places where it is safe, easy, and normal to move, play, and be active.”
Gender Disparities in Health Participation
The study reveals a marked gender gap in activity levels that persists across nearly every country surveyed. Girls are consistently less active than boys, with 28% of girls reporting zero days of physical activity in the previous week, compared to 22% of boys. Daily activity rates follow a similar trend: 11% of girls meet the daily recommendation, while 17% of boys do so.
Regional variations are significant. In countries such as Namibia, Nepal, and the Philippines, 40% of adolescents reported no physical activity at all during the week. Conversely, in nations like Bangladesh and Serbia, more than 30% of adolescents reported participating in daily physical activity.
WHO Calls for Safer Infrastructure to Increase Physical Activity
Increased reliance on screen-based entertainment, coupled with limited access to safe public spaces, is cited as a barrier to movement. The organization also pointed to urban planning challenges, such as a lack of safe routes for walking or cycling, as well as the school environment.
To address these systemic issues, the WHO is calling for stronger policies across the education, transport, and urban planning sectors. The organization emphasized the need to eliminate barriers specifically facing girls and to integrate physical activity into daily life through safer, more accessible infrastructure.
The study findings highlight a 15-year trend where global physical activity levels have failed to move, leaving a generation of adolescents at increased risk for long-term health complications.
