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Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1.6 million participants
Pooled school surveys (n≈1.6M adolescents): in 2016, 81.0% of 11– to 17-year-olds worldwide were insufficiently active per WHO definitions; prevalence fell slightly among boys since 2001 but not among girls—authors call for urgent policy scale-up.
Definition
Insufficient activity for 11–17 y students aligned to WHO thresholds for adolescents in the harmonisation models used in the paper.
2016 global prevalence (abstract)
- 81.0% (95% UI 77.8–87.7) of school-going adolescents insufficiently active
- Boys: 77.6% (76.1–80.4); Girls: 84.7% (83.0–88.2)
Trends 2001→2016
- Boys: prevalence fell from 80.1% (78.3–81.6 in 2001) with statistically significant change in models
- Girls: no significant change (85.1% in 2001 vs 84.7% in 2016)
Interpretation
Authors emphasise policy/programme scale-up and equity (large sex gaps; some regions >90% insufficient activity among girls) rather than blaming individual adolescents.
Publication
Guthold R, Stevens GA, Riley LM, Bull FC. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020 Jan;4(1):23-31. PMID 31761562.
Outcomes
- 2016 global prevalence of insufficient physical activity among school-going adolescents 11–17 y: 81.0% (95% UI 77.8–87.7).
- 2016 sex-specific insufficient activity: boys 77.6% (95% UI 76.1–80.4) vs girls 84.7% (83.0–88.2).