A Lancet study says half of India’s adult population physically unfit

Half of India’s adult population does not meet the standards of sufficient physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to a Lancet Global Health report.

The report said that the prevalence of insufficient physical activity among the country’s adults jumped from 22.3% in 2000 to 49.4% in 2022, adding that women (57%) were more physically inactive than men (42%).

Among the 195 countries, India has the 12th highest prevalence of insufficient physical activity, the study revealed.

Further, the Lancet report said that nearly one-third of adults globally – approximately 1.8 billion people or 31% – failed to meet the recommended physical activity in 2022.

The highest rates were witnessed in the high-income Asia-Pacific region (48%) and South Asia (45%). The levels of inactivity stood at 28% in high-income countries in the West and 14% in Oceania.

If this remained unchecked, about 59.9% of adults in India would be unfit by 2030 and at major risk of disease for not taking part in enough physical activities, the researchers said.

What the WHO says

The global body has recommended at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week — or equivalent vigorous activity — across the adult population.

Insufficient physical activity puts adults at a greater risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes as well as diabetes, dementia and cancers of the breast and colon.

Insufficient physical activity among women in countries like India, Pakistan and Afghanistan among others remains a matter of concern as they lag behind men by more than 14-20%.

According to the study, women in neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal are more active.

“The global estimate of the cost of physical inactivity to public health care systems between 2020 and 2030 is about $300 billion (approximately $27 billion per year) if levels of physical inactivity are not reduced,” the WHO said on Wednesday.

Physical activity has been defined by the global body as any “bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.”

It includes movements during leisure time or as part of an individual’s work or domestic activities. Popular ways to remain active are walking, cycling, sports, active recreation and play.