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Almost 1.8 billion adults are at risk of diseases such as cancer, stroke, dementia and diabetes because of a lack of exercise – and the situation is getting worse, according to a report.
The new study from World Health Organization (WHO) researchers plus academics found physical inactivity globally rose by about five percentage points between 2010 and 2022. Overall, nearly a third of adults, 31 per cent, around the world do not exercise enough, up from 23 per cent – 900 million people – in 2000, and 26 per cent in 2010.
If current trends continue, experts predict that by 2030, some 35 per cent of people will not be doing enough exercise.
Research shows that a lack of exercise increases the risk of heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes, dementia and cancers such as those of the breast and bowel.

When it comes to gender differences, it seems women are consistently less likely to exercise than men, with inactivity rates of 34 per cent compared to 29 per cent.
The new study, published in The Lancet Global Health journal, warned that the world isn’t meeting a global target to reduce physical inactivity by 2030.
“These new findings highlight a lost opportunity to reduce cancer, heart disease and improve mental well-being through increased physical activity,” WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
“We must renew our commitment to increasing levels of physical activity and prioritise bold action, including strengthened policies and increased funding, to reverse this worrying trend,” he said.
WHO recommends that adults undertake 150 minutes of moderate intensity, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity, every week.
Physical inactivity is a silent threat to global health, contributing significantly to the burden of chronic diseases
Dr Rudiger Krech, director of health promotion at WHO
Examples of moderate activity include very brisk walking, heavy cleaning such as washing windows or mopping, cycling at slow speeds, or badminton. Vigorous activity examples are hiking, jogging, shovelling, fast cycling, a football game, basketball or tennis.
The WHO defines insufficient physical activity as not meeting these weekly exercise guidelines.
The new study, which included data and estimates for 163 countries and territories, found people over 60 are less active than those who are younger.
And although high-income Western countries appear to be slowly reducing rates of inactivity, to 28 per cent of people in 2022, they are still off track.
The World Health Assembly has set a global target – widely expected to be missed – of a 15 per cent reduction in insufficient physical activity between 2010 and 2030.

“Physical inactivity is a silent threat to global health, contributing significantly to the burden of chronic diseases,” says Dr Rudiger Krech, director of health promotion at WHO.
“By making physical activity accessible, affordable, and enjoyable for all, we can significantly reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases and create a population that is healthier and more productive.”
Dr Panagiota Mitrou, director of research, policy and innovation at the World Cancer Research Fund, said: “This timely report is a wake-up call to the world that more needs to be done to encourage people to be more active.
“Governments must recognise that being physically active is incredibly important for our mental and physical health, including protecting against several cancers and supporting people to be a healthy weight, which in turn reduces the risk of 13 cancer types.”

Never too late to start getting fit
Meanwhile, no one is too old to take up regular exercise and adopt other healthy habits, say a team of doctors and scientists in China and the United States. They found that late-life health kicks can increase a person’s chances of reaching the age of 100 or more.
“Adhering to a healthy lifestyle appears to be important even at late ages,” the researchers said, after assessing Chinese health survey data.
The American Medical Association published the assessment of over 5,000 elderly Chinese people, most of them older than 80 and including over 1,500 who made it to their 100th birthday.
The study indicates that “constructing strategic plans to improve lifestyle behaviours among all older adults may play a key role in promoting healthy ageing and longevity”, according to the team which carried out the research, as most similar studies have been focused on people in their sixties.
The information provided was self-reported by the people surveyed and took in factors such as alcohol intake, diet, exercise, smoking and weight.
The team warned that they could not properly account for the effect of “socioeconomic status, such as household income and occupation”, which elsewhere have been shown to affect health and longevity.
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Wellness

1.8 billion people risk ill-health with lack of exercise, but it’s never too late to start

It’s never too late to start exercising, such as taking up swimming (above), says a report by Chinese and American researchers. Worldwide, 1.8 billion people of all ages are not getting the recommended amount of exercise, risking ill-health, a World Health Organization report says. Photo: Shutterstock

Playing badminton is an example of moderate physical activity, the WHO says. Photo: Shutterstock

Slow cycling is an example of moderate physical activity. The WHO recommends getting at least 150 minutes of such exercise weekly to lower the risk of many diseases. Photo: Shutterstock

Adopting healthier lifestyle habits, even in late life, can increase a person’s chances of reaching the age of 100 and beyond, new research suggests. Photo: Shutterstock

How to age well? Hit the gym for weight-resistance training to regain muscle mass

Shigeo Takahashi, 83, uses a pec deck machine as he works out at the Fukagawa Sports Centre in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: AP

Physiologist Dr Marcas Bamman says resistance training is a great way to regain muscle mass as we age. Photo: The Institute for Human & Machine Cognition

Shigeo Takahashi, 83, uses a pec deck machine as he works out at the Fukagawa Sports Centre, in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: AP 

Toshiyuki Honma, 70, uses a chest press machine at the Fukagawa Sports Centre, in Tokyo. Photo: AP

Yasuko Kuroi, 72, uses a leg extension machine at the Fukagawa Sports Centre, in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: AP 

Putting high demands on the system – like resistance training – forces the body to adapt, by making stronger bones and bigger muscles, Bamman says. Photo: Shutterstock

How to age well? We ask Singaporean photographer Chuando Tan, 58, who looks half his age

Lots of water, lots of protein, exercise, a positive attitude and a little sunshine: these are the secrets to looking young as you age, says Singaporean photographer and influencer Chuando Tan, 58. Photo: instagram.com/chuando_chuandoandfrey


Tan posted this photo of himself from 1989, aged 23. Photo: instagram.com/chuando_chuandoandfrey

Tan, having a mug of tea with ice cream, enjoys this dessert once in a while. Photo: instagram.com/ chuando_chuandoandfrey

Tan celebrated his 58th birthday in March. Having a positive outlook on life is a key to his age-defying looks, he says. Photo: facebook.com/chuando.official

Tan recommends spending enough time in the sun to allow vitamin D synthesis, but warns that too much sun exposure can accelerate the ageing process. Photo: instagram.com/chuando_chuandoandfrey

How to age well: biking billionaire John Caudwell, 71, steers clear of sugar, sneaks KFC

John Caudwell and partner, former Olympian cyclist Modesta Vžesniauskaitė ready to go for a spin. Photo: John Caudwell

John Caudwell in his Mayfair residence in London. The British property tycoon describes how he stays fit and vital at the age of 71. A keen cyclist, on June 22 he tackles the 280km Chase the Sun race in Italy. Photo: John Caudwell

Caudwell in front of his development Le Provençal on the French Riviera. Photo: John Caudwell

Caudwell and his partner Modesta Vzesniauskaite on board the superyacht Titania. Photo: John Caudwell

Caudwell and his partner spend most of their time at Caudwell’s home in Staffordshire, in the UK. Photo: John Caudwell

Caudwell and his partner, a former Olympian cyclist, ready to go for a spin. On June 22 he was tackling the 280km Chase the Sun cycling race in Italy. Photo: John Caudwell

How to live to 100 and beyond: blue zones’ healthy longevity secrets spread to new places

Buettner with 102-year-old Jose Bonifacio, a cowboy in Nicoya, Costa Rica, who still rides his horse every morning. Photo: David McLain

Dan Buettner with a 93-year-old Greek Orthodox priest on the Aegean island of Ikaria, in Greece. There are no magic solutions to long life, says Buettner, who coined the term ‘blue zones’ for communities with healthy centenarians. Photo: David McLain

Dan Buettner speaks with 101-year-old Maria Roberta in Nicoya, Costa Rica. Photo: David McLain

100-year-old Marge Jetton does some strength training in Loma Linda, California. Photo: David McLain

Buettner has a bowl of butternut squash soup with a centenarian in Nicoya, Costa Rica. Photo: David McLain

Almost all Okinawan centenarians grow or used to grow a garden, providing daily physical activity that can help reduce stress and boost mood – and a regular source of fresh vegetables. Photo: David McLain 

In Blue Zones project cities in North America, small changes make big differences, such as creating a “walking school bus” – a group of children who walk to school with one or more adults – to curb childhood obesity. Photo: Shutterstock 

Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

Many people don’t exercise enough, a WHO study finds, while a Sino-US study shows getting active even late in life could see you live to 100


Inactivity increases risk of serious disease – a problem facing almost 1.8 billion people and rising, according to the WHO. However, research shows it is never too late to take up exercise that prolongs life.
