Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

WHO report warns that adolescents get too little exercise as screen time replaces physical activity in homes across the world

WHO report warns that adolescents get too little exercise as screen time replaces physical activity in homes across the world

The majority of adolescents across the globe are not getting the proper amount of physical activity, according to a new study. A widening gender gap is also discovered across the 146 countries studied between 2001 and 2016, with a greater proportion of girls not getting enough exercise.
This trend of insufficient physical activity shows improvement for boys over the 15-year study period, but there is no change over time for girls.

Most adolescents aren’t getting enough exercise as screen time increasingly replaces physical activity in homes across the world, putting their current and future health at risk, the World Health Organization warned in a new study Thursday.

The study, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal, found that 85% of girls and 78% of boys are not meeting the current recommendation of at least one hour of physical activity per day. The authors of the study used data reported by 1.6 million students ages 11-17.

“Urgent policy action to increase physical activity is needed now, particularly to promote and retain girls’ participation in physical activity,” study author Dr. Regina Guthold of WHO said in a release.

This trend of physical inactivity is emerging because there has been “a real change in the way children use their time” over the past 10 to 20 years, Dr. Juana Willumsen, a WHO expert on physical activity, told CNBC.

“I think none of us can deny the digital revolution and that screens, tablets and phones have become a part of everyday life,” Willumsen said.

The leisure activities that children and adolescents are engaging in now tend to be more sedentary and screen-based rather than being outdoor exercise, sport or play, she added.

A widening gender gap was also discovered across the 146 countries studied between 2001 and 2016. Not only were girls less active than boys in all 146 countries except four -Tonga, Samoa, Afghanistan and Zambia -but 73% of the countries examined saw this gap grow between 2001 and 2016.

The difference between the number of boys and girls getting adequate exercise is greatest in the United States and Ireland.

“The trend of girls being less active than boys is concerning,” study co-author Leanne Riley of WHO said in a release. “More opportunities to meet the needs and interests of girls are needed to attract and sustain their participation in physical activity through adolescence and into adulthood.”

This trend of insufficient physical activity showed improvement for boys over the 15-year study period, but there was no change over time for girls.

The lowest levels of proper physical activity for girls were seen in Bangladesh and India and can potentially be explained by societal factors such as increased chores in the home, the study said.

This trend is concerning because proper amounts of physical activity in kids can improve muscular fitness and bone health and have positive effects on weight, as well as social and cognitive benefits. WHO recommends that adolescents get an hour of moderate or rigorous physical activity each day in order to achieve these benefits.

The data used for this study came from school-based surveys that asked questions about time spent doing physically demanding activities such as recreation and sports, active chores, walking or cycling, active play and physical education.

In order to get adolescents more active, the study says, there should be more effective policies and programs as well as national and local leadership. It also suggests that there should be more opportunities for kids to get active involving education, urban planning and road safety.

“Things like active transport, walking and cycling -even the opportunities to be active outdoors in public, open spaces -have been significantly eroded over the last few years,” Willumsen said.

Willumsen said urban planning can boost physical activity by placing schools within a walkable distance of the vast majority of the population or having shops close to peoples’ homes so they don’t feel the need to get into a car.

“Policies should increase all forms of physical activity, including through physical education that develops physical literacy, more sports, active play and recreation opportunities,” as well as “providing safe environments so young people can walk and cycle independently,” co-author Dr. Fiona Bull of WHO said in the release.

The study was funded by WHO and was conducted by researchers from WHO, Imperial College London and the University of Western Australia. Editors of the study noted that there were some limitations, including that the data collected included information only from adolescents who attended school.

Willumsen said she wasn’t sure how the results would change if children outside of school were surveyed, noting there are countries where a significant number of children do not attend secondary school.

“I think in low[-income] and potentially the low middle-income countries, children who might not be enrolled in school could potentially be working instead, and there they might be physically active because of their work,” she said.

Other children who are not enrolled in school may not be engaged in employment of any kind and therefore would be more likely to be physically inactive.

“Particularly if you think of high-income countries, children who are not engaged in school are likely just to be sitting at home and watching TV or engaged in some kind of screen-based recreation,” Willumsen said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×