Only one in seven adolescents worldwide is physically active every day, according to a study published on Wednesday, November 4, in The Lancet Global Health. The World Health Organization recommends that people aged 11 to 17 average at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
One in four adolescents reported doing no moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for at least 60 minutes on any day in the seven days before they were surveyed. The study included activity at school, during travel and in leisure time.
Researchers brought together data from 389 studies covering 3.2 million young people in 140 countries. France was not included. The authors said the findings point to no global progress over the past 15 years, while noting that differences in methods and the use of larger, more recent datasets mean the new analysis cannot be compared directly with earlier estimates.
Sources: Le Monde Sciences.