80% of adolescents don't even spend an hour on physical activity, at risk of heart disease: WHO study

Insufficient physical activity among teenagers has made them more vulnerable to heart diseases, as a recent study by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that more than 80% of school-going adolescents between the ages of 11-17 do not spend even an hour on any physical activity.

The WHO study, based on data from 1.6 million people in 146 countries, recommends an urgent need to increase physical activity among this age group by at least spending one hour (the minimum requirement as recommended) on cardio activities throughout the day such as active play, recreation and sports, domestic chores, walking and cycling or other types of active transportation. The study says that these activities will have significant effects on improving cardiovascular and muscular fitness, bone and cardiometabolic health and weight.

"The study highlights that young people have the right to play and should be provided with the opportunities to realise their right to physical and mental health and wellbeing," co-author Dr Fiona Bull, WHO, said.

An alarming highlight in the study is the fact that India, along with Bangladesh and the United States (US), ranks the lowest in physical activity among boys, while the Philippines has taken the last place in overall physical activity among teenagers.

The countries showing the greatest decreases in boys being insufficiently active were Bangladesh (from 73% to 63%), Singapore (78% to 70%), Thailand (78% to 70%), Benin (79% to 71%), Ireland (71% to 64%), and the USA (71% to 64%). However, among girls, changes were small, ranging from a 2 percentage-point decrease in Singapore (85% to 83%) to a 1 percentage-point increase in Afghanistan (87% to 88%), the study added.