Girls face a widening health challenge as new global estimates reveal that 240 million adolescents aged 11–17 are missing daily physical activity, raising concerns about the long-term burden of preventable noncommunicable diseases.
A growing number of adolescents worldwide are missing out on the health benefits of physical activity, with one in four reporting that they did not achieve even one day of recommended movement in the week preceding a new global assessment by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The findings, released on 4 November 2026, reveal that approximately 240 million young people aged 11–17 did not complete at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on any day during the previous week.
The study, published in The Lancet Global Health, points to a persistent global public health challenge, with adolescent physical activity levels showing virtually no improvement over the past 15 years.
On average, adolescents reported being physically active for just 2.7 days a week, while only 14 per cent achieved the recommended activity level on all seven days.
The findings raise concerns about the health risks facing a generation growing up with increasingly sedentary lifestyles, limited opportunities for recreation and environments that do not always support safe movement.
Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. Establishing healthy physical activity habits during adolescence is therefore important in reducing the likelihood of these conditions later in life.
“For 15 years, the world has made almost no progress in getting young people moving, and girls are being left furthest behind,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
He argued that addressing the problem requires more than encouraging adolescents to exercise, calling for safer schools, streets and communities where physical activity becomes part of everyday life.
The study draws on 389 population-based surveys conducted across 140 countries and territories, involving more than 3.2 million adolescents.
Beyond the overall inactivity levels, the research highlights a persistent gender divide, with girls facing greater barriers to achieving recommended physical activity levels.
Twenty-eight per cent of girls reported having no active days during the previous week, compared with 22 per cent of boys.
The gap was equally evident among adolescents who managed to remain active throughout the week. Only 11 per cent of girls reported meeting the daily activity threshold on all seven days, compared with 17 per cent of boys.
According to WHO, girls were less physically active than boys in almost every country and across every WHO Region, suggesting that the disparity is not confined to particular geographical or economic settings.
The differences between countries were also significant. While some recorded as few as four per cent of adolescents reporting no active days, others had figures exceeding 40 per cent.
The findings suggest that adolescent inactivity cannot be explained by individual lifestyle choices alone.
Where young people live, attend school, travel and spend their leisure time significantly influences their opportunities to participate in physical activity.
Limited access to safe public spaces, inadequate walking and cycling infrastructure, transport systems, affordability challenges and social expectations can all restrict opportunities for movement.
For girls in particular, safety concerns and social norms may further limit participation in outdoor recreation and sporting activities.
Meanwhile, increasingly screen-based lifestyles are changing how adolescents spend their free time, potentially reducing opportunities for active play and movement.
WHO says reversing the trend requires coordinated action across several sectors, including education, transport, urban planning, sport and healthcare.
Schools are particularly important in creating opportunities for regular physical activity through physical education, organised sports, active recreation and supportive learning environments.
Beyond schools, governments need to invest in safe walking and cycling routes, accessible playgrounds and public recreational facilities that allow adolescents to remain active without facing unnecessary safety or financial barriers.
The organisation is also calling for targeted interventions to address the barriers that disproportionately affect girls, ensuring that opportunities for sports, recreation and everyday movement are accessible to all adolescents.
The latest findings reinforce the need to treat physical inactivity as a public health and development issue rather than simply an individual behavioural concern.
With approximately 240 million adolescents reporting no active days in a week, the challenge extends beyond encouraging young people to exercise. It requires governments and communities to reconsider how schools, neighbourhoods, transport systems and public spaces are designed.
For a generation transitioning into adulthood, the environments created today could determine whether physical activity becomes a lifelong health habit or an increasingly inaccessible part of everyday life.
