Only a small proportion of individuals worldwide meet physical activity guidelines

1. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, only 1/5th of adolescents and adults met the recommended combined aerobic and muscle strengthening activity (MSA) guidelines.

2. Several factors were associated with lower adherence to the physical activity guidelines, such as older age and female sex.

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent)

Many previous studies have demonstrated that several countries had poor overall adherence to physical activity guidelines. However, in many of these studies, only aerobic guidelines were considered, and muscle strengthening activities (MSA) were often overlooked. As a result, the objective of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the global prevalence of meeting both aerobic and MSA guidelines in the general population.

Of 3777 screened records, 21 (n=3 390 001 participants; 51.1% women) studies, from 32 countries, were included in the final analysis. Studies were included from the time of database inception to September 2022. Studies were included if aerobic and MSA guidelines were assessed in individuals aged ≥5 years old. Risk of bias was assessed using a 10-item tool. Statistical analyses were performed using random effects models. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed.

Results demonstrated that the overall adherence of physical activity guidelines was 17.12% in adults ≥18 years. In adolescents aged 12-17, adherence was slightly greater at 19.45%. No study reported data for children aged 5-11 years. Factors that led to lower adherence included: older age, female sex, low/medium educational levels, underweight or obesity, and poor or moderate self-rated health. The study was limited in its investigation of the adolescent population, as studies from only two countries were included for this demographic. Therefore, the generalizability of the findings in the adolescent population may be limited. Nonetheless, the study shows that globally, only a small proportion of individuals meet physical activity guidelines.

Click to read the study in British Journal of Sports Medicine

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