Regular physical activity improves physical and mental health. It is recommended for people of all ages and conditions. National governments, however, remain immobile. Moving forward at this rate, up to 500 million new cases of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) will be possible by 2030. E.g., diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancer, and dementia). The UN report ‘Global status on physical activity 2022‘ therefore also calls on governments to take action. (1)
Sedentary lifestyle and disease
81 percent of adolescents and 27.5 percent of adults today do not achieve the levels of physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO, or WHO). And the sedentary nature of large segments of the population affects not only the health of individuals and the lives of their families, but also health services and society as a whole. At a total cost of about $27 billion per year, for care and support services.
The new cases of noncommunicable diseases that UN estimates by 2030 will predominantly come from hypertension (47 percent) and depression (43 percent) . Three-fourths of the events will occur in low- to middle-income countries, but the highest economic cost will occur in high-income countries, where sedentary diseases will account for 70 percent of total health spending. (2) Moreover, this course can be reversed, since ‘every move counts.’
WHO, the global action plan for physical activity 2018-2030
WHO’sGlobal Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018-2030(GAPPA), as noted above, offers a number of recommendations to member state governments on how to promote improvements in population health.
National, regional and territorial governments need to activate a series of concrete measures in favor of exercise. Public awareness and education campaigns, starting with schools and health posts, but also investments in road infrastructure, to improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, and sports facilities.
Transportation sustainability is included in the program, with a view to reducing car use, encouraging physical movement in intermodal transportation, and improving air quality.
Widespread political inertia
GAPPA, if effectively implemented globally, can make it possible to achieve the goal-ambitious, yet realistic-of reducing physical inactivity levels by 15 percent, by 2030. But member states must engage seriously and effectively.
Less than half of the 194 members of the United Nations reportedly have a national policy on physical activity. And less than 40 percent of the stated ‘policies’ turn out to be operational. Physical activity of under-5 children, paradoxically, is ignored by more than 70% of countries.
Analysis of GAPPA indicators
Only two GAPPA policy indicators have been implemented by more than three-quarters of the countries:
– Conducting national physical activity surveillance (among adults, children and adolescents),
– The presence of national road safety design standards for safe crossings for pedestrians and cyclists.
Too little, thunders WHO, in the report requested by member states under World Health Assembly Resolution 71.6.
Risks and opportunities
‘While some countries have begun to implement the various policy actions recommended by GAPPA, global implementation since its adoption 5 years ago has been slow and uneven, resulting in little progress toward increasing levels of physical activity in the population.
The consequence of this “stagnation” is that health systems, already struggling, are burdened with preventable diseases now and even more so in the future, while communities fail to benefit from the broader social, environmental and economic benefits associated with more active people‘.
Notes
(1) ‘Global status on physical activity 2022’. WHO, World Health Organization 18.10.22 https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240059153
(2) Obesity and overweight are in turn cause and effect of the ongoing epidemic of NCDs(Non-Communicable Diseases). See Sabrina Bergamini. Obesity, childhood obesity, and marketing. WHO Europe 2022 Report. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 16.6.22
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
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