Half Of Indian Adults Face Rising Physical Inactivity, Lancet Report Highlights Health Risks

In 2022, nearly half of Indian adults failed to meet the recommended level of physical activity, according to new data published in the medical journal The Lancet Global Health.

The report indicates that this contributes to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes, as well as type 2 diabetes, dementia, and breast and colon cancers.

Globally, the proportion of such adults was 31%, while in India it was significantly higher at 49.4%, followed by 45.7% in Pakistan. In contrast, Bhutan and Nepal had much lower proportions at 9.9% and 8.2%, respectively.

Projections indicate that if current trends continue, the proportion of adults in India not meeting the recommended level of physical activity will rise to 59.9% by 2030.

The highest physical inactivity rates were in the high-income Asia Pacific (48%) and South Asia (45%), while other regions ranged from 28% in high-income Western countries to 14% in Oceania.

Experts highlight a concerning trend of rising physical inactivity among adults, with an increase of about 5 percentage points from 2010 to 2022.