A new WHO study from 9 countries in the WHO European Region suggests that, contrary to common perceptions, many people are more active while commuting and during work hours than in their leisure time. The study “Physical inactivity in nine European and Central Asian countries” found that work-related physical activity was by far the highest contributor to activity levels (ranging from 44.2% to 69.4% across the 9 countries), with physical activity during leisure time the lowest (1.9% to 10.6%).
A lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for a host of chronic health problems, including cancer and heart disease.
Attempts to combat the problem will require more people participating in sports and exercise during their leisure time, as well as policy measures to continue promoting active travel such as cycling and walking.
These were the key conclusions of the wide-ranging WHO analysis across 9 countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. Across the WHO European Region, policy interventions are urgently required to stem the rise in noncommunicable diseases.
New data: physical activity for work and leisure
“The data analysis will allow us to identify all existing problems due to physical inactivity across these different countries,” said Diana Andreasyan, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Health in Armenia – one of the countries that took part in the survey.
“Interpretation of the survey data can contribute to the implementation of measures to prevent physical inactivity in the country, and make it possible to reduce the mortality rate of the population from diseases of the circulatory system, malignant neoplasms and other common noncommunicable diseases, and to improve the quality of life indicators of the population.”
The WHO study assessed how many people in each country were physically active during leisure time, for transport and while working (including household chores).
A neglected risk factor
“Unfortunately physical activity is not high on the political agenda in Moldova,” said Galina Obreja, Associate Professor at the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova.
“Usually we are talking more about other risk factors – we’re talking about tobacco, about alcohol, about diet. We need to give more attention to physical inactivity.”
The prevalence of physical inactivity was relatively low in the Republic of Moldova, at 10.1% for both genders – compared to 21.3% in Armenia and 43.6% in Turkey, which was the highest recorded in the study.
Transport contributes to physical inactivity
However, Obreja said that increasingly sedentary working habits and reliance on cars, buses and trains meant that the numbers would rise in future analyses.
“Despite the fact that we had only 10.1% of the population who was physically inactive, as humans our level of physical activity is decreasing because a huge proportion of physical activity is related to work, and to the transport used to get to work.”
“One of the main reasons for physical inactivity in Armenia is that most people move by cars,” added Andreasyan. “This problem is increasing every year, especially among the population aged 25–60.”
Lifestyle counselling needed
Other factors contributing to low levels of physical activity across the countries included age and gender – with physical inactivity more prevalent among women. In addition, access to walking and cycling opportunities, and whether the surveyed individuals lived alone or with other people was taken into account.
“There is also inadequate involvement of primary care professionals in raising awareness of the population about physical activity and healthy diet,” said Andreasyan of the results in Armenia – a problem that was mirrored in the WHO analysis across the Region.
“Lifestyle counselling is part of the job of primary care physicians, but in practice they are overwhelmed with paperwork and have little time for counselling.”
For adults aged 18–64, WHO recommends either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both.
“Physical activity levels differ between countries, probably due to local context and different cultural norms. The level of development of countries may also play a dynamic role, with technological advances and a transition from active to sedentary occupations,” said Stephen Whiting of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases.
“Creating environments that enable cycling and walking for transport while providing local opportunities to participate in physical activity and sports for all are key, with the overall goal of reducing physical inactivity and the impact of noncommunicable diseases.”
