Physical Activity is a ‘best buy’ for public health: especially for our youth

Physical inactivity is one of the biggest public health threats of this century and greatly increases the risk of non-communicable diseases. This is especially true for our children and youth, where fallout from current pandemic lockdowns has disrupted access to physical activity and sport. Virtual classrooms translated into forfeited recess and free play while kids were thrown in front of computer screens and confined to a sedentary lifestyle. In large urban centres with many living in high rises, lockdowns on playgrounds and parks removed options for running or playing. Prior to the pandemic, physical inactivity was already a critical issue—a WHO survey of 1.6 million participants in 146 countries revealed that 81% of children and adolescents aged 11–17 were not active enough for optimal health.1

In response, WHO created the global action plan on physical activity, a call to action for policy change and effective implementation, where school-based policy initiatives are an essential component to create a more active society.2 …