Physical inactivity refers to the lack of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in a person's lifestyle. It is distinct from
sedentary behavior.
Health effects
The
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
(WHO) has defined physical inactivity as a global public health problem. Each year, approximately 3.2 million people die from causes related to physical inactivity.
Prevalence

Globally, 28% of adults and 80% of adolescents are estimated to be insufficiently active.
As of 2008, the WHO identified the Americas and the
Eastern Mediterranean
The Eastern Mediterranean is a loosely delimited region comprising the easternmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea, and well as the adjoining land—often defined as the countries around the Levantine Sea. It includes the southern half of Turkey ...
as regions with the greatest prevalence of physical inactivity. Nearly half of all women in both of these regions have physical inactivity, as well as 40% of men in the Americas and 36% of men in the Eastern Mediterranean. In contrast, the region with the lowest prevalence of physical inactivity is
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
. There, 19% of women and 15% of men are physically inactive.
In the US, physical inactivity prevalence varies by state and ethnicity. All states and territories had prevalence rates of more than 15% of adults. Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and Washington were the only states with physical inactivity prevalence less than 20%. Seven states and two territories had prevalence greater than 30%: Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Mississippi, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Hispanics have the highest rate of physical inactivity (31.7%), followed by African-Americans (30.3%), and then non-Hispanic whites (23.4%).
Causes
Several factors have been identified as part of the rising prevalence of physical inactivity. People are participating less in physical activity during leisure time. Additionally, they are increasingly likely to use sedentary behaviors during work and domestic activities. Also, instead of walking or cycling, many now use passive transportation. Urbanization may also increase physical inactivity: factors such as violence, lack of greenspace, poor air quality, and dense traffic may discourage physical activity.
The rise of technology has shifted physical activity patterns, lessening the demand for manual tasks. Modern devices like computers, smartphones, and digital entertainment options have made inactive leisure more appealing.
References
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External links
WHO fact sheet on physical activity
Medical terminology
Global health