The World Health Organisation (WHO) today set out a ten-year strategy to tackle physical inactivity and get Europeans moving more.
The first European physical activity strategy 2016-2025 was unveiled at the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The strategy has been developed following WHO estimates that, in Europe, more than one third of adults and two thirds of adolescents are insufficiently active. Worldwide, physical inactivity causes 6–10% of cases of coronary heart disease, diabetes and breast and colon cancer and 9% of premature mortality.
Collectively, physical inactivity not only has substantial consequences for direct healthcare costs but also causes high indirect costs due to increased periods of sick leave, work disabilities and premature deaths. For a population of 10million people, where half the population is insufficiently active, the overall cost is estimated to be €910million per year.
The strategy aims to inspire governments and stakeholders to work towards increasing the level of physical activity among all citizens of the European Region by:
• promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviours
• ensuring an enabling environment that supports physical activity through engaging and safe built environments, accessible public spaces and infrastructure
• providing equal opportunities for physical activity regardless of gender, age, income, education, ethnicity or disability
• removing barriers to and facilitating physical activity
Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO regional director for Europe, said:
"Health systems across the region risk being crippled by people suffering the effects of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour. To address this, we have developed the first physical activity strategy for the WHO European Region 2016–2025.”
“We encourage governments to join forces to work across sectors to implement the strategy and to translate it to the national level. It is our expectation that it will enable citizens to have better, longer lives by promoting physical activity as part of their everyday lives”
To read the full strategy – Physical activity strategy for the WHO European Region 2016–2025 – here.
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