One in Four Teens Worldwide Inactive All Week
A global analysis of 3.2 million adolescents found physical inactivity among teenagers has not improved since 2010.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Children’s Health
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Approximately 240 million teenagers worldwide reported no active days in a week in 2025, according to a global analysis of 389 surveys. Researchers found no change in adolescent physical inactivity between 2010 and 2025.
Why it matters
The findings indicate no country is on track to meet the 2030 global target for reducing adolescent physical inactivity. Girls reported inactive days at higher rates than boys, pointing to a persistent gender gap in youth activity.
The analysis combined self-reported data from 389 surveys covering 3.2 million adolescents aged 11-17 in 140 countries, representing 59% of the global adolescent population. Data gaps remain for 55 countries, including India, so the global picture is incomplete.
The players
World Health Organization
The United Nations agency that sets global physical activity guidelines and reduction targets for adolescents.
University of Edinburgh
A UK university whose researchers participated in the global analysis of adolescent physical activity data.
The details
Researchers combined self-reported physical activity data to update national, regional and global figures from 2010 to 2025. Only 14% of adolescents were active every day in 2025, and girls were active daily at 11% compared with 17% for boys.
Timeline
2010: Baseline year for WHO physical inactivity reduction targets.
2020: WHO recommended 60 daily minutes of activity for adolescents.
2025: Target year for a 10% inactivity reduction and the year of the study.
2030: Target year for a 15% inactivity reduction.
Health Landscape
The findings measure progress against the WHO's 2010 baseline and its 2030 target to cut adolescent physical inactivity by 15%. Little change since 2010 suggests global efforts to close the youth activity gap have not yet altered population-level trends.
Parents and teens can use the WHO recommendation of 60 daily minutes of activity as a benchmark for everyday routines. Activity levels appear to differ by sex, with girls less likely to be active daily than boys, which may shape how families plan exercise.
The takeaway
Small daily increases in movement count toward the recommended activity levels, and tracking active days can help teens and families stay on target. Because global progress has stalled, sustained attention to youth activity is needed to meet the 2030 goal.
Further reading
For more on youth health trends, explore our Children's Health coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by EdexLive.
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