World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour

These new, updated WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, together with the WHO guidelines for under 5 years of age, provide recommendations on physical activity and sedentary behaviour for individuals across the whole age spectrum and address a long-lasting gap with the inclusion of key populations for the first time. Collectively, the recommendations affirm the importance of regular aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity and reduction in sedentary behaviours. Benefits accrue from doing any amount of physical activity and this applies to people of all ages and abilities. There are significant health gains and cost savings to health systems if countries adopt these guidelines and direct efforts and resources to implementation of programmes and policy to enable achievement of the 2030 GAPPA target set out in the global action plan on physical activity. Benefits extend also beyond the health sector as mounting evidence across diverse fields shows the interconnected social, economic and environmental impacts of more physically active populations. Now, it is time to work to ensure and support the adoption and implementation of these new global guidelines for a healthier, more active future worldwide.

Key messages

• These new 2020 WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour provide evidence-based public health recommendations concerning the amount and types of physical activity that offer significant health benefits and mitigate health risks.

• They update and replace the previous 2010 WHO recommendations on physical activity.

• The guidelines address children over the age of 5 years, adults, older adults and, for the first time, include specific recommendations for pregnant and postpartum women and people living with chronic conditions or disability.

• For all populations, the benefits of doing physical activity and limiting sedentary behaviour outweighed the potential harms.

• Risks can be managed by gradual increase in the amount and intensity of physical activity.

• Some physical activity is better than none for those not currently meeting these recommendations, individuals should start with small amounts of physical activity and gradually increase frequency, intensity and duration over time.

• Countries are encouraged to adopt and disseminate these new global guidelines to key audiences, and use them as the basis for sustained national public education communication campaigns responding to their national context and factors such as culture, ethnic diversity and social norms.

• These new guidelines should inform national policy and actions to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours as well as to align national health behaviour surveillance systems that track progress towards national and global targets.

• Important evidence gaps remain and more research is needed on the dose-response relationship between volume and/or intensity of physical activity and health outcomes, particularly in people living with disability, and further evidence from low-income and middle-income, disadvantaged or underserved communities.