A new global study has revealed that physical activity levels among teenagers have remained almost unchanged over the past 15 years, with girls consistently less active than boys.
According to the latest findings published in The Lancet Global Health, around 240 million adolescents aged 11 to 17 worldwide did not complete even 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on any day during the previous week.
The research analysed 389 population-based surveys involving more than 3.2 million adolescents across 140 countries and territories. On average, teenagers reported being physically active for just 2.7 days per week, while only 14 percent said they exercised for at least an hour every day.
The gender gap was particularly concerning. Around 28 percent of girls reported having no active days during the week, compared with 22 percent of boys. Only 11 percent of girls achieved the recommended activity level every day, compared with 17 percent of boys.
Researchers highlighted several factors contributing to inactivity, including limited access to safe outdoor spaces, concerns about personal safety, restrictive social expectations, insufficient school sports opportunities and increasingly screen-based lifestyles.
Girls may face additional barriers, particularly after puberty, when cultural expectations and safety concerns can limit their participation in outdoor sports and physical activities.
The World Health Organization recommends that children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 get an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily. Regular exercise supports healthy growth, strengthens bones and muscles, improves mental well-being and reduces the risk of chronic diseases later in life.
Experts say schools, families and communities must work together to make physical activity safer, more accessible and enjoyable for young people, rather than placing the entire responsibility on teenagers to exercise more.
