Physical Activity:
recreational & transportation options
Godfrey Xuereb
Team Leader, Population-based Prevention
Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion
World Health Organization
1.5 billion adults
are insufficiently active
Aged 15+; 2008;
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Source: WHO's report on "Global health risks"
Physical inactivity - 4th leading risk factor for global mortality
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60% of global deaths due to NCDs
American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Percentage of insufficient physical activity
comparable country estimates, 2008
Age standardized; by WHO Region and World Bank income group, men and women
Source: Global Status Report on NCDs, WHO, 2001
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Global response to NCDs
2000
Global Strategy for the
Prevention and Control of
Non-communicable Diseases
2002
2003
2004
2008
2011
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
High-level Meeting on NCDs
(New York, 19-20 September 2011)
Recommended actions for Member States
"Ensure that physical
environments support
safe active commuting,
and create space for
recreational activity"
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Recommended actions for Member States
 Introduce transport policies that promote active and safe
methods of travelling to and from schools and workplaces,
such as walking or cycling;
 Ensure that walking, cycling and other forms of physical
activity are accessible to and safe for all;
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Recommended actions for Member States
 Improve sports, recreation and leisure facilities
 Increase the number of safe spaces available for active play
 Implement school-based programmes
 Develop and implement national guidelines on PA for health
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
How much physical activity do we need?
New WHO Global Recommendations
• Main aim: providing
guidance on dose response
relation between frequency,
duration, type and total
amount of PA needed for
prevention of NCD’s
• Three age-groups; 5-17
year olds; 18-64; and 65+
• Main target audience;
national and local policy
makers
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Children and youth - aged 5-17
 at least 60 minutes of moderate to
vigorous intensity physical activity
daily
 > 60 minutes provide additional health
benefits
 Should:
– be mostly aerobic activity
– include vigorous intensity activities
– include muscle strengthening and bone
health activities at least 3 times per week.
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
PA includes play, games, sports,
transportation, recreation, physical
education, or planned exercise, in the
context of family, school, and community
activities.
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Promoting physical activity:
what works?
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Policy and environment
 Interventions targeting the built environment:
– reducing barriers to physical activity,
– Supportive transport policies and
– policies to increase space for recreational activity.
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Success: Ciclovias, Bogotá, Colombia
A cross between a street party and a marathon, Bogota's Ciclovía manages
to combine sport, recreation, health, commerce and culture in one package.
 Improvements in public transport at the city level.
 % persons travelling by car has dropped from 17% to 12% at peak times.
 55% of programmes provide economic opportunities (temporary businesses)
 63% of programs reported engaging the community (eg:volunteerism)
 Ciclovia has now extended to more than 38 cities in at least 11 countries in
the Americas.
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Multisectoral approach to implementation
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Look for “win-win-win” options, that help each sector
achieving its own goals
Goals
Reduce emissions of:
–air pollutants;
–greenhouse gases;
–noise
Environment
Health
Reduce congestion
Transport
Reduce road traffic injuries
Transport
Health
Reduce investments in infrastructure to cater
for more cars
Transport
Improve accessibility and quality of urban life
Transport
Health
Complement technological improvements to
vehicles and fuels
Transport
Increase physical activity
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Interest
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Health
School-based interventions
 High-intensity interventions that are comprehensive, multicomponent and include:
– curriculum on physical activity taught by trained teachers;
– supportive school environment/policies;
– a physical activity programme;
– a parental/family component;
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
School-based interventions
 High-intensity interventions that are comprehensive, multicomponent and include:
– A focused approach:
• programmes aimed at reducing sedentary behaviour and
increasing participation in physical activity, accompanied by
supportive activities within the curriculum.
– Formative assessments addressing:
• school needs and
• cultural contexts
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
WHO is linking with other sectors
2010 update:
Memorandum of Understanding IOC-WHO
" …agree to join efforts and to cooperate…to
promote healthy lifestyles, physical activity and
sport for all among the communities."
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Interventions
 Multi-component interventions
 Adapted to the local context
 Culturally and environmentally appropriate interventions
 Using existing social structures of a community (e.g. schools,
weekly meetings of older adults)
 Multistakeholder involvement throughout the process
 Listening, learning and targeting populations needs.
 Interventions targeting the built environment.
http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/whatworks/
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011
Thank you
http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/pa/en/index.html
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American Conference on Obesity, with special attention to Childhood Obesity June 2011