Public health experts have worked hard to remind us about the importance of exercise—for mental as well as physical health. Research has linked physical activity to alleviating symptoms of depression; lowering risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity; and living longer.
But the first global country-by-country report on teenagers’ physical activity suggests that the vast majority of the world’s teens aren’t getting the message. In a study published Nov. 21 in Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, researchers at the World Health Organization (WHO) analyzed the results of surveys that included 1.6 million adolescents aged 11 to 17 years from 146 countries in 2001 and then again in 2016.
