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NEW DELHI: Physical inactivity is increasingly leading to a high disease burden and deaths, posing a major threat to productivity and contributing significantly to health expenditure. One in five adults, and four out of five adolescents (11-17 years) globally, do not get enough physical activity . This physical inactivity is costing $54 billion in direct healthcare, a latest report by the World Health Organisation shows.

While the UN agency report does not contain India-specific data, a report by Indian Council of Medical Research ( ICMR ) shows physical inactivity is very common in India with 54.4% people found inactive during a study by the government agency. The data shows males are significantly more active than females. However, people spend more active minutes at work than in the commuting and recreation domains. In fact, fewer than 10% engaging in recreational physical activity.

According to WHO, physical activity can be undertaken in many different ways. It can also be undertaken at work and around the home.

