World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour

Bibliographic Data

ID23312931
AuthorsFrancis Bull (0000-0001-8035-4973, The University of Western Australia, corresponding author), Salih S Al-Ansari, Stuart Biddle (0000-0002-7663-6895, University of Southern Queensland), Katja Borodulin (0000-0001-9529-2592, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), Matthew P Buman (0000-0002-5130-3162, Arizona State University), Greet Cardon (0000-0003-4983-6557, Ghent University), Catherine Carty (0000-0003-4995-7359, University Hospital Kerry), Jean‐philippe Chaput (0000-0002-5607-5736, University of Ottawa), Sébastien Chastin (0000-0003-1421-9348, Glasgow Caledonian University), Rosalind Chou (0000-0001-9889-8610, Oregon Health & Science University), Roger Chou, Paddy C Dempsey (0000-0002-1714-6087, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute), Loretta Dipietro (0000-0002-3064-3977, Milken Institute), Ulf Ekelund (0000-0003-2115-9267, Norwegian Institute of Public Health), Joseph Firth (0000-0002-0618-2752, University of Manchester), Christine M Friedenreich (0000-0002-4783-1966, Alberta Health Services), Leandro Martin Totaro Garcia (0000-0001-5947-2617, Queen's University Belfast), Leandro Garcia, Muthoni Gichu (0000-0003-2048-7111, Ministry of Health), Russell Jago (0000-0002-3394-0176, University of Bristol), P T Katzmarzyk (0000-0002-9280-6022, Pennington Biomedical Research Center), Estelle V Lambert (0000-0003-4315-9153, University of Cape Town), Michael F Leitzmann (0000-0002-0371-2789, University of Regensburg), Michael Leitzmann, Karen Milton (0000-0002-0506-2214, University of East Anglia), Francisco B Ortega (0000-0003-2001-1121, Universidad de Granada), Chathuranga Ranasinghe (0000-0002-5874-4331, University of Colombo), Emmanuel Stamatakis (0000-0001-7323-3225, The University of Sydney), Anne Tiedemann (0000-0003-4076-2870, The University of Sydney), Richard P Troiano (0000-0002-6807-989X, National Cancer Institute), Hidde P van der Ploeg (0000-0002-3719-5249, The University of Sydney), Vicky Wari (National Department of Health), Juana F Willumsen (0000-0001-5067-6453, World Health Organization)
Year2020
Volume54
Issue24
Pages1451-1462
Publication date2020-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBritish Journal of Sports Medicine (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0306-3674 • E-ISSN: 1473-0480
PublisherBMJ (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955
PMID33239350
OpenAlexW3108106255
LanguageEN
Citations received1.296
References cited17

Objectives To describe new WHO 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Methods The guidelines were developed in accordance with WHO protocols. An expert Guideline Development Group reviewed evidence to assess associations between physical activity and sedentary behaviour for an agreed set of health outcomes and population groups. The assessment used and systematically updated recent relevant systematic reviews; new primary reviews addressed additional health outcomes or subpopulations. Results The new guidelines address children, adolescents, adults, older adults and include new specific recommendations for pregnant and postpartum women and people living with chronic conditions or disability. All adults should undertake 150–300 min of moderate-intensity, or 75–150 min of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or some equivalent combination of moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, per week. Among children and adolescents, an average of 60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity across the week provides health benefits. The guidelines recommend regular muscle-strengthening activity for all age groups. Additionally, reducing sedentary behaviours is recommended across all age groups and abilities, although evidence was insufficient to quantify a sedentary behaviour threshold. Conclusion These 2020 WHO guidelines update previous WHO recommendations released in 2010. They reaffirm messages that some physical activity is better than none, that more physical activity is better for optimal health outcomes and provide a new recommendation on reducing sedentary behaviours. These guidelines highlight the importance of regularly undertaking both aerobic and muscle strengthening activities and for the first time, there are specific recommendations for specific populations including for pregnant and postpartum women and people living with chronic conditions or disability. These guidelines should be used to inform national health policies aligned with the WHO Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030 and to strengthen surveillance systems that track progress towards national and global targets.

Aerobic exercise · Environmental health · Guideline · MEDLINE · Physical activity · Physical therapy · Population · Sedentary behavior · Sedentary lifestyle · Systematic review · Gestational Diabetes Research and Management · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Physical Activity and Health · Gerontology