"We are living in the least active era in human history." - Fiona Bull
The World Health Organisation closed 2025 by releasing a draft update to its global physical activity guidelines - the first major revision since 2020 - signalling a significant shift in how movement will be defined and measured heading into 2026.
The proposed updates give recommendations for:
Strength training - emphasising 'twice weekly' as a minimum rather than an ideal.
Sedentary behaviour limits - with clearer targets for prolonged sitting and screen time.
Youth activity - calling for structured strength and play-based conditioning from age five and upwards.
Older adult mobility - recognising gait, balance, and grip strength as core health markers.
Fiona Bull, the head of WHO’s Physical Activity Unit, said: "We are living in the least active era in human history.
"These guidelines reflect the simple truth that strength, movement, and reduced sedentary time are now fundamental to global health - not optional extras."
The WHO will finalise its framework in mid-2026, but the message is already clear: movement is medicine - and the world needs more of it.
