Last updated on 4-12-2024 by Laïla Boulbayem
Why do we study physical activity in adults?
- Regular physical activity helps prevent and manage non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. It also benefits mental health and maintaining a healthy weight.
- Physical inactivity is a major global health concern, contributing to 4-5 million preventable deaths annually. 28% of adults and 81% of adolescents do not meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) physical activity guidelines.
- The WHO recommends adults to engage in sufficient physical activity: at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week (or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activities) for substantial health benefits.
- Studying physical (in)activity has important public health implications, as these findings provide a basis for policymakers across various sectors to promote physical activity and its health benefits.
How do we do it?
- Physical activity in adults was examined using the long version of the self-report International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). This questionnaire is used to determine the intensity, frequency, and duration of physical activity in different situations (transportation, leisure, work and household/garden), as well as general physical activity levels.
- The IPAQ measures three types of physical activity: walking, moderate, and vigorous physical activity:
- walking is evaluated during work, transportation and leisure time ;
- moderate physical activity refers to activities such as cycling and yard work. They were described to respondents as “a moderate physical exertion that makes you breathe slightly faster and deeper than normal”;
- vigorous physical activity includes high-intensity activities such as jogging, mountain biking, and moving furniture. They were described as “a heavy physical exertion that makes you breathe much faster and deeper than normal”.
- The proportion of adults engaging in sufficient physical activity levels (as defined by the WHO definitions above) was assessed.
- Although questionnaires are valuable tools, people often overestimate their physical activity due to difficulty in judging physical activity intensity, forgetfulness, or the desire to provide socially acceptable answers. These limitations signify that these results are best suited for comparing groups (e.g., by sex, age, or socio-economic status) rather than for drawing absolute conclusions.
Key results
There is no difference between men and women in reaching the physical activity guidelines as defined by the WHO.
The proportion of young adults engaging in sufficient physical activity is lower than that of middle-aged adults.19% of children and 21% of adolescents have overweight (including obesity), while 4% of children and 7% of adolescents have obesity.
The proportion of adults with low-educational levels who engage in sufficient physical activity is lower than that of adults with mid-educational levels.
The proportion of the adult population engaging in sufficient physical activity remained constant between 2014-2015 and 2022-2023.
Age and sex
Proportion of the adult Belgian population aged 18 to 64 years engaging in sufficient moderate-to-vigorous physical activity according to the WHO guidelines, by sex and age, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Sufficient physical activity = adults should do at least 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity; or at least 75 to 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activities throughout the week, for substantial health benefits.
- Overall, the proportion of young adults (aged 18 to 39 years) engaging in sufficient physical activity (70%) is lower than that of middle-aged adults (aged 40 to 64 years; 79%).
- 75% of adult men engage in sufficient physical activity: 71% of young adult men aged 18 to 39 years engage in sufficient physical activity and 78% of middle-aged adult men aged 40 to 64 years engage in sufficient physical activity.
- 76% of women engage in sufficient physical activity: 68% of young adult women aged 18 to 39 years engage in sufficient physical activity whereas 81% of middle-aged adult women aged 40 to 64 years engage in sufficient physical activity.
Educational level
Proportion of the adult Belgian population aged 18 to 64 years engaging in sufficient moderate-to-vigorous physical activity according to the WHO guidelines, by educational level, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex and socioeconomic status.
- Sufficient physical activity = adults should do at least 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity; or at least 75 to 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activities throughout the week, for substantial health benefits.
- The educational level is calculated at the household level by considering the highest diploma obtained by: (i) the respondents or their partner for adults (aged 18 years and above), or (ii) the father and mother (or carer, if applicable) for children and adolescents (aged 3 to 17 years). However, for simplicity, we refer to the educational level of individuals rather than the educational level of their households.
- In the adult Belgian population, a difference in engagement in sufficient physical activity is observed only between adults with the lowest and medium educational levels. A lower proportion of adults with low-educational levels (72%) engage in sufficient physical activity compared to those with mid-educational levels (80%). There is no meaningful difference between individuals with the highest educational levels (78%) and those with medium and low-educational levels.
Region and year
Proportion of the adult Belgian population aged 18 to 64 years engaging in sufficient moderate-to-vigorous physical activity according to the WHO guidelines, by region and year, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Adjusted = results weighted for season, age, sex and socioeconomic status, and adjusted according to age and sex based on linear regression model (using the Belgian population of 2022-2023 as reference).
- Sufficient physical activity = adults should do at least 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity; or at least 75 to 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activities throughout the week, for substantial health benefits.
- Overall, the proportion of the adult population engaging in sufficient physical activity remained constant from 2014-2015 to 2022-2023 in the Belgian population aged 18 to 64 years.
- Additionally, there are no differences in the proportion of adults engaging in sufficient physical activity across regions.
Please cite this page as: Sciensano. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour of adults: Amount and intensity of physical behaviour, Food Consumption Survey 2022-2023, December 2024, Brussels, Belgium, https://www.sciensano.be/en/results-national-food-consumption-survey-2022-2023/physical-activity-and-sedentary-behaviour-adults/amount-and-intensity-physical-activity-adults-aged