Status and Trends of Physical Activity Surveillance, Policy, and Research in 164 Countries: Findings From the Global Observatory for Physical Activity—GoPA! 2015 and 2020 Surveys
Authors: Ramírez Varela Andrea , Hallal Pedro C. , Mejía Grueso Juliana , Pedišić Željko , Salvo Deborah , Nguyen Anita , Klepac Bojana , Bauman Adrian , Siefken Katja , Hinckson Erica , Oyeyemi Adewale L. , Richards Justin , Salih Khidir Elena Daniela , Inoue Shigeru , Amagasa Shiho , Jauregui Alejandra , da Silva Marcelo Cozzensa , Lee I-Min , Ding Melody , Kohl Harold W. , Ekelund Ulf , Heath Gregory W. , Powell Kenneth E. , Foster Charlie , Memon Aamir Raoof , Doumbia Abdoulaye , Rather Abdul Roof , Razzaque Abdur , Diouf Adama , Hino Adriano Akira , Damasceno Albertino , Abebe Alem Deksisa , Florindo Alex Antonio , Mannocci Alice , Aringazina Altyn , Juričan Andrea Backović , Poffet Andrea , Decelis Andrew , Carlin Angela , Enescu Angelica , Ochoa Avilés Angélica María , Kontsevaya Anna , Somhegyi Annamaria , Vuillemin Anne , El Hamdouchi Asmaa , Théodore Asse Amangoua , Masanovic Bojan , Lynch Brigid M. , Medina Catalina , del Campo Cecilia , Abdeta Chalchisa , Moreways Changa , Ranasinghe Chathuranga , Howitt Christina , Cameron Christine , Jurakić Danijel , Martinez-Gomez David , Tladi Dawn , Diro Debrework Tesfaye , Adlakha Deepti , Mitić Dušan , Bjelica Duško , Biernat Elżbieta , Chisati Enock M. , Lambert Estelle Victoria , Cerin Ester , Lee Eun-Young , Riso Eva-Maria , Cañete Villalba Felicia , Assah Felix , Lovrić Franjo , Araya-Vargas Gerardo A. , La Torre Giuseppe , Cruz Gloria Isabel Niño , Baltaci Gul , Al Sabbah Haleama , Nalecz Hanna , Nashandi Hilde Liisa , Park Hyuntae , Revuelta-Sánchez Inés , Nusurupia Jackline Jema , Zamora Jaime Leppe , Kopcakova Jaroslava , Brazo-Sayavera Javier , Oppert Jean-Michel , Nie Jinlei , Spence John C. , Bradley John Stewart , Mota Jorge , Mitáš Josef , Chen Junshi , Hylton Kamilah S , Fromel Karel , Milton Karen , Borodulin Katja , Moustapha Keita Amadou , Martinez-Folgar Kevin , Nasreddine Lara , Christiansen Lars Breum , Malisoux Laurent , Malete Leapetswe , Grepo-Jalao Lorelie C. , Monteiro Luciana Zaranza , Al Subhi Lyutha K. , Dakskobler Maja , Alnaji Majed , Garro Margarita Claramunt , Hagströmer Maria , Murphy Marie H. , Mclaughlin Matthew  , Rivera-Morales Mercedes , Scheinowitz Mickey , Shkodra Mimoza , Piątkowska Monika , Chaudhury Moushumi , Alrashdi Naif Ziyad , Mutrie Nanette , Murphy Niamh , Ahmad Norhayati Haji , Obeidat Nour A. , Gómez Nubia Yaneth Ruiz , Liangruenrom Nucharapon , Arnesto Oscar Díaz , Flores-Flores Oscar , Incarbone Oscar , Chimeddamba Oyun , Bovet Pascal , Magalhães Pedro , Jousilahti Pekka , Katewongsa Piyawat , Gómez Rafael Alexander Leandro , Shihab Rawan Awni , Ocansey Reginald , Veress Réka , Marine Richard , Carrizales-Ramos Rolando , Saeed Saad Younis , El-Ashker Said , Green Samuel , Kasoma Sandra , Beretervide Santiago , Baldew Se-Sergio , Nichols Selby , Khoo Selina , Hosseini Seyed Ali , Goenka Shifalika , Gholamalishahi Shima , Kosen Soewarta , Compernolle Sofie , Enescu Stefan Paul , Popovic Stevo , Paudel Susan , Andrade Susana , Titze Sylvia , Davidson Tamu , Dusingizimana Theogene , Dorner Thomas E. , Kolbe-Alexander Tracy L. , Huong Tran Thanh , Sychareun Vanphanom , Jarevska-Simovska Vera , Puloka Viliami Kulikefu , Onywera Vincent , Wendel-Vos Wanda , Dionyssiotis Yannis , Pratt Michael 
Published: December 2022

Background: Physical activity (PA) surveillance, policy, and research efforts need to be periodically appraised to gain insight into national and global capacities for PA promotion. The aim of this paper was to assess the status and trends in PA surveillance, policy, and research in 164 countries. Methods: We used data from the Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!) 2015 and 2020 surveys. Comprehensive searches were performed for each country to determine the level of development of their PA surveillance, policy, and research, and the findings were verified by the GoPA! Country Contacts. Trends were analyzed based on the data available for both survey years. Results: The global 5-year progress in all 3 indicators was modest, with most countries either improving or staying at the same level. PA surveillance, policy, and research improved or remained at a high level in 48.1%, 40.6%, and 42.1% of the countries, respectively. PA surveillance, policy, and research scores decreased or remained at a low level in 8.3%, 15.8%, and 28.6% of the countries, respectively. The highest capacity for PA promotion was found in Europe, the lowest in Africa and low- and lower-middle-income countries. Although a large percentage of the world’s population benefit from at least some PA policy, surveillance, and research efforts in their countries, 49.6 million people are without PA surveillance, 629.4 million people are without PA policy, and 108.7 million live in countries without any PA research output. A total of 6.3 billion people or 88.2% of the world’s population live in countries where PA promotion capacity should be significantly improved. Conclusion: Despite PA is essential for health, there are large inequalities between countries and world regions in their capacity to promote PA. Coordinated efforts are needed to reduce the inequalities and improve the global capacity for PA promotion.