58.5% of Saudis Active

According to information published by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), 58.5% of adults aged 18 and older in Saudi Arabia engage in at least 150 minutes of physical activity weekly.

For children and adolescents aged 5 to 17, only 18.7% meet the advised 60 minutes of daily activity, reflecting different levels of physical involvement across age groups.

The 2024 Physical Activity Bulletin showcases crucial trends in exercise and lifestyle habits across various demographics within the Kingdom.

The findings indicate noticeable disparities across genders, nationalities, and age groups.

Men were found to be more physically active than women, with 23.2% of men meeting activity benchmarks compared to just 14% of women.

Non-Saudis displayed higher activity rates at 62.5%, whereas 54.1% of Saudis reached the recommended activity levels.

Adults aged 30 to 39 were the most active, with 62.6% completing 150 minutes or more of weekly physical activity, while only 12.2% of those aged 80 and older achieved this target.

For children and adolescents, while 18.7% adhered to the daily physical activity recommendation, 35.3% spent over three hours sitting every day outside of school.

Non-Saudi youth recorded slightly higher activity levels than Saudi youth, at 19.4% compared to 18.5%.

Among adults, walking or cycling for transportation topped the list of physical activities, with 56% participating. This was followed by leisure activities (39%) and physical activity related to work (31%).

Regionally, Al-Baha recorded the highest proportion of children and adolescents meeting the daily 60-minute activity goal at 30.4%, while Riyadh had the lowest rate at 14.7%.

The bulletin, compiled using data from the 2024 National Health Survey, the Women and Child Health Survey, and GASTAT population estimates, offers an in-depth analysis of self-reported physical activity rates among Saudi Arabia's population.

It provides valuable insights into the country's evolving fitness and health trends.

Source: saudigazette

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