Most teenagers around the world are not moving enough, and the picture has barely improved in 15 years. That is the main finding of a large new study published in The Lancet Global Health and co-authored by researchers at the World Health Organization, as reported by NPR on November 5, 2026.

The researchers pooled survey answers from more than 3 million adolescents in 140 countries, collected over the past decade and a half. The results are sobering for parents and schools everywhere, including in the United States.

What the study found

  • Only about 14% of adolescents worldwide said they were active for at least 60 minutes every day, the level the WHO recommends.
  • About one in four said they didn’t reach 60 minutes of activity on any day of the week.
  • On average, teens reported fewer than three days a week with an hour of activity.
  • The trend has been essentially flat over the 15-year period, which the WHO’s physical activity chief, Fiona Bull, described to NPR as disappointing.

The gender gap

In almost every country in the study, girls moved less than boys:

  • Nearly 30% of girls reported no days with an hour of activity, compared with 22% of boys.
  • Just 11% of girls met the daily goal, compared with 17% of boys.
  • Girls averaged 2.4 active days a week, boys about 3.

Researchers interviewed by NPR pointed to social expectations that discourage girls from sports and outdoor play once they reach puberty, as well as the type of activity girls do. Household chores can keep girls busy and moving, but they rarely add up to the moderate-to-vigorous exercise the guideline is about. Because habits formed in adolescence tend to carry into adulthood, an early gap can become a lifelong one.

Why so many teens fall short

Teens in poorer and middle-income nations generally reported less activity than teens in wealthy ones. Experts cited cities that aren’t built for walking, parents’ worries about safety, air pollution and the pull of screens once teens get home from school.

Many of those factors are familiar in the United States too. The CDC has long reported that fewer than one in four American children and teens get an hour of physical activity every day.

What the guideline actually asks

The U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines, published by the Department of Health and Human Services, match the WHO’s advice for children and teens ages 6 to 17:

  • At least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity every day. Moderate means a brisk walk or bike ride; vigorous means activity hard enough that talking becomes difficult, like running or a competitive game.
  • Muscle-strengthening activity, such as climbing, push-ups or resistance exercise, on at least three days a week.
  • Bone-strengthening activity, such as jumping, running or sports with impact, on at least three days a week. These can be part of the daily hour.

The hour doesn’t have to come all at once. Walking to school, gym class, sports practice and an evening bike ride all count toward the total.

How parents and schools can help

  • Build it into the routine. Walking or biking to school, where it’s safe, adds minutes every day without a separate workout.
  • Protect school activity. Researchers told NPR that countries where teens are most active tend to have more structured sport and play during or after the school day. Recess, physical education and affordable after-school programs matter.
  • Make room for girls’ sports. Encourage girls to keep playing through middle and high school, when many drop out, and look for teams and programs that are welcoming to beginners.
  • Swap some screen time, don’t just ban it. A family walk, a weekend hike or a pickup game is easier to sell than a rule.
  • Be active together. Children of active parents are more likely to be active themselves.

What we think

The 60-minute target sounds demanding, but it is built from ordinary pieces: the walk to school, practice, a game in the park. The study’s real message is about opportunity. Where teens have safe places to play and time set aside for sport, they move more.

The gender gap deserves the most attention. Girls start falling behind early, and the habits they form as teenagers often last a lifetime. For parents, the most useful time to protect a daughter’s love of sport is before middle school ends, when the drop-off usually begins.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have symptoms or questions about your own health, talk to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist. In an emergency, call 911.