Physical activity: WHO and OECD outline policy options for achieving recommended exercise levels

Increasing physical activity to the minimum levels recommended by the World Health Organization would prevent 10 000 premature deaths a year and save billions in healthcare spending throughout the EU, a report from WHO and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has concluded.1

The report gives examples of public policies that could be adopted to help increase physical activity to the recommended level of at least 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity.

Examples (see box) include promoting active modes of transport to and from workplaces and schools, building cooperation between sports clubs and primary schools, and developing programmes to help people whose jobs involve sitting for long periods.

Hans Henri P Kluge, WHO regional director for …