Half a billion people at risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity, WHO says

Nearly half a billion people will develop heart disease, obesity or diabetes if governments do not take “urgent action” to encourage more physical activity among the population, the World Health Organization said in a report on Wednesday.

Data from 194 countries showed that “progress is generally slow” and that “countries need to accelerate the development and implementation of policies to increase levels of physical activity, thereby preventing diseases.”

The report called on countries to prioritize physical activity as a key to improving health and treating non-communicable diseases, integrating physical activity into all relevant policies, and developing tools, guidance and training to improve implementation.