Introduction
Physical exercise, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is any
movement involving the skeletal muscles that demands the use of energy. This covers all
types of movement, including that which is done for work, domestic chores, commutes, and
leisure time. Moderate-to-intense physical activity as well as vigorous exercise can improve
health. Walking, cycling, wheeling, sports, leisure activities, and play are common ways for
people of all skill levels to keep active.
Health and well-being are enhanced by physical activity, whereas inactivity raises the
risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and other unfavorable health consequences.
Sedentary lifestyles and physical inactivity are driving up the prevalence of
noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and putting pressure on healthcare systems.
Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for the mortality of noncommunicable
diseases. Insufficiently active individuals have a 20% to 30% higher chance of dying than
appropriately active individuals. Participation in fitness programs and regular exercise have
been associated with decreased risk of pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational
diabetes, excessive gestational weight gain, delivery complications, postpartum depression,
and newborn complications; and decreased risk of all-cause mortality, risk of cardiovascular
disease mortality, incident hypertension, incident site-specific cancers, incident type-2
diabetes, and falls in adults and older adults. Frequent exercise has also been linked to
improved bone health, reduced body fat, cognitive performance, mental health, and
cardiometabolic health in children and teenagers.
According to a pooled analysis of 507 population-based surveys with 5·7 million
participants on national, regional, and global trends in insufficient physical activity among
adults from 2000 to 2022 by Flaxman et. al (2024), 1.8 billion persons worldwide—roughly
one-third (31%) of the adult population—are physically inactive. In other words, they fall
short of the global standards, which call for 150 minutes or more a week of moderate-intense
physical activity. From 2010 and 2022, this represents a 5 percentage point rise. By 2030,
35% of individuals are expected to fall short of the recommended levels of physical exercise
if current trends continue.
There are significant age and gender disparities in the amount of physical inactivity
around the world. Men are five percentage points more physically active than women on
average. Since 2000, this has remained the same, according to WHO reports. Based on
global statistics, men and women are more likely to be physically inactive after the age of
sixty. According to a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1·6 million
participants on global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents by Guthold
et. al. (2020), among teenagers 11–17 years old, 81% did not engage in any physical
activity. Teenage females did not fulfill WHO recommendations for physical activity, with 7%
being less than teenage boys.
Over 108 million people live in the Philippines, an archipelagic nation where children
and youth make up about 30% of the population. Surveillance data reveal an alarmingly high
prevalence of inadequate physical activity (PA) among young Filipinos. (Marques, et. al.,
2020) The Philippine Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) reported in 2019 that
84.6% of Filipino adolescents between the ages of 10 and 17 do not meet the recommended
amount of PA for health. The high prevalence of physical inactivity among young Filipinos
raises a public health concern that requires serious attention from regional public health
authorities and stakeholders.
Data indicate that the Philippines has not effectively addressed the issue of physical
inactivity, particularly among Filipino children and adolescents, despite the government's
attempts to promote physical activity through sports, physical education (PE), and healthy
lifestyles. The percentage of Filipino adolescents meeting the global PA recommendation,
for example, has remained significantly low since 2003, and there is a growing trend in
sedentary behaviors. Data from the Global School-based Health Surveys (2015) reveal this
disparity. It is not yet clear whether this is because of ineffective physical activity policies or a
lack of technical capacity to implement existing policies.
For the purpose of screening, monitoring, and surveillance, physical fitness is a
crucial indicator of health in children and adolescents. However, the researchers identified
two gaps in literature that will serve as the basis for the report. First, the present data in
existing literature do not completely capture sedentary behaviors. Sedantary behavior should
encapsulate the time spent using newer devices such as smartphones, which are more likely
to be owned and used by Filipino adolescents, and other SB like sitting in motorized
transport. Second, while physical fitness tests are administered on a regular basis in the
majority of public schools, pertinent data for the report cannot be accessed. The lack of a
publicly available national report suggests that data from earlier test administrations have
remained unconsolidated. The lack of funding and technical know-how, as well as competing
priorities, which are prevalent in low-to middle-income countries (LMICs), may be the cause
of this. This paper seeks to address the gaps by developing a comprehensive report on the
physical activity situation among children and adolescents in Leyte. The ultimate goal of this
study is to increase awareness and persuade advocates and stakeholders to provide greater
opportunities for youth physical activity.