Regular physical activity saves lives … reducing the risk of the co-morbid chronic diseases and improving quality of life, physical and mental well-being, and boosting the immune system. For the first time on our continent, health care providers and policy makers acknowledge the importance of physical activity for health and development in the African region. Bold steps are needed.

Executive summary

This Physical Activity for Health in Africa policy brief, prepared by physical activity experts across the African continent, serves to guide decision makers, planners and programme leaders, both during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. More than ever, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to prioritise physical activity as an imperative for public health in Africa. With nearly 30% of the disease burden in Sub-Saharan Africa attributable to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), which are the very conditions that are associated with an increased risk of hospitalization and mortality in patients with COVID-19 9,10, the urgency of an intervention is escalated. Approximately 18% of men and 25% of women in Africa are still insufficiently physically active to protect them from NCDs 11.

In this policy brief, a framework for implementation is offered, providing various local and global examples of approaches to promote and integrate physical activity opportunities that address social, environmental and economic inequalities. This framework is aligned to the World Health Organization Global Action Plan for Physical Activity (GAPPA) and is relevant both during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Physical activity is not a competing demand for resources, public health and development. It plays a vital role for well-being during the current pandemic and in creating a healthy future for the African region.

View the complete Physical activity and health for children and adolescents in Africa: COVID-19 and beyond: for home, schools and communities Policy Brief