Exercise in Europe: Which countries do the most and least physical activity?

We all know that regular physical activity in the form of exercise or sports is essential for improving physical and mental health. Among other benefits, it supports cognitive functioning and well-being. 

However, the prevalence of insufficient physical activity remains high in Europe. Almost half of EU residents (45 per cent) report that they never exercise or participate in sports.

A joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) suggests that increasing physical activity could prevent thousands of premature deaths in the EU and save billions of euros in healthcare spending annually.

But which countries are the most and least physically active in Europe? What are the main reasons preventing people from exercising more regularly? How do age, gender, and education impact exercise and sports participation? What is the economic burden of insufficient physical activity? And how has the COVID-19 pandemic affected people’s exercise routines?

The comprehensive Eurobarometer survey on sports participation and physical activity in the EU Member States and the joint WHO-OECD report titled 'Step up! Tackling the burden of insufficient physical activity in Europe' address all these questions.

In 2016, more than one in three (35.4 per cent) adults in the 27 EU Member States were insufficiently active, according to the WHO dataset. This varied from 19 per cent in Finland to 46 per cent in Portugal. 

Insufficient physical activity was particularly prevalent in some southern European countries and less frequent in Nordic countries. The lowest rate was 18 per cent in Russia.

The Eurobarometer survey, conducted in April-May 2022, provides very fresh data on sports and