Are you exercising enough?More than a third of Abu Dhabi’s communities meet WHO physical activity guidelines

A survey on community sports trends in the emirate of Abu Dhabi revealed that 37.3% of the 10,854 respondents met the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations and guidelines for physical activity.

The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week.

Announcing the findings, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Community Development (DCD) stressed that despite the improvement in statistics since the Covid-19 pandemic, the Abu Dhabi government is determined to adopt a holistic, evidence-based approach in the near future. As many as 10,854 people (57% men, 43% women) from various nationalities and age groups took part in the survey, including people of determination.

“We are delighted to see such a positive response from the Abu Dhabi community, who have given us insight into their lives and the way they are pursuing their health and wellness goals. We at DCD and our partners and stakeholders strongly believe that physical activity is essential to building a A stronger and more resilient emirate and nation is critical,” said Mohamed Helal Al Balooshi, Executive Director, Community Engagement and Sports, DCD.

“That’s why we’ve been working on comprehensive programs and policies to motivate people to be more active. Together with our stakeholders, we’ve created multi-use sports facilities in parks across the emirate; through our One Neighborhood society Cohesion events to raise awareness; working with public and private groups to generate interest in their respective sports such as Cycling with UAE ADQ Team, Running and Walking with Abu Dhabi Running Team, and Active Hub with Abu Dhabi Sports Council Swim together. To track fitness goals, activity, fitness and more, people can also benefit from the Abu Dhabi 360 app launched last year.”

The survey found that 47.3% of people who exercise regularly walk for leisure, and 38.3% choose jogging/running to keep healthy. Respondents also mentioned cycling and swimming as their favorite activities. When asked about the reasons for not playing sports or participating in physical activity, 41.3% of respondents cited lack of time.

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