Prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+ in South Africa
South Africa: Prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+ was 44.8% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+ in South Africa, 2000–2022
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2022, prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+ in South Africa stood at 44.8%. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+ in South Africa peaked at 49.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 44.8%, in 2022.
South Africa ranks 19th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+ in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 49.4% | — |
| 2001 | 49.4% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 49.4% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 49.2% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 49.1% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 49.0% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 48.8% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 48.6% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 48.4% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 48.1% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 47.8% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 47.5% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 47.2% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 46.8% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 46.5% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 46.2% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 45.9% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 45.6% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 45.3% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 45.1% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 44.8% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 49.2% | 48.6% | 49.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.0% | 45.6% | 48.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.1% | 44.8% | 45.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5504 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.045 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.0003 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+ in South Africa?
- Prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+ in South Africa was 44.8% in 2022, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+ recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 49.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+ recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.8% in 2022.
- How does South Africa rank for prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+?
- South Africa ranks 19th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+ rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults aged 18+ years (age-standardized estimate) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).