Geneva (Europe Brief News): IOC spotlights the role of sport in combating physical inactivity during a key event at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, urging global health action.
Dr. Jane Thornton, the Director of Health, Medicine, and Science at the IOC, voiced her deep worry in response to the concerning findings of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Status Report on Physical Activity.
“In line with Olympic Agenda 2020+5 and the Olympic Charter, which unequivocally declares that every individual must have the opportunity to practice sport, the IOC is fully committed to doing its part by mobilizing the Olympic Movement to strengthen the role of sport in promoting healthier and more active communities.”
At the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry’s (WFSGI) “Physical Activity: A Strategic Imperative for Health” event, Dr. Thornton was presenting with representatives from the World Economic Forum, the World Health Organization, and the sporting goods sector.
Dr. Thornton described how the IOC, working closely with WHO, is addressing physical inactivity in response to these concerning trends by developing and executing programs that are in line with two important international frameworks: the IOC’s Olympic M365 strategy and WHO’s Global Action Plan on Physical Activity (GAPPA).
“The IOC and WHO have been working closely together during the past several years to align strategies and implement concrete programmes aimed at strengthening the role of community sport and physical activity in reducing physical inactivity,”
Said Dr Thornton.
“Our joint effort has been based on recognised, cost-effective actions that align with the two guiding frameworks.”
Speakers emphasized that rising rates of inactivity pose a major threat to the health and wellbeing of coming generations, especially among young people.
Dr. Thornton pointed out that noncommunicable illnesses, which the WHO estimates caused over 43 million deaths in 2021, are largely caused by physical inactivity.
“WHO’s statistics show that 80 percent of adolescents do not meet recommended physical activity levels,”
Noted Emma Zweibler, CEO of WFSGI.
“This is particularly alarming, as it indicates that entire future generations are being physically inactive, negatively affecting their physical, mental and social well-being.”
“Recognising that physical inactivity is a key modifiable risk factor for these types of diseases, the IOC’s approach is to use sport as an enabler of a holistic and system change,”
She added.
Dr. Thornton highlighted the Community Sport and Health Cooperation initiative, a collaborative program between the IOC and WHO, which is carried out with assistance from the international NGO PATH, as a prime example of this strategy.
The effort, which is now underway in Ghana, Tanzania, Vietnam, Peru, and Nepal, aims to improve public health outcomes by fortifying the partnership between the sport and health sectors.
The IOC is funding public initiatives to modify societal behavior in order to support this grassroots effort. Let’s Move, a global campaign that was introduced in June 2023, is among the most well-known of these.
Through Let’s Move and Olympic Day programs, almost 30 million people have been physically active in just two years.
The legacy of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, which sparked the launch of a national program encouraging 30 minutes of physical activity daily in French schools, also reflects this emphasis on promoting movement at scale.
This shows how the Olympic Games can act as a catalyst for long-term behavioral and policy change.
Additionally, the IOC still helps National Olympic Committees (NOCs) implement sport-for-health programs locally. The Olympic Values Initiatives support these initiatives by giving NOCs funding through Olympic Solidarity to increase access to sport, especially in underprivileged areas.
In her closing remarks, Dr. Thornton emphasized the continued importance of cross-sector cooperation in the IOC’s plan to increase the positive effects of sport on development and health.
The upcoming Olympics 365 Summit: Sport for a Better World, which will take place from June 3–5, will highlight and celebrate the collective impact of sport-based initiatives and explore new opportunities for joint action across important areas like health, inclusion, and education. This collaborative approach will be at the center of the event.
How does the IOC plan to collaborate with WHO to address physical inactivity?
In order to improve public health outcomes worldwide, the IOC and WHO collaborate closely to create and implement programs that deepen the link between the sport and health sectors.
Supported by the NGO PATH, this collaborative program works to promote grassroots community sport activities that lower noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and enhance physical activity in nations like Ghana, Tanzania, Vietnam, Peru, and Nepal.
Through Olympic Day activities and continuous encouragement to adopt healthy lives, the IOC has invested in global programs including the “Let’s Move” movement, which was introduced in 2023 and has inspired over 30 million people to improve their physical activity.
In order to protect athletes’ health and provide long-term advantages through improved infrastructure and awareness for sport and physical exercise, collaboration also includes working with Olympic host nations.
