Promoting physical activity for health equity in Europe
- The problem: Despite strong evidence of its benefits, inactivity remains widespread in Europe. Although there are more physical activity policies than a decade ago, progress has been limited and uneven, with persistent inequalities.
- Why it matters: Physical activity has significant proven benefits for physical and mental health and wellbeing. It also promotes inclusion and social equity; supports environmental sustainability; and generates economic returns.
- The way forward: Increasing physical activity at scale requires addressing the structural and social determinants that shape people’s opportunities to move. The EU must invest in active environments, embed equity into targets and monitoring, fund grassroots delivery, and integrate physical activity into health systems and schools.
Promoting physical activity for health equity
Physical activity is one of the most cost-effective ways to protect and improve health, reducing risks of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and depression.
As little as five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per day can prolong people’s lifespan. Moreover, movement has significant benefits for mental health –as it can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improve sleep and overall wellbeing.
Beyond its physical and mental health benefits, active lifestyles can also contribute to thriving, cohesive communities while strengthening wellbeing and social cohesion. Finally, physical activity can also support climate and environmental sustainability and create economic benefits.
Challenges to achieving widespread physical activity
- Despite strong evidence of its benefits, inactivity in Europe remains widespread.
- Progress has been limited since 2000, with persistent gaps by gender, age and socioeconomic status.
- The barriers to physical activity are shaped by social determinants and access is unequally distributed across society.
- Climate change poses an additional and growing challenge for physical activity levels.
This Policy Précis focuses on three levers to make physical activity more accessible to all:
Health promoting schools and sports-based mentoring models
Integrating health and wellbeing into school life and embedding physical activity into lessons, policies, and daily routines.
Active mobility
Public infrastructure for walking, cycling, and public transport increases daily physical activity while cutting emissions.
Social prescribing
Healthcare professionals can prescribe physical activity to improve mental and physical health, particularly in underserved groups.
EU and international policies targeting physical activity
- The EU Physical Activity Guidelines (2008, updated 2013 & 2015) provide a cross-sectoral framework for promoting health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA). Although many EU countries have adopted HEPA strategies and monitoring frameworks, implementation and evaluation quality vary widely.
- The new EU Work Plan for Sport 2024-2027 sets out three strategic priorities: (i) integrity and values in sport; (ii) the socio-economic and sustainable dimensions of sport; and (iii) participation in sport and health-enhancing physical activity.
- The WHO Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030 aims to achieve a 15% relative reduction in insufficient physical activity by 2030.
- The European Commission is preparing a Communication on “A Strategic Vision for Sport in Europe: Reinforcing the European Sport Model", planned to be adopted by the end of 2026.
Together, these frameworks underscore the EU’s commitment to embedding physical activity into everyday life, but they also highlight the need for stronger cross-sectoral delivery, monitoring, and behavioural impact.
Making it happen through EU-funded initiatives
Icehearts (Finland and Europe)
Long-established Finnish physical activity-based intervention supporting vulnerable children through regular, organised sport combined with long-term mentoring and close cooperation between schools and social services.
Move Green (Denmark)
Danish physical activity programme promoting gentle, restorative movement in nature through fully accessible urban forest environments, designed to enable people with mobility limitations to engage safely in outdoor physical activity.
Tactical urbanism and +65 pass (Spain)
In 2025, the Ministry of Health of Spain released guidance on ‘tactical urbanism,’ which uses temporary, low-cost interventions – such as pop-up bike lanes, widened pavements or car-free streets – to test how urban space can better support active mobility.
Active School Flag (Ireland)
Whole-school initiative that supports schools to become physically active and physically educated communities by integrating more movement throughout the school day, strengthening physical education, and engaging students, staff and families in planning and action.
Pathways to progress
- Design active places.
- Use schools as engines for physical activity.
- Integrate social prescribing into health systems.
- Monitor equity.
- Ensure sustainable funding & governance.
- Frame the co-benefits of physical activity and show return on investment.
- Move towards a comprehensive, cross-sectoral EU strategy for physical activity.
Conclusion
The EU and its member states have more physical activity policies in place than a decade ago—but inequalities persist and behaviour change lags. The next steps are to:
- Invest in active environments guided by walkability and safety
- Hard-wire equity into physical activity targets and monitoring
- Fund grassroots delivery with robust evaluation
- Integrate physical activity into health systems and schools
Doing so will turn guidance into gains—healthier, fairer communities across the EU.
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Policy Précis
Promoting physical activity for health equity in Europe
