ArticlePloS one2024
Health and economic burden of insufficient physical activity in Saudi Arabia.
Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Knowledge, Lifestyle, and Attitudes Toward Nutritional Assessment and Counseling Among Physiotherapists in Saudi Arabia: Implications for Healthcare Quality and Interdisciplinary Practice-A Cross-Sectional Study Across Multiple Regions of Saudi Arabia.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Economic cost of movement behaviours: a systematic review.Journal of activity, sedentary and sleep behaviors · 2026Review
- Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Arabic Bernese Motive and Goal Inventory (Ar-BMZI) in Physical Health: A General Population Study Among Adults.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Association Between Lifestyle Factors and the Prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases in Saudi Adults Across Different Age Groups: A Cross-Sectional Study.Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Article
- Inactivity and Sitting Time in Later Life: A Saudi National Profile and Policy Implications for Vision 2030.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Article
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14 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundInsufficient physical activity (PA) was estimated to cause 4.8% of deaths and 2.6% of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to noncommunicable diseases in Saudi Arabia in 2019. While Saudi Arabia is already achieving great improvements, we predict the health and economic burden of insufficient PA up to 2040 to present a case for policy makers to invest more in the uptake of PA.
methodsUsing a population health model to estimate avoidable health loss, we identified four causes of health loss related to low PA (cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer) and estimated the deaths and DALYs from these causes. We projected the expected disease burden until 2040 under alternative assumptions about future PA levels and trends by using three health scenarios: baseline (no change in 2019 PA levels), intervention (81% of the population achieving sufficient PA levels), and ideal (65% of population: moderate PA, 30%: high PA, and 5%: inactive). We applied an "intrinsic value" approach to estimate the economic impact of each scenario.
resultsOverall, we estimate that between 2023 and 2040, about 80,000 to 110,000 deaths from all causes and 2.0 million to 2.9 million DALYs could be avoided by increasing PA levels in Saudi Arabia. The average annual economic loss from insufficient PA is valued at 0.49% to 0.68% of the current gross domestic product, with an average of US$5.4 billion to US$7.6 billion annually till 2040. The most avoidable disease burden and economic losses are expected among males and because of ischemic heart disease.
conclusionsThis study highlights that low PA levels will have considerable health and economic impacts in Saudi Arabia if people remain inactive and do not start following interventions. There is an urgent need to develop innovative programs and policies to encourage PA among all age and sex groups.
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