New research of 417,362 young people (ages 6–16) across 20 European countries finds long-term declines in multiple markers of physical fitness. Upper-body strength has fallen since the 1970s, lower-body strength has declined since the 1980s, flexibility has worsened most sharply (especially since 2000), and body fat has steadily increased. Cardiorespiratory fitness may have stabilised recently but remains below past decades; more than 75% of European adolescents fail to meet WHO activity guidelines.
Alarm for Youth Fitness: Study Finds European Children Losing Strength, Flexibility and Healthy Body Composition
Europe's youth is losing strength and flexibility, study finds
A large new analysis led by researchers at the University of Zaragoza finds that children and adolescents across Europe are not reaching adequate levels of physical fitness in strength, flexibility and body composition — trends that could harm current and future health.
Study Details
The review examined data from 417,362 participants aged 6–16 across 20 European countries, with measurements collected between 1965 and 2023 and analysed trends from roughly 1990 to the present. The results were published in Sports Medicine – Open and tracked four core fitness indicators: muscular strength, flexibility, body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Key Findings
Muscular Strength: Upper-body strength has generally declined since the 1970s (after a period of relative stability between 1980 and 2000). Lower-body strength rose until the 1980s but has decreased steadily since then, as measured by jumping tests.
Flexibility: Flexibility showed the steepest and most consistent decline, with the rate of deterioration accelerating after 2000.
Body Composition: The study reports a continuous rise in body fat among children and adolescents. The authors warn this increase is often underestimated when relying on body mass index (BMI) alone.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness: Cardiorespiratory fitness declined over the long term, although data from 2015–2023 suggest a possible stabilization. Even so, levels remain below those recorded in earlier decades.
“These components are key determinants of both the current and future health of this population, meaning that we are missing a major opportunity that will be difficult to recover,” the authors write, urging stronger public-policy action to promote activity.
Public-Health Context and Implications
The World Health Organization recommends children and adolescents accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily, including muscle- and bone-strengthening activities at least three times weekly. Yet more than 75% of European adolescents do not meet these guidelines, the study notes.
Physical inactivity carries substantial long-term health costs. The WHO estimates that inactivity contributes to a meaningful share of the global burden of several major diseases and premature deaths, including coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
What This Means
The findings underline a need for coordinated action from schools, local governments and public health institutions to boost daily activity, strengthen physical-education programs, and promote active transport and community sports. Detecting and reversing these trends early could improve lifelong health trajectories for Europe’s children.
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