Almost a third of Australians aren't getting enough exercise, according to new research by the World Health Organisation.
The study tracking self-reported activity levels has found 30.4 per cent of Australian adults didn't reach the recommended level of physical activity for staying healthy in 2016.
Australia ranked 97-out-of-168 countries involved in the study for the number of people being sufficiently active.
The study found that more than 1.4 billion adults are putting themselves at heightened risk of deadly diseases by not getting enough exercise, doctors are warning, with global activity levels virtually unchanged in nearly two decades.
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With richer nations enjoying an increasingly comfortable, sedentary lifestyle, the study said a third of women and a quarter of men worldwide are in the firing line for killer conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer unless they up their physical activity.
"Insufficient physical activity is a leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases, and has a negative effect on mental health and quality of life," said the study of world exercise levels published Wednesday by The Lancet Global Health Journal.
The WHO recommends each adult do at least 150 minutes "moderate-intensity" exercise -- such as brisk walking, swimming or gentle cycling -- each week, or 75 minutes "vigorous-intensity" activity -- such as running or team sports.
