Over 86 pct of Türkiye’s population remains physically inactive: Data

ANKARA

While both men and women in Türkiye have shown slight improvements in their fitness habits, the latest 2025 health statistics reveal a stark reality: More than 86 percent of the population still lacks adequate physical activity.

The findings from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) released on June 2 showed that 86.6 percent of the population remained physically inactive, down from 85.3 percent to 83.5 percent among men and from 92.7 percnet to 89.7 percent among women compared with 2022.

The figures stand in sharp contrast to recommendations from the World Health Organization, which advises adults to undertake at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity each week. In 2025, only 4.1 percent of men and 2.7 percent of women reported exercising between 150 and 300 minutes weekly.

At the same time, obesity continued to rise. The proportion of obese individuals aged 15 and over increased from 20.2 percent in 2022 to 21.8 percent in 2025. Among women, 24.8 percent were classified as obese and 32.2 percent as overweight, while 18.7 percent of men were obese and 43.1 percent were overweight.

The findings come as Türkiye intensifies efforts to tackle excess weight through a nationwide screening initiative launched by the Health Ministry. As part of the campaign, medical teams measured the height and weight of more than 10 million people across all 81 provinces. Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu said the screenings revealed that nearly 70 percent of participants were above their normal weight range, including around 25 percent who fell into the obesity category. More than 5.5 million people were referred to free nutrition and physical activity counseling services at primary healthcare facilities and family health centers.

Beyond obesity, musculoskeletal conditions remained among the country’s most common health complaints. Lower back problems affected 24.3 percent of people aged 15 and over in the previous year, followed by hypertension at 16.9 percent, neck disorders at 16.7 percent, diabetes at 11.9 percent and elevated blood lipid levels at 10.1 percent.

Difficulty climbing or descending stairs was the most frequently reported functional challenge, affecting 8.3 percent of women and 3.7 percent of men.

HH Education levels continue to improve

Separate 2025 education statistics released by TÜİK on the same day showed continued gains in educational attainment. The share of university graduates among people aged 25-34 rose to 45.6 percent, up from 13.5 percent in 2008, bringing Türkiye closer to the OECD average of 48.7 percent. Women in the age group outpaced men, with graduation rates of 50.3 percent and 41 percent, respectively.

Among the population aged 25 and over, 26.1 percent held a higher education qualification, compared with 9.8 percent in 2008. Average years of schooling reached 9.6 years, including 8.9 years for women and 10.3 years for men. Literacy rates also climbed steadily, reaching 97.9 percent among people aged six and over, with literacy standing at 96.4 percent for women and 99.3 percent for men.