Physical activity is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. The WHO defines physical activity as including "leisure time physical activity (for example: walking, dancing, gardening, hiking, swimming), transportation (e.g. walking or cycling), occupational (i.e. work), household chores, play, games, sports or planned exercise, in the context of daily, family, and community activities."

The global recommendation for physical activity indicates that children should do at least 60 minutes of vigorous physical activity daily and adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity weekly. However, 1 in 4 adults, and 3 in 4 adolescents do not meet these global recommendations currently.

Physical activity has many benefits for both physical and mental health: physically active individuals have lower rates of mortality, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression.

This means that finding ways to engage in physical activity is very important for long-term physical and mental health. Some ways that people can engage in physical activity is by joining sports teams or clubs, participating in sports through school or college, or engaging in individual physical activities like walking, running, or hiking.