World’s laziest countries revealed: See which nations walk the least and where India ranks

A Stanford University study published in the journal Nature analyzed smartphone step-tracking data from over 700,000 people across 46 countries. The findings revealed alarming disparities in daily physical activity worldwide — with some nations averaging fewer than 4,000 steps daily.

Indonesia tops the list with just 3,513 steps per day on average — the lowest of any country studied. Urban congestion and severely limited pedestrian infrastructure are the primary reasons, with city planning historically prioritising motorised transport over walking.

Malaysia is third with 3,963 steps per day, driven by high motorisation and heavy traffic in cities like Kuala Lumpur. The Philippines follows with 4,008 steps, while South Africa is fifth with 4,105 steps — with urbanisation and socioeconomic disparities playing key roles in both countries.

Saudi Arabia ranks second with an average of 3,807 steps per day. The country's extreme heat during long summer months leads most residents to prefer staying indoors — a cultural and climatic combination that significantly reduces daily physical activity levels.

Egypt ranks sixth with 4,315 steps per day, where hot climate and heavy traffic discourage walking in major cities. Brazil comes seventh with 4,289 steps — where socioeconomic differences between regions significantly affect how much physical activity people get daily.

In the 8-country list compiled from the Stanford study, India appears eighth with an average of 4,297 steps per day. Lifestyle changes and growing dependence on motorised transport in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru are cited as the primary contributors to declining physical activity.

Health experts recommend a minimum of 10,000 steps per day for adults, with fewer than 5,000 steps considered a sedentary lifestyle. Every country on this list falls well below the 5,000-step threshold — raising serious long-term public health concerns globally.