A new ADEPS assessment of Belgian French-speaking teenagers reveals stable body mass index over three decades but highlights concerning declines in grip strength and disparities in movement habits, prompting calls for targeted interventions to improve adolescent health and fitness.
Belgian French-speaking teenagers are not showing the same broad decline in body mass that might once have been expected from falling activity levels, but a new ADEPS assessment points to more subtle warning signs. According to the survey, body mass index has stayed broadly stable over the past three decades, yet grip strength has fallen while tapping speed has risen, a pattern the agency says suggests weaker strength and coordination in the upper limbs. At the same time, the positive news is that long jump performance and aerobic endurance, which had slipped between 1994 and 2013, are now recovering. The findings fit a wider research picture in which adolescent fitness is increasingly uneven, with some capacities holding up better than others.
For the first time since the barometer began, the General Administration for Sport also asked pupils about their habits. It found that 83% of young people, with no meaningful difference between girls and boys, take part in at least one sport outside school. But the survey also exposed clear gaps in everyday movement. Only 14% said they cycle at least once a week, and boys were far more likely than girls to do so. Pupils from schools in less advantaged socio-economic settings were also less likely to own a bicycle, underscoring how access to equipment can shape physical activity.
ADEPS said the mixed results justify keeping existing efforts to promote exercise in place, but also sharpening public-health policy around endurance and muscle-strengthening activities. That recommendation is consistent with other studies showing that structured physical activity at school can improve fitness in early adolescents, and with research indicating that many teenagers still struggle with fundamental movement skills. The broader concern is that physical fitness is not falling evenly across all measures, making targeted intervention more important than one-size-fits-all messaging.
The report also argues that active travel should be treated as a practical way to raise weekly activity levels and support both physical and mental health, especially since such habits remain sporadic and unequal. ADEPS suggests that girls may benefit from more tailored cycling lessons, while lower-cost bike access could help teenagers from poorer households build the habit. It also calls for better infrastructure and clearer signalling so young people can actually see, understand and use those routes. That emphasis echoes wider evidence from Belgian and international research showing that adolescents often fall short of recommended activity levels, making convenience and confidence as important as motivation.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
