Nearly 50% Inactive: MS Dhoni's Fitness Advice for Gen Z

"You can take out an hour in 24 hours." That was MS Dhoni's simple ask to Gen Z and Gen Alpha at an event on October 24.

The numbers say he has a point. Almost 50% of Indian adults did not get enough physical activity in 2022, according to a Lancet Global Health study. Here is what MS Dhoni's fitness advice for Gen Z gets right, and what the science adds.

Quick answer

• Dhoni's advice: give fitness one hour a day, play every sport you can in school, and watch sugary and fried food if you are not active.
• His argument: India still eats carbohydrate-rich food built for physically hard lives, while activity has dropped sharply.
• The data: about half of Indian adults miss the WHO activity guideline, with women (57%) far more inactive than men (42%).
• The target: at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening work on two or more days.

This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before changing your diet or training.

What did MS Dhoni say about fitness?

Dhoni said fitness is an investment in yourself and your family, and asked young people to set aside one hour every day for it.

Speaking alongside lyricist Javed Akhtar, the former India captain urged Gen Z and Gen Alpha to make physical activity a priority (Hindustan Times).

His framing was about family, not six-pack abs. "If I earn money, I can take care of my parents," he said. "But the whole thing is, can you enjoy playing with your sons and daughters? For that, you need the physical fitness."

He also pushed school students to try every sport on offer. "We don't know what you will be good at," he said. The point is not to turn pro. It is to build habits that last.

According to Dhoni, people who played sports or stayed fit earlier have "a much better midlife" once they cross 30, 35.

Why does Dhoni blame India's food habits?

His argument is that Indian food is still heavy in carbohydrates, built for days of hard physical work, while today's young people move far less.

"Our food culture... is still carbohydrate-rich food. The reason for that was because in our daily lifestyle, physical hard work was on the higher side," Dhoni said (Hindustan Times). "Now, the same food has been transferred to the newer generation, but the kind of physical activity has gone down drastically."

He added that fast food had only just arrived when he was growing up. Now it is "at its prime". Sugary and fried food, he said, are not good for you, especially if you are not very active.

This is a mismatch problem, not a "rice is bad" problem. The same plate that suited a farmer or labourer can be too much for someone who sits at a desk and scrolls at night.

How inactive are Indians, really?

Very. Almost half of Indian adults did not meet the WHO's minimum activity guideline in 2022, and the share has more than doubled since 2000.

A Lancet Global Health study found that almost 50% of adults in India engaged in insufficient physical activity in 2022, with women at 57% against 42% for men (The Hindu).

The trend line is the worrying part. The Indian Express reports the share rose from 22.3 per cent in 2000 to 49.4 per cent in 2022, and could reach 60% by 2030 if nothing changes (Indian Express).

Bar chart showing insufficient physical activity among Indian adults rising from 22.3 per cent in 2000 to 49.4 per cent in 2022, with 60% projected for 2030

Source: Lancet Global Health via The Hindu and Indian Express

Globally, the picture is better but still poor. The study found 31.3% of adults worldwide were insufficiently active.

India's health data shows why this matters. The same Hindu report cites an ICMR-INDIAB study estimating 101 million people in India had diabetes in 2021, about 315 million had hypertension, and 254 million had obesity.

What most guides miss: Dhoni's one hour a day is far more than the minimum. Just five of his daily hours add up to 300 minutes, the top of the 150 to 300 minute weekly range in US and WHO guidance. So even if you manage only half his target, you would still clear the floor that almost half of Indian adults miss.

How much exercise do you actually need?

Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus muscle strengthening on two or more days.

The WHO defines insufficient activity as less than 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week, and says people who are insufficiently active have a 20% to 30% increased risk of death compared with people who are sufficiently active (WHO).

US guidelines go further: 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity, each week (Wikipedia). They also say bouts of any length count, so short walks add up.

In practice, Dhoni's hour can be split. A brisk walk after lunch, a game of badminton in the evening and some body-weight squats at home all count toward the total.

The WHO puts it simply: any amount of physical activity is better than none, and all physical activity counts.

Where should Gen Z start?

Start with something you enjoy, play it regularly, and cut back on sugary and fried food if most of your day is spent sitting.

Dhoni's own suggestion was recreational sport, because it teaches you how to handle failure and how to behave when you win (Hindustan Times).

A simple first week could look like this:

1. Walk briskly for 30 minutes on most days.
2. Add two short strength sessions with squats, push-ups and planks.
3. Play one sport with friends at the weekend.
4. Swap one fried or sugary snack a day for something simpler.

If you have a heart condition, diabetes or an injury, check with a doctor before you push hard.

FAQs

What fitness advice did MS Dhoni give Gen Z?

He asked young people to take out one hour a day for fitness, play every sport they can in school, and go easy on sugary and fried food if they are not very active.

How many Indians are physically inactive?

A Lancet Global Health study found almost 50% of Indian adults were insufficiently active in 2022, with 57% of women and 42% of men missing the guideline.

How much exercise does an adult need per week?

At least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus muscle-strengthening activity on two or more days a week.

Is one hour of exercise a day too much?

For most healthy adults, no. It goes beyond the weekly minimum, and guidelines note extra health benefits above 300 minutes a week. Check with a doctor if you have a medical condition.

Expert review: pending.

This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before changing your diet or training.

Related reading

• 10,000 Steps Not Enough? 5 Habits a Metabolic Coach Adds
• HOMA-IR Fell From 3.2 to 1.9 After 20 Weeks of Exercise
• 250 Calories a Samosa: Why Diet and Gym Must Work Together

Sources

• Hindustan Times: MS Dhoni explains why fitness is more than just exercise, encourages Gen Z and Gen Alpha to invest in their long-term health
• The Hindu: Nearly 50% Indian adults insufficiently physically active: Lancet study
• Indian Express: Lancet study says half of Indians physically unfit
• WHO: Physical activity fact sheet
• Wikipedia: Physical fitness