The Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!) and Global Observatory for Physical Education (GoPE!) 2025 Country Cards /Results from Burkina Faso’s 2025 GoPA! Country Card

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Résumé

Background: Burkina Faso faces a growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which account for 45.5% of all deaths. Physical inactivity is recognized as a major and modifiable risk factor for these diseases. Promoting physical activity has therefore become a public health imperative. The efforts of the Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!) align with this goal by strengthening advocacy for physical activity promotion. Methods: The 2025 Burkina Faso GoPA! Country Card was developed using the standardized GoPA! methodology. Data were compiled from national sources, including the WHO STEPwise (STEPS) survey conducted in 2021 using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire
(GPAQ), government policy documents, peer-reviewed literature, and international databases. Indicators covered physical activity participation, surveillance, policy, research productivity, and national capacity for physical activity promotion. Data were reviewed and validated by local experts to ensure accuracy and international comparability. Results:
Overall 84% of adults in Burkina Faso meet global physical activity recommendations, while gender differences in physical activity prevalence are relatively small, disparities persist in physical activity research, with low female representation among first and senior authors. Burkina Faso lacks national physical activity recommendations, although NCD and
sport-related strategies are in place. Scientific production remains limited, with only 10 publications between 1950 and 2023 (0.03% of global output), ranking the country 120th out of 182. Discussion: These findings highlight a growing recognition of physical activity as a public health priority, yet gaps in surveillance and research continue to hinder the
development of evidence-based policies. Systematic integration of physical activity indicators into health surveys, stronger intersectoral collaboration, and greater investment in local research are essential levers for progress. Emerging collaborations between universities and ministries are promising, but resources and qualified personnel remain insufficient.
Conclusion: In Burkina Faso, sustaining surveillance, scaling up interventions, and expanding research remain major challenges for promoting physical activity for health. Strengthening institutional capacity and securing sustainable funding are crucial steps to make physical activity a cornerstone of NCD prevention and public health improvement.

Mots-clés

Physical Activity, Burkina Faso, GoPA!, Country Card 2025