Only one in three school-going children in India can sustain basic cardiorespiratory activity, according to Sportz Village EduSports’ 14th Annual Health Survey (AHS) 2026, one of the country’s most comprehensive school fitness assessments.
The survey evaluated 1,41,840 children across 333 schools in 112 cities, measuring seven key parameters including BMI, aerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity, upper and lower body strength, core strength, and flexibility.
The findings show that two out of every three children lack adequate aerobic fitness — the strongest predictor of long-term cardiovascular health. Experts warn that poor aerobic capacity in childhood is closely linked to adult diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.
The study also found that 40% of children fall outside a healthy BMI range, with minimal improvement in post-COVID recovery years. Upper body strength benchmarks were not met by 49% of students, while 44% fell short in lower body strength.
The survey recorded a sharp decline in overall fitness from 70.5% in 2020 to 56.2% in 2022 following pandemic-induced school closures. However, structured physical activity helped reverse the trend, with overall fitness rising to 84.8% in 2025.
Students enrolled in structured PE programmes for two consecutive years improved overall fitness from 66% to 82%, highlighting the role of sustained intervention.
Saumil Majmudar, Co-founder, CEO & MD, Sportz Village, said, “This year’s findings rearm something we have always believed – healthy childhoods are intentionally built! At a time when children are facing rising lifestyle-related health risks and growing emotional pressures, building healthy habits early has never been more important. Schools play a critical role by designing structured opportunities for movement, but lasting impact comes when families and communities support the same environment. As a country, we must continue to track and understand children’s well-being at scale, so that we can respond meaningfully and collectively. The opportunity before us is clear – to act with intent today and create healthier, happier childhoods for the years ahead.”