SPORTZ VILLAGE EDUSPORTS has released findings from its 14th Annual Health Survey (AHS) 2026, covering 1,41,840 students across 333 schools in 112 cities. The report presents data-driven insights into post-pandemic fitness recovery, the measurable impact of structured Physical Education (PE), and ongoing health challenges that require urgent systemic intervention.
Launched in 2010, the AHS has evolved into a key national benchmark for tracking children’s physical health. The latest edition evaluates seven parameters: Body Mass Index (BMI), aerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity, upper body strength, lower body strength, core (abdominal) strength and flexibility.
The findings reveal a concerning trend: two in three schoolchildren in India are unable to sustain basic cardiorespiratory activity. Aerobic fitness, a leading predictor of long-term cardiovascular health, remains the weakest and most persistent gap identified in the survey’s 14-year history. Poor aerobic health in childhood is closely linked to higher risks of diabetes, hypertension and heart disease in adulthood.
Additionally, 40 per cent of children fall outside a healthy BMI range. This figure has shown minimal improvement during the post-COVID recovery period (59.1 per cent within a healthy range in 2023 compared to 59.6 per cent in 2025), indicating that body composition is influenced more by sustained lifestyle habits than by school PE programmes alone. Strength levels also remain a concern, with 49 per cent of students below upper body strength benchmarks and 44 per cent below lower body strength standards, reflecting increasingly sedentary, screen-oriented lifestyles.
The pandemic’s impact on student fitness was stark. In 2020, 70.5 per cent of students met overall fitness benchmarks. That figure fell sharply to 56.2 per cent in 2022 following prolonged school closures and lockdowns, the steepest decline recorded in the survey’s history.
Encouragingly, recovery has been strong since schools reopened. Overall fitness levels rose to 84.4 per cent in 2024 and 84.8 per cent in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. However, aerobic fitness improved only marginally, increasing from 27.5 per cent in 2023 to 34.4 per cent in 2025, remaining the weakest indicator across all parameters.
One of the report’s most significant conclusions is the impact of structured PE. Students enrolled in a consistent PE programme for two consecutive years improved overall fitness from 66 per cent to 82 per cent, a 16 percentage-point gain. Schools conducting more than 80 PE sessions annually recorded 86 per cent overall fitness levels, reinforcing the importance of regular, structured physical activity.
Gender-based analysis shows that girls outperform boys in five of the seven fitness parameters: BMI (62 per cent vs 57 per cent), flexibility (73 per cent vs 68 per cent), core strength (88 per cent vs 86 per cent), upper body strength (53 per cent vs 45 per cent) and anaerobic capacity (65 per cent vs 63 per cent). However, aerobic capacity remains a significant concern among girls, with only 27 per cent meeting healthy benchmarks compared to 41 per cent of boys, the widest gender gap recorded in the survey.
The data also highlights differences between school types. Students in government and public schools outperform their private school counterparts in five of seven parameters, including aerobic capacity (40 per cent vs 33 per cent), anaerobic capacity (81 per cent vs 62 per cent) and flexibility (78 per cent vs 69 per cent). The 19 percentage-point gap in anaerobic capacity is particularly notable, suggesting that greater daily movement, outdoor exposure and reduced sedentary time may outweigh infrastructure advantages.
Sportz Village co-founder Saumil Majmudar 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.”
