Being physically active has countless benefits and is something that everyone should make a priority in their lives. It can help reduce the risk of developing major illnesses, like stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and heart disease while also lowers the risk of early death by up to 30%. And the best part is that it’s free and easy to do! Just check the guidelines below depending on your age group and get moving today!
- Children (under 5 years)
- Children and young people (5 to 18 years)
- Adults (19 to 64 years)
- Older adults (65 years and over)
We’ve always known that exercise is a miracle cure, but for too long we’ve neglected to take our recommended dose. Our health is now suffering as a consequence. This is no snake oil. Whatever your age, there’s strong scientific evidence that being physically active can help you lead a healthier and happier life. People who exercise regularly have a lower risk of developing many long-term (chronic) conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and some cancers. So get up and get moving today! Your body will thank you for it in the long run.
There are countless benefits to being physically active, from improving your mood and self-esteem to reducing your risk of stress, depression, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. According to research, regular physical activity can also improve your sleep quality and energy levels. So get up and get moving today!
Health benefits
Given the large body of evidence, it’s clear that physical activity is essential for a healthy and fulfilling life into old age. Regular physical activity has been shown to lower the risk of: There’s no denying that being physically active is important for a healthy and fulfilling life. Numerous studies have shown that people who are physically active have lower risks for various health concerns, including:
Coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, bowel cancer, and breast cancer are all major health problems that can lead to early death. Osteoarthritis, hip fracture, falls, depression, and dementia are also serious health concerns that can have a significant impact on older adults.
What counts?
According to the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines on GOV.UK, in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is recommended that adults should aim to be active every day and accumulate at least 150 minutes of physical activity throughout the week. This can be achieved through various activities such as walking, cycling, or other exercises. Although simply incorporating physical activity into your everyday life is the easiest way to get started, the more you do, the better. Taking part in activities such as sports and exercise will result in optimal health.
Any type of activity can benefit your health as long as you’re moving quickly enough to raise your heart rate, breathe faster, and feel warmer. This level of effort is called moderate intensity activity. If you’re working at a moderate intensity, you should still be able to talk, but you won’t be able to sing the words to a song.
Vigorous intensity activity is any activity that makes you work harder than moderate intensity activity. There is a lot of evidence that suggests that vigorous activity can have greater health benefits than moderate activity. You can tell if it’s vigorous activity if you’re breathing hard and fast, and your heart rate has increased significantly. If you’re working at this level, you won’t be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.
Video: Keep healthy with 150 minutes of exercise a week
In this video, people discuss the different types of exercise they enjoy, such as cycling, running, and swimming. In this video people describe the different types of exercise they do to stay fit and healthy. These include activities like cycling, running and swimming which are all great for improving cardiovascular health.
A modern problem
In today’s society, people are less active than ever before due to the increased reliance on technology to make our lives easier. We drive cars and take public transport instead of walking or biking. Machines wash our clothes. We entertain ourselves in front of a TV or computer screen. Fewer people are doing manual work, and most of us have jobs that involve little physical effort. Work, household chores, shopping and other necessary activities are far less demanding than they were for previous generations.
We move around less and burn off less energy than people used to. A sedentary lifestyle is one that includes little to no physical activity in a person’s daily routine. Research suggests that many adults spend more than 7 hours a day sitting down, at work, on transport or in their leisure time. People aged over 65 spend 10 hours or more each day sitting or lying down, making them the most sedentary age group. A sedentary lifestyle has been linked with various health concerns such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer.
Sedentary lifestyles
Inactivity is referred to by the Department of Health and Social Care as a “silent killer”. There is an increasing number of studies that suggest sedentary behaviour, such as sitting or lying down for long periods of time, has negative effects on one’s health. Not only should you aim to be more active, but you should also cut back on the amount of time you and your family spend sitting down. Sitting for long periods of time has been linked to a number of health problems, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Common examples of sedentary behaviour include watching TV, using a computer, using the car for short journeys and sitting down to read, talk or listen to music. While it may not seem like a big deal, this type of behaviour actually increases your risk of developing a number of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Not to mention, it can also lead to weight gain and obesity.
It’s important to remember that even if you hit your weekly activity target, you’re still at risk of ill health if you spend the rest of the time sitting or lying down. So make sure to move around often and take regular breaks throughout the day!