We know that regular physical activity is one of the best ways to keep our bodies healthy. But did you know it can also improve your overall well-being and quality of life?
Making physical activity more accessible, frequent, and integrated into our healthcare system and other societal sectors will allow us to improve physical and mental health.
Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activity and exercise can have immediate and long-term health benefits. Regular physical activity helps:
• Develop strong muscles, bones and joints.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Relieve stress.
• Control blood pressure.
• Improve mental health.
• Increase energy and self-esteem.
• Reduce anxiety and depression.
• Boost mood.
• Improve sleep.
• Condition heart and lungs.
• Improve brain health.
• Build overall strength and endurance.
• Reduce the risk of developing preventable.
chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancer,
obesity and heart disease.
Physical activity can even help kids do better in school!
Dangers of Inactivity and
Sedentary Lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle is defined as a type of lifestyle where an individual does not receive regular amounts of physical activity. People who do not exercise are sedentary or inactive. Hundreds of thousands of deaths occur each year due to physical inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle.
When you are not physically active, you are more at risk for:
• Heart disease and Stroke
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Cancer
• Stroke
• High blood pressure
How much activity do adults need?
Is it moderate or vigorous? Use the “talk test” to find out. When you’re being active, just try talking:
- If you’re breathing hard but can still have a conversation easily, it’s moderate intensity activity
- If you can only say a few words before you have to take a breath, it’s vigorous intensity activity
- The Move Your Way icon is a service mark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
How much activity do kids and teens need?
• The Move Your Way icon is a service mark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
What about kids ages 3-5?
Being physically active every day is important for the healthy growth and development of babies, toddlers and preschoolers too. Young kids still need plenty of physical movement. Ideally, they’d get three hours of some kind of activity every day. That sounds like a lot, but keep in mind that for kids this age, “physical activity” is really stuff like walking, crawling, standing up, moving around, rolling, climbing, jumping, running and playing.
Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
The recommendations above are based on the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. The Physical Activity Guidelines recommend how much physical activity we need to be healthy. The guidelines are based on current scientific evidence supporting the connections between physical activity, overall health and well-being, disease prevention and quality of life.