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Scientific evidence has shown that being active creates great health benefits. But just how active you should be depends on several factors including your age.
Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults
Physical Activity Guidelines for Kids
Physical Activity Guidelines for People with Heart Disease
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| Guidelines for Adults |
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“For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.” |
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(2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans) |
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| Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans released by the Department of Health and Human Services recommends the following: |
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- Every American should strive for 2 ½ hours of moderate intensity physical activity per week; or, 1 hour 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity; or, a combination of the two to lower risks of chronic diseases like heart and vascular disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer.
- For even more protective health benefits, 5 hours per week of moderate intensity activity or 2 ½ hours of vigorous activity should be performed.
- Resistance, or strength, training should be performed using the whole body about twice a week.
- Older adults and individuals with medical conditions should follow the recommendations for other adults if they are able, but to be as active as their physical condition allows.
- Adults over age 65 should include balance training to reduce the risk of falls.
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Previous recommendations emphasized daily amounts of 30 minutes or more of activity, but the current recommendations encourage a flexible approach that allows individuals to find an activity that fits their schedule. Including resistance training is another change to the recommendations that will encourage individuals to prevent bone density and lean body mass loss. |
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What is "moderate activity"?
Physical activity does not have to be vigorous to have health benefits. Anything that gets you moving and stretching will make your heart and body stronger and healthier. Here are a few suggestions: |
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- Washing and waxing your car
- Playing volleyball
- Gardening
- Social dancing
- Water aerobics
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- Wheelchair basketball
- Jumping rope
- Shoveling snow
- Walking briskly
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| To avoid soreness and injury, individuals contemplating an increase in physical activity should start out slowly, gradually building up to the desired amount. |
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What if I am already active?
In the U.S. Surgeon General's report on physical activity and health, it also states that greater health benefits can be achieved by increasing the amount of physical activity already being done. Because the amount of activity is a function of duration, intensity, and frequency, the same amount of activity can be obtained in longer sessions of moderately intense activities (such as brisk walking), and in shorter sessions of more strenuous activities (such as running).
What about frequency, duration, and time?
A moderate amount of physical activity is roughly equivalent to physical activity that uses approximately 150 calories of energy per day, or 1000 calories per week. Find out how your favorite activities measure up by checking out the physical activity conversion chart found on the Utahwalks.org Walk Tracker.
What about my heart rate?
To get the most from your activity, keep track of your heart rate. Your heart should beat faster than normal during exercise. How fast it should beat depends on your age. Each person has a heart rate target zone, to find the number of beats per minute (bpm), you should count your pulse for 60 seconds. Then, check for your target zone by finding your age in the chart below:
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| Guidelines for Children |
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| Infant Guidelines |
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- Infants should interact with parents and/or care givers in daily physical activities that are dedicated to promoting the exploration of their environment.
- Infants should be placed in safe settings that facilitate physical activity and do not restrict movement for long periods of time.
- Infants' physical activity should promote the development of motor or movement skills. Help your child work toward a skill such as looking around while on stomach, waving arms and legs while on back, rolling, going from sit to stand, and crawling.
- Infants should have an environment that meets or exceeds safety standards for performing large muscle activities.
- Individuals responsible for the well-being of infants should be aware of the importance of physical activity and facilitate the child's movement skills.
-National Association of Sport and Physical Education
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| Toddler Guidelines |
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- Toddlers should accumulate at least 30 minutes of daily structured physical activity.
- Toddlers should engage in at least 60 minutes and up to several hours per day of daily unstructured physical activity and should not be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time, except when sleeping.
- Toddlers should develop movement skills that are building blocks for more complex movement tasks.
- Toddlers should have indoor and outdoor areas that meet or exceed recommended safety standards for performing large muscle activities.
- Individuals responsible for the well-being of toddlers should be aware of the importance of physical activity and facilitate the child's movement skills.
-National Association of Sport and Physical Education
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| Preschooler Guidelines |
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- Preschoolers should accumulate at least 60 minutes of daily structured physical activity.
- Preschoolers should engage in at least 60 minutes and up to several hours per day of unstructured physical activity, and should not be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time, except when sleeping.
- Preschoolers should develop competence in movement skills that are building blocks for more complex movement tasks.
- Preschoolers should have indoor and outdoor areas that meet or exceed recommended safety standards for performing large muscle activities.
- Individuals responsible for the well-being of preschoolers should be aware of the importance of physical activity and facilitate the child's movement skills.
-National Association of Sport and Physical Education
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| Elementary School-Aged Guidelines |
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- At a minimum,
elementary school-aged children should accumulate at least 30 to 60 minutes of age and developmentally appropriate physical activity from a variety of activities on all, or most, days of the week.
- Ideally,
an accumulation of more than 60 minutes, and up to several hours per day, of age and developmentally appropriate activity is encouraged for elementary school-aged children.
- Some of
the child's activity each day should be in periods lasting 10 to 15 minutes or more and include moderate to vigorous activity. This activity will typically be intermittent in nature, involving alternating moderate to vigorous activity with brief periods of rest and recovery.
- Extended periods of inactivity are inappropriate for children.
-National Association of Sport and Physical Education
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| Adolescent Guidelines |
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- All adolescents should be physically active daily, or nearly every day, as part of play, games, sports, work, transportation, recreation, physical education, or planned exercise, in the context of family, school, and community activities.
- Adolescents should engage in three or more sessions per week of activities that last 20 minutes or more at a time and that require moderate to vigorous levels of exertion.
- International Consensus Conference on Physical Activity Guidelines for Adolescents |
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