Updated Physical Activity Guidelines

[braumeister]

Our favorite gummint has published a new edition of physical activity guidelines.

A PDF is available at Physical Activity Guidelines 2nd_edition

Most of us already know all this, but it's a pretty good document IMHO.

A summary was published last month, and included the following editorial comments:

Probably the most important message from the 2018 guidelines is that the greatest health benefits accrue by moving from no, to even small amounts of, physical activity, especially if that activity is of moderate (e.g., brisk walking) or vigorous (e.g., jogging and running) intensity.

Multiple studies demonstrate that the steepest reduction in disease risk, such as for coronary heart disease, occurs at the lowest levels of physical activity. Patients need to understand that even small amounts of physical activity are beneficial and that reductions in the risk of disease and disability occur by simply getting moving.

The evidence demonstrates that adults obtain the maximal benefits of physical activity by regularly performing 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity or 75 to 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.

These levels of activity are possible for most healthy people.

 

[Alan]

Ay, there's the rub...

These levels of activity are possible for most healthy people.

As always I guess you must also remember, "before starting any physical activity regime check first with you doctor".

ETA
It does look like a well laid out and easy to read set of guidelines.

 

[RAE]

Thanks for posting this. It seems like it shouldn't be too hard for most people to get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week. I walk my dog at a brisk pace (and up and down some hills) twice daily, about 20-25 minutes per walk. I do this every day. So right there, I am getting at least 280 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week. But I notice when I'm out there that I am one of only 2 or 3 people around my whole neighborhood that walk like this regularly. So I wouldn't be surprised if most people were not even making the 150 minutes (sure, some probably work out at the gym or in their homes, but I'm guessing the numbers are not that high).

As we have discussed before on the forum, though, just making sure you move around a lot during the day will get you a lot of health benefits.

 

[RAE]

Speaking of health and fitness, here is another study (abstract only) that just came out within the last week or so, related to weight lifting and health:

https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/...ations_of_Resistance_Exercise_with.96766.aspx

The gist of it is that even less than one hour of some kind of weight training per week will reduce risk of heart attack or stroke by 40-70%. And it's not necessary to buy a set of weights or go to the gym.......you can do any other type of weight/resistance training that works for you. I personally prefer bodyweight exercises like chin-ups and push-ups, but there are a host of other resistance-type exercises that would work too.

 

[MRG]

Speaking of health and fitness, here is another study (abstract only) that just came out within the last week or so, related to weight lifting and health:

https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/...ations_of_Resistance_Exercise_with.96766.aspx

The gist of it is that even less than one hour of some kind of weight training per week will reduce risk of heart attack or stroke by 40-70%. And it's not necessary to buy a set of weights or go to the gym.......you can do any other type of weight/resistance training that works for you. I personally prefer bodyweight exercises like chin-ups and push-ups, but there are a host of other resistance-type exercises that would work too.

Thanks for posting this. Nice to know, we started with weights a couple of years ago and it's pretty amazing what happened. We normally do 1.5 hours of weightlifting weekly now and it is a good time. Good when we are done.... [emoji12]

 

[razztazz]

Probably the most important message from the 2018 guidelines is that the greatest health benefits accrue by moving from no, to even small amounts of, physical activity,

Why is their recommendation of not consistent with their findings?

 

[savory]

I really love that I again live in a place where walking and biking fulfills my minimum amounts of exercise per the article's suggestion. I make my bike/feet my first choice for errands and getting place to place. The remainder of my fitness includes playing b-ball, weights, exercise/vacation bicycle rides, hiking, and the occasional run are just additive.