By pH health
care professionals
Physical
activity is an important cornerstone for a healthy life. We know it can help with weight management,
disease prevention, heart health and better sleep -- at any age!
Research has
shown kids who are active may perform better in school. Middle-aged and
older adults who exercise may be protecting their brains. Older adults
who exercise may perform better on memory tasks and have a lower risk of
dementia. There are benefits at every age.
How much should
you be exercising and what types of exercise?
The U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services provides the following recommendations for the
amount and type of physical activity needed by age:
Ages 6-17
- Children and adolescents should do an hour
or more of physical activity daily.
- Aerobic: Most of the 60 or more minutes a
day should be either moderate or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical
activity and should be done at least 3 days a week.
- Muscle-strengthening: As part of their 60
or more minutes of daily physical activity, children and adolescents
should include muscle-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days
of the week.
- Bone-strengthening: As part of their 60 or
more minutes of daily physical activity, children and adolescents should
include bone-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days of the
week.
- It is important to encourage young people
to participate in physical activities that are appropriate for their age,
that are enjoyable and offer variety.
Ages 18-64
- All adults should avoid inactivity. Some
physical activity is better than none, and adults who participate in any
amount of physical activity gain some health benefits.
- For substantial health benefits, adults
should do at least 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or
1 hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical
activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity
aerobic activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at
least 10 minutes, and preferably, it should be spread throughout the week.
- For additional and more extensive health
benefits, adults should increase their aerobic physical activity to 5
hours a week of moderate-intensity, or 2 and a half hours a week of
vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination
of moderate and vigorous-intensity activity. Additional health benefits
are gained by engaging in physical activity beyond this amount.
- Adults should also include
muscle-strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups, two
or more days a week.
Ages 65 and
older
- Older adults should follow the adult
guidelines. When older adults cannot meet the adult guidelines, they
should be as physically active as their abilities and conditions will
allow.
- Older adults should do exercises that
maintain or improve balance if they are at risk of falling.
- Older adults should determine their level
of effort for physical activity relative to their level of fitness.
- Older adults with chronic conditions should understand whether and how their conditions affect their ability to do regular physical activity safely.
Examples of
types of exercise
Moderate-intensity
physical activity: Aerobic activity that increases a person’s heart
rate and breathing to some extent. On a scale relative to a person’s capacity,
moderate-intensity activity is usually a 5 or 6 on a 0 to 10 scale. Brisk
walking, dancing, swimming or bicycling on a level terrain are examples.
Vigorous-intensity
physical activity: Aerobic activity that greatly increases a
person’s heart rate and breathing. On a scale relative to a person’s capacity,
vigorous-intensity activity is usually a 7 or 8 on a 0 to 10 scale. Jogging,
singles tennis, swimming continuous laps or bicycling uphill are examples.
Muscle-strengthening
activity: Physical
activity, including exercise that increases skeletal muscle strength, power,
endurance and mass. It includes strength training, resistance training and
muscular strength and endurance exercises.
Bone-strengthening
activity: Physical
activity that produces an impact or tension force on bones, which promotes bone
growth and strength. Running, jumping rope and lifting weights are examples.
Enjoy Your
Healthy Life!
References
http://phlabs.com/how-much-should-i-be-exercising-for-my-age
