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Physical
Activity and Health
The Benefits of
Physical Activity
Regular physical
activity is one of the most important things you can do for
your health. If you're not sure about becoming
active or boosting your level of physical activity
because you're afraid of getting hurt, the good news is that
moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, is
generally safe for most people.
Start slowly. Cardiac
events, such as a heart attack, are rare during physical
activity. But the risk does go up when you suddenly become
much more active than usual. For example, you can put yourself
at risk if you don't usually get much physical activity and
then all of a sudden do vigorous-intensity aerobic activity,
like shoveling snow. That's why it's important to start slowly
and gradually increase your level of activity.
If you have a chronic
health condition such as arthritis, diabetes, or heart
disease, talk with your doctor to find out if your condition
limits, in any way, your ability to be active. Then, work with
your doctor to come up with a physical activity plan that
matches your abilities. If your condition stops you from
meeting the minimum Guidelines, try to do as much as you can.
What's important is that you avoid being inactive. Even 60
minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity is good
for you.
The bottom line is -
the health benefits of physical activity far outweigh the
risks of getting hurt.
If you want to know
more about how physical activity improves your health, the
section below gives more detail on what research studies have
found.
Control Your
Weight
Looking to get to
or stay at a healthy weight? Both diet and physical activity
play a critical role in controlling your weight. You gain
weight when the calories you burn, including those burned
during physical activity, are less than the calories you eat
or drink. When it comes to weight management, people
vary greatly in how much physical activity they need. You may
need to be more active than others to achieve or maintain a
healthy weight.
To maintain your
weight: Work your way up to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic
activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week. Strong
scientific evidence shows that physical activity can help you
maintain your weight over time. However, the exact amount of
physical activity needed to do this is not clear since it
varies greatly from person to person. It's possible that you
may need to do more than the equivalent of 150 minutes of
moderate-intensity activity a week to maintain your
weight.
To lose weight and keep
it off: You will need a high amount of physical activity
unless you also adjust your diet and reduce the amount of
calories you're eating and drinking. Getting to and staying at
a healthy weight requires both regular physical activity and a
healthy eating plan. The CDC has some great tools and
information about nutrition, physical activity and weight
loss.
Reduce Your Risk of
Cardiovascular Disease
Heart disease and
stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the United
States. But following the Guidelines and getting at least 150
minutes a week (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity
aerobic activity can put you at a lower risk for these
diseases. You can reduce your risk even further with more
physical activity. Regular physical activity can also lower
your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels.
Reduce your risk of
Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome
Regular physical
activity can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes
and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a condition in
which you have some combination of too much fat around the
waist, high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, high
triglycerides, or high blood sugar. Research shows that lower
rates of these conditions are seen with 120 to 150 minutes (2
hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of at least
moderate-intensity aerobic activity. And the more physical
activity you do, the lower your risk will be.
Already have type 2
diabetes? Regular physical activity can help control your
blood glucose levels.
Reduce Your Risk of
Some Cancers
Being physically active
lowers your risk for two types of cancer: colon and breast.
Research shows that:
Physically active
people have a lower risk of colon cancer than do people who
are not active.
Physically active women
have a lower risk of breast cancer than do people who are not
active.
Reduce your risk of
endometrial and lung cancer. Although the research is not yet
final, some findings suggest that your risk of endometrial
cancer and lung cancer may be lower if you get regular
physical activity compared to people who are not active.
Improve your quality of
life. If you are a cancer survivor, research shows that
getting regular physical activity not only helps give you a
better quality of life, but also improves your physical
fitness.
Strengthen Your
Bones and Muscles
As you age, it's
important to protect your bones, joints and muscles. Not only
do they support your body and help you move, but keeping
bones, joints and muscles healthy can help ensure that you're
able to do your daily activities and be physically
active. Research shows that doing aerobic,
muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening physical activity
of at least a moderately-intense level can slow the loss of
bone density that comes with age.
Hip fracture is a
serious health condition that can have life-changing negative
effects, especially if you're an older adult. But
research shows that people who do 120 to 300 minutes of at
least moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week have a
lower risk of hip fracture.
Regular physical
activity helps with arthritis and other conditions affecting
the joints. If you have arthritis, research shows that doing
130 to 150 (2 hours and 10 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes)
a week of moderate-intensity, low-impact aerobic activity can
not only improve your ability to manage pain and do everyday
tasks, but it can also make your quality of life
better.
Build strong, healthy
muscles. Muscle-strengthening activities can help you increase
or maintain your muscle mass and strength. Slowly increasing
the amount of weight and number of repetitions you do will
give you even more benefits, no matter your age.
Improve Your Mental
Health and Mood
Regular physical
activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment
skills sharp as you age. It can also reduce your risk of
depression and may help you sleep better. Research has shown
that doing aerobic or a mix of aerobic and
muscle-strengthening activities 3 to 5 times a week for 30 to
60 minutes can give you these mental health benefits. Some
scientific evidence has also shown that even lower levels of
physical activity can be beneficial.
Improve Your Ability
to do Daily Activities and Prevent Falls
A functional limitation
is a loss of the ability to do everyday activities such as
climbing stairs, grocery shopping, or playing with your
grandchildren.
How does this relate to
physical activity? If you're a physically active middle-aged
or older adult, you have a lower risk of functional
limitations than people who are inactive
Already have trouble
doing some of your everyday activities? Aerobic and
muscle-strengthening activities can help improve your ability
to do these types of tasks.
Are you an older adult
who is at risk for falls? Research shows that doing balance
and muscle-strengthening activities each week along with
moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, can
help reduce your risk of falling.
Increase Your
Chances of Living Longer
Science shows that
physical activity can reduce your risk of dying early from the
leading causes of death, like heart disease and some cancers.
This is remarkable in two ways:
Only a few lifestyle
choices have as large an impact on your health as physical
activity. People who are physically active for about 7 hours a
week have a 40 percent lower risk of dying early than those
who are active for less than 30 minutes a week.
You don't have to do
high amounts of activity or vigorous-intensity activity to
reduce your risk of premature death. You can put
yourself at lower risk of dying early by doing at least 150
minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity.
Everyone can gain the health
benefits of physical activity - age, ethnicity, shape or size
do not matter. | 
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