Physical activity has been proven to improve quality of life. The Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee of the USDHHS  (US Department of Health and Human Services) released the guidelines on physical activity in November 2018 and includes recommendations listed below.

Age-Related Recommendations

Children aged 3-5 years should be physically active throughout the day to enhance growth and development, while children aged 6-17 years should do sixty minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day.

At least 150-300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity is recommended for adults, and muscle-strengthening activities should be performed at least two days per week.

Older adults can do multicomponent physical activity to include balance training, aerobic activity, and muscle-strengthening activity.

Condition-Related Recommendations

Pregnant women are recommended to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly. It also helps reduce excessive weight gain in pregnancy and helps reduce the risk of developing gestational diabetes and postpartum depression.

Adults with disabilities who are able or adults with chronic conditions should follow key guidelines and perform both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities according to their conditions and needs.

Sleep, Daily Functioning, and Mental Health

Strong evidence demonstrates that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity improves sleep quality by decreasing the time it takes to fall asleep; it can also increase deep-sleep time and decrease daytime sleepiness. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of clinical depression, as well as reducing depressive symptoms and symptoms of anxiety.

Regular physical activity also promotes improvements in executive function, such as organisation of daily activities and future planning, thus reduce the risk of dementia. Cognition (i.e memory, processing speed, attention, academic performance) can also be improved with physical exercise. 

Risk of Diseases and Conditions

Regular physical activity helps maintain weight within a healthy range, improves bone health, prevents falls and fall-related injuries. It also prevents obesity, even in children as young as 3-5 years.

It also helps slowing the progression of osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension, and reduce the risk of some cancers (breast, esophagus, colon, bladder, lung, endometrium, kidney, and stomach). 

Promotion of Physical Activity

School and community based programs can be effective to promote regular physical activity for children and adults. Access and support are also needed to change behaviour. 

Information and technology should be used to promote physical activity, to include activity monitors (e.g. wearable devices), smartphone apps, computer-tailored printed material, and Internet-based programs for self-monitoring, message delivery, and support.

This article is based on an article in Medscape.com