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Listen, Americans. The government recommends doing 150 minutes of exercise a week for a decade. That's only 20 minutes a day – and not even one in four can cope with it.
But the Department of Health and Human Services, armed with new research on the benefits of exercise – no, not even exercise, just a "physical activity" – is ready to offer losers and to couch-patatoes some extra encouragement and a chance for redemption.
In terms of incentive, regular physical activity is now linked to lower rates of eight types of cancer, including lung, kidney and stomach cancers. In 2008, when the first "Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans" were published, government scientists could only claim that sufficient levels of physical activity helped to reduce the risk of physical activity. bad and colon cancer.
And this is in addition to its ability to prevent heart attacks and strokes, reduce arthritis pain, improve brain health and academic performance, and cheer you up.
The new guidelines were released Monday at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. They have also been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
In total, people who do physical activity about 150 minutes a week reduce their risk of death by one-third at any age, compared to those who are not physically active at all. In the context of preventing illness and improving the functions of a person throughout life, "only a few lifestyle choices have as important an effect on mortality as the life of the person. physical activity, "says the JAMA report.
Still not convinced? Government scientists warn that being a couch potato is downright dangerous because it accounts for 10% of all premature deaths among Americans. It's also expensive: about $ 117 billion in annual health care costs is caused by the sedentary habits of Americans.
As powerful medicine says, "It's economic," said Admiral Brett P. Giroir, deputy secretary of health, who unveiled the new guidelines Monday. After all, "the best way to reduce the cost of medication is to not need it".
But wait, there is more. Federal Exercise Gurus are now facilitating compliance with the Minimum Physical Activity Levels recommendations, which remain unchanged at a weekly 150-minute "moderate to vigorous aerobic activity," with two-day muscle building activities in the area. the week.
Previously, one had to get up and move vigorously for at least 10 minutes at a time to be considered as exercise. In many minds, this is a requirement that evokes images of sneakers, spandex and sweat.
No problem. "All activities matter," say the new federal guidelines. "Tips of any length contribute to the health benefits badociated with the accumulated volume of physical activity."
This means that if, for two hours in front of the television, you had to get up from your couch at each commercial break and go up and down the stairs until you return from your show … well, on average, you would have gained 22 minutes moderate physical activity per day.
In one week, that's 154 minutes. Take a victory turn.
Dancing, gardening, walking your dog, quickly crossing a large car park – all this counts in the weekly total. The new guidelines embed this idea in a campaign that will soon be launched and called "Move Your Way".
Just remember that, at its minimum, a moderate intensity activity is defined as reaching an oxygen consumption rate (an approximate substitute for calories burned, called MET, or equivalent metabolic) that could be reached by walking at a rate that would take you 20 minutes to travel a mile.
Ideally, guideline writers would like you to undertake – or try to work – a "vigorous intensity" activity, for which the intensity of your exercise should be 6 METS or more. This includes running a mile in 10 minutes, which is a 10-MET activity and is therefore easily described as vigorous intensity activity. Climbing stairs – baduming you do it quickly – is generally considered as an activity up to 9 MET.
But you can simply start by speeding up your walk, jogging, swimming or climbing stairs.
And here's an added bonus for the reluctant coach: If all the physical activity you're doing is a high-intensity aerobic activity, you could reach the minimum goals set by the guidelines in 75 minutes a week only.
Now you will still need to do "muscle building activities" twice a week. It's easier than you think. You can attend a weight training clbad at your community center or local gym, where they can use elastic resistance bands, spongy balls or light weights to strengthen the legs, arms and waist.
But if you had to stand in front of your chair and lift a few small weights during a half-hour show – and get yourself to get up and get off your chair without touching the armrest (these movements do not feel like it. 39, call "squats" for beginners and, no, you can not sit after each), you can easily meet this requirement. Add some pumps to strengthen the muscles of the chest, shoulders and upper arms and it's really great.
The new guidelines state that, to stay healthy, seniors should also aim for 150 minutes a week, if chronic conditions such as arthritis, diabetes or heart disease do not make this impossible. They "should be as physically active as their abilities and conditions permit," say the guidelines. And their exercises should include a balance training as well as aerobic activities and muscle building.
Has the Department of Health and Social Services adapted the new guidelines to a general manager who seems to prefer to drive a golf cart? No, they had science.
And science, there is also some pretty encouraging news for those who have not done physical exercise but want to start: The benefits of stimulating physical activity are more important for those who do not get it at all on time.
Of course, a dedicated trainer can increase the benefits to his health by putting more minutes or more vigor into his exercise program. But the person who gets the best value for money is one that starts with a habit of exercising little by little, Giroir said.
"Humans have evolved to move, and when you move, your whole physiology works better," he said.
Progressive increase
To reduce the risk of injury to muscles and bones, the new guidelines emphasize that levels of physical activity should be increased gradually, even for those who already do.
For children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years old, the new guidelines recommend a minimum of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day, including a muscle building and bone building exercise, at least three times per week.
They also offer, for the first time, recommendations to children aged 3 to 5 years.
According to the new guidelines, preschool children should be encouraged to move and participate in active games as well as structured activities such as throwing games and riding a bicycle or tricycle. To strengthen the bones, "young children should do activities that involve jumping, jumping, jumping and tumbling". And while research has failed to determine how much activity is needed to prevent excessive weight gain or bone health in young children, "a reasonable goal can be 3 hours a day. "
According to the editors of the new recommendations, this roughly corresponds to the average level of activity observed among children of this age. But as screen time, preschoolers and parents' demands for work increase, it is generally thought that young children's play time is decreasing.
Risks of sitting
Finally, the editors of the new guidelines deal with two issues of growing interest to scientists and Americans already very concerned about their health.
One is the dangers of sitting down. "People who are well-off have an increased risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease, as well as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancers of the colon, endometrium and lung," the guidelines say. . "The risk of sitting-related mortality is not observed in people who engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for 60 to 75 minutes a day, but this activity is much greater than most people are getting. Therefore, the reduction of sitting time and the increase in physical activity will bring benefits. "
The guidelines also tout the benefits of high intensity interval training, or HIIT, defined as "alternating short periods of exercise with maximum effort with less intense recovery periods". "HIIT" can improve insulin sensitivity, blood pressure and body composition in adults. It is interesting to note that obese or overweight adults, as well as those at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, tend to have more cardiovascular benefits when practicing HIIT compared to adults in adults. normal or healthy weight.
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