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The organization has released new physical activity guidelines recommending adults get at least 150 minutes – or 2.5 hours – of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week.
The WHO had previously recommended that adults between the ages of 18 and 64 get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week, and these previous recommendations were made for healthy adults. The new recommendations now include people living with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
“Being physically active is essential for health and well-being – it can help add years to life and life to years,” WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a commentary. Press release. “Every movement matters, especially now that we are dealing with the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. We all need to move every day – in a safe and creative way.”
No matter who you are, WHO has a few basic principles in mind: everyone can benefit from being more active than sedentary. Doing any physical activity is better than none at all. You can start small and slow and increase your frequency, intensity, and duration over time. You can strengthen your muscles at home or at the gym (when it’s safe). And physical activity is good for our heart, body and mind.
What children and adolescents need
Children up to 17 years old need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each day, according to the new recommendations. Activities should be primarily aerobic, such as jogging or cycling. Activities that strengthen muscles and bones are also necessary.
In order for children to be more active, they must perceive their activity options as fun in addition to having access and opportunity, said Dr. Stephanie Walsh, medical director of child welfare at Children’s Healthcare in Atlanta. . If you are working with your children on this, try to refer to “exercise” in the words going out or playing.
If your child finds the walk boring, make it more enjoyable by going on treasure hunts or playing I Spy. Teens can listen to music, video chats, or use fitness apps.
“In general, children / adolescents always report that they enjoy being physically active to: 1) be with their friends 2) have fun 3) learn something new,” said Craig A. Williams, Professor of Pediatric Physiology and Health and Director of the Center for Child Health and Exercise Research at the University of Exeter in England, by email.
Stay active together, mix, cheer, and adjust what isn’t working, Williams said. Dance if you hate running and rollerblading if you prefer not to walk. Also, encourage your children to notice how they feel: if they were sweating and breathing hard, they were doing fine.
Young people are more immediately exposed to mental health problems than to chronic heart or metabolic problems.
If you’re trying to get your teens to be more active, encouraging them to exercise with their mental health in mind may be more effective than warning them about the effects on physical health, “which may seem like a long time ago. of a young person, ”said Joseph Hayes, senior psychiatric researcher at University College London, via email.
Enjoyable, non-competitive activities can help children develop the confidence, ability and enjoyment “to be active for the rest of their lives,” Walsh said, influencing their self-esteem, mood, and academic performance.
Tips for adults
For adults up to 64 years of age, doing at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or at least 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise per week may reduce the risk of premature death, heart disease, hypertension , cancer and type 2 diabetes, the report says.
The guidelines also recommend that people aged 65 and over do at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 or 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise throughout the week.
Commitments at work and at home, Medical conditions and isolation can make it harder to achieve activity goals, said Dr. Adnan Qureshi, professor of neurology at the Zeenat Qureshi Stroke Institute and the University of Missouri-Columbia.
“Although large indoor gatherings are discouraged at this time, outdoor activities … may still be good options,” said Yian Gu, assistant professor of neurological sciences in the departments of epidemiology neurology. from Columbia University in New York, via email. “There are also many options for indoor family activities, such as aerobic exercise (and) table tennis.”
There are a few steps that can improve participation, Qureshi said:
- Understand how physical activity can improve your quality of life.
- Link the activity to another passion such as interacting with people, nature or technology.
- Quantify the time spent and the distance traveled.
- Make activity part of a regular routine.
- Consider barriers to goal achievement and find strategies to overcome barriers with health professionals.
- Write down the benefits you got.
The possible benefits “must be weighed against the potential safety risks and people must be cautious based on any underlying health conditions they may have,” said Dr Richard Marottoli, physician and professor of medicine. at the Yale School of Medicine in Connecticut. “Check with your clinician before starting an exercise program.”
Advice for pregnant and postpartum women
Staying active during and after pregnancy has benefits for both mother and baby, including lower risk of gestational diabetes, complications during childbirth, and postpartum depression.
If pregnant and postpartum women do not have any underlying conditions or complications, according to the report, they should do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic and strengthening activity each week. Stretching can be beneficial and calming.
However, pregnant women should make sure they are hydrated, avoid risky physical activities, and be aware of any warning signs that would alert them to stop. These include feelings of dizziness, painful contractions, or vaginal bleeding.
Guidelines for people with chronic illnesses
“Some people with chronic conditions have difficulty performing some of the recommended types and amounts of physical activity and may avoid any physical activity because of their concerns about risk,” said Regina Davis, associate director general of policy and public health practices for the American. Public health association.
“The type of physical activity you can do may be different, but there are always benefits.
As much as they can, people with chronic illnesses should do at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobics per week or at least 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous aerobics per week. A few times a week, they need to do strengthening and balance exercises to improve their ability to function well and prevent falls.
Tips for people with disabilities
For adults with disabilities, activity can improve physical and cognitive function, strength, and quality of life. The guidelines for adults also apply to adults with disabilities.
Despite the amount of evidence for the effects of sedentary and active behaviors, according to the report, we don’t know as much about outcomes among people in underserved and disabled neighborhoods.
It is “good to see the WHO advocating for this, but recognizing that physical activity is such an important marker of health and well-being could help anchor its importance to society, not only medically but also economically and culturally, “Williams told University of Dit Exeter.
The move is, after all, he added, “what our skeletons were designed to do.”
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