Even a little exercise can help, say experts | Health

Americans looking to stay healthy can do their exercise in small increments of a few minutes at a time, according to new government guidelines that once again encourage a largely sedentary country to move.

The advice of a committee appointed by the Department of Health and Social Services remove the official position of the government that physical activity should take place in sessions of at least 10 minutes. The previous position was in the first government guidelines on physical activity, published in 2008.

The document published November 11 at the 2018 scientific sessions of the American Heart Association is the first update since. It was published in the journal of the American Medical Association.

"Current evidence shows that the total volume of moderate to vigorous physical activity is linked to many health benefits. periods of a fixed term are not essential, "wrote the committee of health experts.

"Sit down less, move more. Whatever you do, everything really matters, "said Brett P. Giroir, assistant secretary of health at HHS, during an interview.

Thomas Allison, director of sports cardiology and exercise at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said that short periods of exercise were invaluable for breaking long periods of time. But research shows that several short sessions should involve a similar energy expenditure to have the same impact as a longer session, otherwise extra time will be required, he said.

Allison endorsed the overall goal of the new recommendations, which encourage movements of all kinds, regardless of their duration, in a country where about 80% of the population does not enjoy the minimum of recommended physical activity. He suggested that office workers and other sedentary people get up and move about two minutes every half hour.

The government's concern about American fitness is not new. In 1908, President Teddy Roosevelt challenged the Marines to demonstrate that they could travel 50 miles in 20 hours. President-elect John F. Kennedy expressed his concern about the situation of a nation that relaxed in an article he had written for Sports Illustrated magazine in 1960.

In order for adults to stay healthy, the new guidelines provide for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise each week, as well as At least two days a week of muscle building exercises. These recommendations are unchanged from ten years ago.

According to the guidelines, walking at a speed between 2.5 and 4 miles at the time, playing volleyball or raking leaves, is a moderate intensity activity. The intense-intensity exercises include jogging or running, transporting heavy groceries or pursuing an intense fitness class, said the panel. Some workouts, such as swimming and cycling, can be categorized into two categories, depending on the effort provided.

Children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years should do 60 minutes of vigorous physical activity each day, plus three days of weekly activities that strengthen the muscles, according to recommendations. Older people should exercise to improve their balance, as well as cardio training and muscle building sessions, the panel said.

For the first time, the guidelines include a recommendation for preschool children, noting that children aged 3 to 5 "should be physically active all day to improve their growth and development." The document also contains specific tips for pregnant women and postpartum mothers and people with disabilities.

The panel noted that in the decade since the publication of the first guidelines, research has broadened the recognized benefits of the movement. These include reducing the risk of cancer, anxiety and depression; improve cognitive function and sleep; promote bone health and regulate weight gain in preschool children; protection against weight gain, gestational diabetes and postpartum depression in pregnant women and new mothers; and reduce the risk of falls in the elderly.

Even one training can have an impact in some areas, the committee noted.

In recent years, researchers have also learned more about how a sedentary lifestyle can be harmful. The report notes that "insufficient physical activity is associated with approximately $ 117 billion in annual health care costs and about 10% of premature mortality."

According to the guidelines, "Being physically active is one of the most important things that people of all ages can do to improve their health."