What is physical activity?
Physical activity refers to any movement of your body that requires the use of energy. Popular forms of physical activity include gardening, walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, recreational sports, and dancing.
What are the benefits of physical activity?
There are numerous benefits to completing regular physical activity, including helping to maintain a healthy body weight, strong muscles and bones, and healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
As a result of these benefits, physical activity is powerful in the prevention and management of
several conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
In fact, physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading cause of death due to
non-communicable diseases (heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer), contributing to over three
million preventable deaths globally each year!
Physical activity is not just about physical health – it is important for other aspects of wellbeing too!
It contributes to improved mental health, including reducing anxiety and depression, improving
self-esteem and body image, and improving concentration. It also often creates opportunities to
meet people and socialise.
Are we doing enough physical activity?
Despite all of these amazing benefits, a lot of Australians are not doing enough physical activity. In fact, 1 in 2 adults (55%) do not meet the recommended physical activity guidelines.
What are the guidelines for physical activity?
The Australian physical activity guidelines recommend the following for adults and older adults: Adults (18-64 years):
- 2.5 to 5 hours (150 to 300 minutes) of moderate intensity physical activity per week OR
- 1.25 to 2.5 hours (75 to 150 minutes) of vigorous intensity physical activity per week OR
- An equivalent combination of the above
- Muscle strengthening activities at least 2 times per week e.g. using your own body weight
for resistance (squats, lunges, push-ups, sit-ups, lifting weights, using resistance bands
Older adults (65+ years): - 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week
- For those who enjoy vigorous physical activity, you should continue to do so at a level that is
safe and suited to your capability - Include fitness (e.g. walking, cycling, swimming), strength (e.g. lifting weights, bodyweight
exercises such as squats and lunges), balance and flexibility activities throughout the week
Remember: - You can accumulate physical activity throughout the day to reach the recommended
guidelines, for example, to achieve 30 mins of moderate intensity physical activity, you may
complete 3 x 10 min walks - Doing any physical activity is better than none! If you are not currently physically active, start
gradually and build up to the recommended amount
What is moderate intensity vs vigorous intensity physical activity?
There are many ways to assess how hard you are working during your physical activity, below is a quick and easy guide:
Moderate intensity: if you can comfortably talk but not sing, you are working at a moderate intensity
Vigorous intensity: if you cannot say more than a few words without gasping for breath (i.e., you are
not able to speak in full sentences), you are working at a vigorous intensity
What about sitting time?
In addition to completing sufficient physical activity, it is important to consider the amount of time you spend sitting. Below are the current guidelines for reducing sedentary behaviour:
- Minimise the amount of time spent in prolonged sitting
- Break up long periods of sitting as often as possible
How can you include more physical activity in your day and reduce sitting time?
There are many ways you can add short bouts of physical activity into your day and reduce sitting
time, even if you are really busy. Some ideas that you may consider are:
- For short trips, walk or cycle to your destination
- Park your car part of the way to your destination and walk the remaining distance
- Get off your train or bus a stop early and walk the remaining distance
- Take the stairs instead of the lift or escalator
- Complete a short walk on your lunch break
- Try a walking meeting with a colleague
- Catch up with friends while taking a walk outdoors or walk while talking on the phone
- Regularly alternate between sitting and standing at your desk
- Set a regular timer as a reminder to take regular breaks from sitting at your desk
- Stand up and move around during ad breaks while watching TV
Summary
- Physical activity has numerous benefits for physical, mental, and social health
- More than half of Australian adults do not meet the physical activity guidelines
- As a guide, aim for at least 150 mins of moderate intensity physical activity and 2 sessions of
muscle strengthening activities per week (if you are not yet physically active, gradually build
up to the recommended guidelines) - Assess your daily routine and look for ways to reduce sitting and add in bouts of physical
activity throughout your day, every little bit adds up! - Speak with your GP or health professional if you have a health problem or are concerned
about the safety of incorporating more physical activity into your lifestyle – they will be able
to discuss the most suitable activities for you
Resources and references
Australian physical activity guidelines:
Tips for adults for how to include more physical activity:
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ti-18-64years
Tips for older adults for how to include more physical activity:
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ti-65plus
Physical activity statistics:
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubhlth-strateg-active-evi
dence.htm
Physical activity intensity:
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/HealthyLiving/exercise-intensity
