Physical
Activity & Health
The
Benefits of Physical Activity
Regular
physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for
your health. It can help:
If
you're not sure about becoming active or boosting your level of physical
activity because you're afraid of getting hurt, the good news is that
moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk
walking, is generally safe for most people.
Start slowly. Cardiac events, such as a
heart attack, are rare during physical activity. But the risk does go up
when you suddenly become much more active than usual. For example, you
can put yourself at risk if you don't usually get much physical activity
and then all of a sudden do vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, like
shoveling snow. That's why it's important to start slowly and gradually
increase your level of activity.
If you have a chronic health condition
such as arthritis, diabetes, or heart disease, talk with your doctor to
find out if your condition limits, in any way, your ability to be
active. Then, work with your doctor to come up with a physical activity
plan that matches your abilities. If your condition stops you from
meeting the minimum Guidelines, try to do as much as you can.
What's important is that you avoid being inactive. Even 60 minutes a
week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity is good for you.
The bottom line is - the health benefits
of physical activity far outweigh the risks of getting hurt.
If you
want to know more about how physical activity improves your health, the
section below gives more detail on what research studies have found.
Control Your Weight
Looking
to get to or stay at a healthy weight? Both diet and physical activity
play a critical role in controlling your weight. You gain weight when
the calories you burn, including those burned during physical activity,
are less than the calories you eat or drink. For more information see
our section on
balancing calories. When it comes to weight management, people vary
greatly in how much physical activity they need. You may need to be more
active than others to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.
To maintain your weight: Work your way up
to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of
vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent mix of the two
each week. Strong scientific evidence shows that physical activity can
help you maintain your weight over time. However, the exact amount of
physical activity needed to do this is not clear since it varies greatly
from person to person. It's possible that you may need to do more than
the equivalent of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to
maintain your weight.
To lose weight and keep it off: You will
need a high amount of physical activity unless you also adjust your diet
and reduce the amount of calories you're eating and drinking. Getting to
and staying at a healthy weight requires both regular physical activity
and a healthy eating plan. The CDC has some great tools and information
about nutrition, physical activity and weight loss. For more
information, visit
Healthy Weight.
Reduce Your Risk of Cardiovascular
Disease
Heart
disease and stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the United
States. But following the Guidelines and getting at least 150 minutes a
week (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity can
put you at a lower risk for these diseases. You can reduce your risk
even further with more physical activity. Regular physical activity can
also lower your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels.
Reduce your risk of Type 2 Diabetes and
Metabolic Syndrome
Regular
physical activity can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and
metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a condition in which you have
some combination of too much fat around the waist, high blood pressure,
low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, or high blood sugar. Research
shows that lower rates of these conditions are seen with 120 to 150
minutes (2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of at least
moderate-intensity aerobic activity. And the more physical activity you
do, the lower your risk will be.
Already have type 2 diabetes? Regular
physical activity can help control your blood glucose levels. To find
out more, visit
Diabetes and
Me.
Reduce Your Risk of Some Cancers
-
Being physically active lowers your risk for two
types of cancer: colon and breast. Research shows that:
-
Physically active people have a lower risk of colon
cancer than do people who are not active.
-
Physically active women have a lower risk of breast cancer than do
people who are not active.
Reduce your risk of endometrial and lung cancer.
Although the research is not yet final, some findings suggest that your
risk of endometrial cancer and lung cancer may be lower if you get
regular physical activity compared to people who are not active.
Improve your quality of life. If you are
a cancer survivor, research shows that getting regular physical activity
not only helps give you a better quality of life, but also improves your
physical fitness.
Strengthen Your Bones and Muscles
As you
age, it's important to protect your bones, joints and muscles. Not only
do they support your body and help you move, but keeping bones, joints
and muscles healthy can help ensure that you're able to do your daily
activities and be physically active. Research shows that doing
aerobic, muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening physical activity
of at least a moderately-intense level can slow the loss of bone
density that comes with age.
Hip fracture is a serious health
condition that can have life-changing negative effects, especially if
you're an older adult. But research shows that people
who do 120 to 300 minutes of at least moderate-intensity aerobic
activity each week have a lower risk of hip fracture.
Regular physical activity helps with arthritis
and other conditions affecting the joints. If you have
arthritis, research shows that doing 130 to 150 (2 hours and 10 minutes
to 2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, low-impact
aerobic activity can not only improve your ability to manage pain and do
everyday tasks, but it can also make your quality of life better.
Build strong, healthy muscles. Muscle-strengthening
activities can help you increase or maintain your muscle mass and
strength. Slowly increasing the amount of weight and number of
repetitions you do will give you even more benefits, no matter your age.
Improve Your Mental Health and Mood
Regular
physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment
skills sharp as you age. It can also reduce your risk of depression and
may help you sleep better. Research has shown that doing aerobic or a
mix of aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities 3 to 5 times a week
for 30 to 60 minutes can give you these mental health benefits. Some
scientific evidence has also shown that even lower levels of physical
activity can be beneficial.
Improve Your Ability to do Daily
Activities and Prevent Falls
A
functional limitation is a loss of the ability to do everyday activities
such as climbing stairs, grocery shopping, or playing with your
grandchildren.
How does this relate to physical activity?
If you're a physically active middle-aged or older adult, you have a
lower risk of functional limitations than people who are inactive
Already have trouble doing some of your everyday activities?
Aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities can help improve your
ability to do these types of tasks.
Are you an older adult who is at risk for falls?
Research shows that doing balance and
muscle-strengthening activities each week along with
moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, can
help reduce your risk of falling.
Increase Your Chances of Living Longer
Science
shows that physical activity can reduce your risk of dying early from
the leading causes of death, like heart disease and some cancers. This
is remarkable in two ways:
Only a
few lifestyle choices have as large an impact on your health as physical
activity. People who are physically active for about 7 hours a week have
a 40 percent lower risk of dying early than those who are active for
less than 30 minutes a week.
You
don't have to do high amounts of activity or vigorous-intensity activity
to reduce your risk of premature death. You can put yourself at lower
risk of dying early by doing at least 150 minutes a week of
moderate-intensity aerobic activity.
Everyone can gain the health benefits of physical activity
- age, ethnicity, shape or size do not matter.
Reprinted with Permission:
Division
of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity,
National Center for
Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
