How much Exercise do you need everyday?

Details: Category: Region 9; Published: 07 September 2022

Did you know that you are at increased risk of developing heart disease if you have a sedentary lifestyle and do not exercise regularly? Heart disease is still one of the leading causes of death in the country and one factor that could increase your risk is physical inactivity. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that require energy expenditure. Physical activity refers to all movement including during leisure time, for transport to get to and from places, or as part of a person's work. Physical activity has significant health benefits for hearts, bodies, and minds. Regular physical activity is proven to help prevent and manage non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and several cancers, reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, enhances thinking, learning, and judgment skills, and ensures healthy growth and development in young people and improves overall well-being.

Globally, 1 in 4 adults do not meet the global recommended levels of physical activity and more than 80% of the world's adolescent population is insufficiently physically active. In the Philippines, DOST-FNRI 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey results shows that the prevalence of physical inactivity among adults (20-59 years old) slightly decreased from 40.7% in 2015 to 40.6% in 2018. The data also shows that physical inactivity is highest among women (46.6%) compared to men (32.9%). Insufficiently active people have a 20% to 30% increased risk of death compared to sufficiently active people.

World Health Organization global recommendations on physical activity for health:

For infants (less than 1 year):
be physically active several times a day in a variety of ways;
For those not yet mobile, this includes at least 30 minutes in the prone position (tummy time) spread throughout the day while awake;

For children 1-2 years of age:
spend at least 180 minutes in a variety of types of physical activities at any intensity, including moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, spread throughout the day
For children 3-4 years of age:
spend at least 180 minutes in a variety of types of physical activities at any intensity, of which at least 60 minutes is moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity
Children and adolescents aged 5-17 years:
should do at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity, mostly aerobic, physical activity, across the week
Adults aged 18–64 years
should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week (≥ 5 days of moderate-intensity activity or walking of at least 30 mins per day);
or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week (≥ 3 days of vigorous-intensity activity of at least 20 mins per day);
an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week
Adults aged 65 years and above
Same as for adults
older adults should do varied multicomponent physical activity that emphasizes functional balance and strength training at moderate or greater intensity, on 3 or more days a week.