How much physical activity should I be doing?

Physical activity is something we should all include in our lifestyles. But how much is recommended? How many steps should we aim for each day?

Y Southland Gym Instructor and Personal Trainer Camila Peres Armelin has compiled some key info from different websites and articles (referenced below) to share some insights with you. Check out what she found out here:

According to the Ministry of Health (2020) and WHO (2020), the recommendation is to do at least 2h30min of moderate activity or 1h15min of vigorous activity weekly.

Minimum Physical Activity Guidelines

A few examples of the benefits of exercising include:

1. Weight control;
2. Combat health conditions and diseases such as:
   a) Stroke;
   b) Metabolic syndrome;
   c) High blood pressure;
   d) Type 2 diabetes;
   e) Depression;
   f) Anxiety;
   g) Many types of cancer;
   h) Arthritis;
   i) Falls;
3. Improves your mood (feel happier);
4. Increases your energy levels;
5. Helps you to sleep better;
6. Good for your muscles and bones;
7. Strengthen your heart, improve blood circulation, and enhance flexibility;
8. Helps skin health;
9. Helps your brain health and memory;
10. Improve sex life;
11. May also help you control pain associated with health conditions like:
    a) chronic low back pain;
    b) fibromyalgia.

In addition, to achieve extra health benefits, adults could do five hours of moderate or 2h30min of vigorous physical activity weekly (Ministry of Health, 2020).

Physical Activity Guidelines for Extra Health Benefits

This increase in physical activity can do even better at: “reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, reducing the risk of gaining excess weight, reducing depressive symptoms and anxiety, and increasing quality of life and wellbeing” (Ministry of Health, 2020).

To achieve the 2h30min of moderate activity weekly you could start doing 30min of physical activity daily, 5 days a week.

Example of How you Could Achieve 2h30min of Physical Activity in your Week

To have the extra health benefits, you can add an extra 30min daily and complete 1 hour of physical activity daily, 5 days a week.

Example of How you Could Achieve 5h of Physical Activity in your Week to Get the Extra Health Benefits

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends and exemplifies it in the following image.

Additionally, a good way to keep yourself active is doing enough steps daily and spending less time seated.

How many steps should I do per day?

Around 7,000-8,000 steps/day is the recommendation of minimal amounts of time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for adults (Tudor-Locke et al., 2011a).

The minimal recommendation for preschool children (4-6 years old) is 10,000-14,000 steps/day, for primary/elementary schoolchildren (6-11 years old) is 13,000 to 15,000 steps/day for boys, and 11,000 to 12,000 steps/day for girls, and 10,000-11,700 steps/day for adolescents (12-19 years old) (Tudor-Locke et al., 2011b).

How Many Steps Should I Do Daily?

“Taking more steps per day was associated with a progressively lower risk of all-cause mortality, up to a level that varied by age” (Paluch et al., 2022).

Use your breaks to have short walks if you can!

References:

Tudor-Locke, C., Craig, C. L., Brown, W. J., Clemes, S. A., De Cocker, K., Giles-Corti, B., … & Blair, S. N. (2011a). How many steps/day are enough? For adults. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 8, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-8-79

Tudor-Locke, C., Craig, C. L., Beets, M. W., Belton, S., Cardon, G. M., Duncan, S., … & Blair, S. N. (2011b). How many steps/day are enough? for children and adolescents. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 8, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-8-78

Paluch, A. E., Bajpai, S., Bassett, D. R., Carnethon, M. R., Ekelund, U., Evenson, K. R., … & Fulton, J. E. (2022). Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts. The Lancet Public Health, 7(3), e219-e228. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(21)00302-9/fulltext

Ministry of Health. 2020. Eating and Activity Guidelines for New Zealand Adults: Updated 2020. Wellington: Ministry of Health. https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/assets/For-the-health-sector/Health-sector-guidance/Active-Families/eating-activity-guidelines-new-zealand-adults-updated-2020-oct22.pdf

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-exercise

https://www.who.int/multi-media/details/who-guidelines-on-physical-activity-and-sedentary-behaviour

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128