New Guidelines Say Any Kind Of Exercise In Small Doses And Less Sitting Improve Health Starting As Early As Age 3
Getting a sedentary nation off the sofa -- only 20 percent of us get the recommended amount of exercise a day -- is a big concern for the government, which updated its guidelines Monday for the first time in 10 years. Since the first guidelines were issued, research has expanded the recognized benefits of movement, including reducing the risk of cancer, anxiety and depression and improving cognitive function and sleep.
The Associated Press:
New Exercise Guidelines: Move More, Sit Less, Start Younger
Move more, sit less and get kids active as young as age 3, say new federal guidelines that stress that any amount and any type of exercise helps health. The advice is the first update since the government's physical activity guidelines came out a decade ago. Since then, the list of benefits of exercise has grown, and there's more evidence to back things that were of unknown value before, such as short, high-intense workouts and taking the stairs instead of an elevator. (Marchione, 11/12)
The Washington Post:
New Government Guidelines Say You Can Get Your Exercise In Small Doses
The guidance from a committee appointed by the Department of Health and Human Services does away with the official government position that physical activity should occur in sessions of at least 10 minutes. The earlier position was contained in the government’s first physical activity guidelines, issued in 2008. The document released Monday at the American Heart Association’s 2018 Scientific Sessions is the first update since then. 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 related to many health benefits; bouts of a prescribed duration are not essential,” the committee of health experts wrote. (Bernstein, 11/12)
NPR:
New Federal Exercise Guidelines Emphasize Moving More Throughout The Day
"The new guidelines demonstrate that, based on the best science, everyone can dramatically improve their health just by moving — anytime, anywhere, and by any means that gets you active," Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary of health at the Department of Health and Human Services, said in a release. (Aubrey, 11/12)
USA Today:
Only One In Five Teens Meet New Federal Guidelines For Physical Activity
Cardiologist William Kraus, a Duke University medical school professor who served on the advisory committee for the guidelines, said the 10-minute block was removed because it could have discouraged some people who didn't have that much time from moving. He noted that parking farther from entrances and taking the stairs count as exercise. (O'Donnell, 11/12)
Los Angeles Times:
Uncle Sam Wants You To Sit Less And Move More. Here’s How You Can Meet The New Exercise Guidelines
On the inducement side, getting regular physical activity has now been linked to lower rates of eight different kinds of cancer, including those of the lung, kidneys and stomach. In 2008, when the first “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans” were released, government scientists could assert only that adequate levels of physical activity helped reduce the risk for breast and colon cancer. And that’s on top of its ability to prevent heart attacks and strokes, decrease arthritis pain, improve brain health and academic performance, and generally lift your spirits. (Healy, 11/12)
