New Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), just released its first update to the Physical Activity Guidelines in ten years.  The new guidelines, already adopted by the American Heart Association (AHA), recommend increasing moderate to vigorous physical activity for adults and decreasing sitting time, and state that any physical activity – anywhere, anytime, no matter the duration or type, matters for improving Americans’ overall health.

“As opposed to everything being harder and harder, it is actually easier to achieve the recommendations in the physical activity guidelines, ” stated Brett P. Giroir, MD, assistant secretary of health for the HHS.  “The progressive buildup to met the physical activity recommendations to maximize health benefits is critical,” says Felipe Lobelo, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the AHA Physical Activity Committee.  “For some, it starts with reducing the number of hours and days they spend sitting.  Maybe then add bouts of walking with 5, 10, 15 minutes per day as they build to 150 minutes per week of moderate, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise.”

To learn more about the HHS Physical Activity Guidelines, understand the benefits of physical activity and how to make it a part of your regular routine, go to https://health.gov/paguidelines/.

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