World Health Day is Coming Up. We're promoting health for everyone
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Your health is important to us |
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We want to make sure that we're doing everything we can to promote health and wellness. That's why we've teamed up with the Move Your Way Campaign. |
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services created the Move Your Way campaign to promote Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. It aims to help people understand how much physical activity they need to be healthy and how to fit it into their daily lives.
Move Your Way helps people make small changes that can lead to big health benefits. In the long term, regular physical activity can help prevent chronic Adults need a mix of physical activity to stay healthy:
- Moderate-intensity aerobic activity — at least 150 minutes a week
- Muscle-strengthening activity — at least 2 days a week
- Aerobic activity is anything that gets your heart beating faster — like brisk walking or dancing.
- Muscle-strengthening activity is anything that makes your muscles work harder than usual — like lifting weights or doing push-ups.
- Break it up over the week however you want. There’s no wrong way to get to 150. Do 22 minutes 7 days a week, 30 minutes 5 days a week — whatever works for you.
In the short term, even small increases in physical activity can boost mood, reduce stress, and improve sleep.
It all adds up. If you can’t manage 150 minutes this week, do what you can! Even 5 minutes of activity has real health benefits.
- Lots of things count. Anything that gets you moving counts as physical activity — even active chores, like gardening or vacuuming!
- Get the same benefits in half the time. If you step it up to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, aim for at least 75 minutes a week.
- Is it moderate or vigorous?
When you’re being active, just try talking:
- If you’re breathing hard but can still have a conversation easily, it’s moderateintensity activity.
- If you can only say a few words before you have to take a breath, it’s vigorousintensity activity.
What about older adults?
- Older adults need the same amount as all adults — but if 150 minutes is too much, do what you can!
- Mix in activities to improve your balance and lower your risk of falls — like tai chi or swimming.
What about kids?
- Kids and teens ages 6 to 17 need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
- Most of their 60 minutes can be moderate-intensity aerobic activity. At least 3 days a week, encourage kids to get vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.
- As part of their daily 60 minutes, kids and teens also need muscle-strengthening activity and bone-strengthening activity at least 3 days a week.
- Bone-strengthening activity is anything that puts healthy pressure on their bones — like playing basketball or jumping rope.
- For kids younger than 6, aim for 3 hours a day — and more is better. Limit the time when they’re sitting around, like screen time.
What are the benefits of physical activity?
- Physical activity has lots of long-term health benefits for adults. It can:
- Reduce risk of dementia, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers — including breast and
lung cancer - Help manage chronic conditions, like diabetes and high blood pressure
- Ease symptoms of arthritis, anxiety,and depression
Physical activity can also help you feel better right away. It can:
- Boost your mood
- Sharpen your focus
- Reduce your stress
- Improve your sleep
- Physical activity has big benefits for kids, too. It can:
- Help them stay healthy as they get older
- Build their muscle and bone strength
- Improve their mood and sleep
- Boost their grades in school
