Physical activity: recommended levels

Physical activity is movement of the body that uses energy. There are many different types of physical activity, including exercise, sport, play, dance and active living such as walking, housework and gardening.

The widely accepted health messages are now:

• Adults should accumulate / build up at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week (five or more).
  
• Children should accumulate / build up at least one hour of moderate activity on most days of the week (five or more).

Moderate activity is considered to be the equivalent of brisk walking.

The original physical activity guideline for adults was to take part in three 20-minute sessions of vigorous exercise per week. However, it was apparent that this represented an unrealistic target for those who were physically inactive. It also failed to recognise the significant beneficial effects on health of regular moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking. As such, attention has now shifted to encouraging regular physical activity at a moderate, rather than vigorous, level of intensity.

In line with the revised health messages outlined above, NHS Health Scotland advocates a two-stage approach to increasing physical activity levels among adults in Scotland. Those who are not regularly active should aim to accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week (five or more), while those who are regularly active should aim to include three periods per week of vigorous activity lasting at least 20 minutes (HEBS(1997)).