Published April 19 2018
Physical activity isn’t just for the young or athletes, it’s for everyone – and we should all make an effort to be active every day!
Active April is a great reminder to stop and think about how physically active you are each day – no matter your age or ability.
Australia’s Physical Activity Guidelines from the Department of Health recommend that everyone be physically active most, if not all, days of the week.
The guidelines for those who are aged 18-64 recommend 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week, with at least two days of strengthening exercises.
These guidelines are even higher for those under the age of five, with recommendations for at least an hour of physical activity each day, lots of active play, and screen time of less than one hour!
Exercise isn’t just about weight loss or improving fitness. A recent worldwide study showed that those who exercised for 30 minutes, five days a week, significantly reduced their risk of early death and developing heart disease.
Exercise is a great way to reduce your risk of developing chronic conditions (such as diabetes, heart disease, some lifestyle related cancers, osteoporosis) and also enhances your mental wellbeing, reduces stress, improves brain power and cognitive function and can help reduce your risk of developing dementia.
Over 70% of Australians are currently not active enough. Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of death due to non-communicable diseases worldwide (heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer).
Use this Active April to start thinking about how you can be more active every day!
If you need some tips, ideas or don’t know where to begin, come and speak to an exercise physiologist today!
- Written by Erin, exercise physiologist at Merri Health.