Getting moving for health.

If people throughout the world were more active, up to 5 million deaths a year may be avoided. The new WHO Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior, released today, highlight that everyone, of all ages and abilities, can be physically active and that every sort of mobility counts. This is particularly important at a time when many people are housebound due to COVID-19.

All adults, including those with disabilities or chronic diseases, should engage in 150 to 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity each week, according to the revised recommendations. Children and adolescents should engage in an average of 60 minutes of aerobic activity each day.

According to WHO data, four out of five teenagers and one out of every four adults do not engage in adequate physical exercise. Globally, this is expected to result in direct health care expenses of US$54 billion and lost productivity costs of US$14 billion.

The recommendations urge pregnant and postpartum women to continue their normal physical exercise. They also emphasize the significant health advantages of physical activity for those who have impairments.

It is recommended that older persons (those 65 years of age and over) include exercises that focus on balance, coordination, and muscular training to help prevent falls and enhance health.

In addition to lowering the signs of sadness and anxiety, slowing cognitive decline, enhancing memory, and promoting brain health, regular physical exercise is essential for preventing and managing heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and cancer.

Physical activity is essential for health and wellbeing since it may lengthen years and improve quality of life, according to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "Every action matters, especially right now as we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic's limitations. Every day, we must all move, safely and creatively.

All forms of physical exercise are healthy and can be done for employment, recreation, or transportation (walking, cycling, and other forms of transportation), as well as for dancing, play, and regular home chores like gardening and cleaning.

If you must spend a lot of time sitting still, whether at work or school, you should engage in more physical activity to offset the negative effects of sedentary behavior. Dr. Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion, World Health Organization, stated that physical activity of any kind and duration can improve health and wellbeing, but more is always better.

The head of the physical activity unit who oversaw the preparation of the new WHO guidelines, Dr. Fiona Bull, stated that the new recommendations "emphasize how vital being active is for our hearts, bodies, and brains, and how the favorable results benefit everyone, of all ages and abilities."

In order to promote the WHO Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018-2030, governments are urged to follow the global recommendations. At the 71st World Health Assembly in 2018, experts in global health approved a strategy to cut physical inactivity by 15% by 2030.

Guidelines for Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior issued by WHO in 2020

Give advice on the types and amounts of physical exercise for different age groups, expectant and postpartum women, and those with impairments or chronic diseases. Compared to the 2010 guidelines, the 2020 WHO recommendations are based on a substantially greater body of research.

and incorporate some significant changes. First, evidence for additional health benefits beyond those mentioned in the 2010 WHO guidelines — namely, cancer, cardiorespiratory, metabolic, musculoskeletal, and functional health — is reported. These additional benefits include improved cognitive health, health-related quality of life, mental health, and sleep. This change reflects the advancement of physical activity research as well as the rising acceptance of the WHO definition of health as a condition of whole physical, mental, and social wellbeing.

Second, the 2020 WHO guidelines demonstrate the growing specificity and applicability of physical activity recommendations to various populations by including detailed recommendations for pregnant and postpartum women, as well as for those with chronic illnesses or impairments. Thirdly, new recommendations have changed how aerobic physical activity should be collected; for instance, the former criterion for a minimum of 10 minutes of continuous exercise has been deleted, and "any physical activity is better than none." Last but not least, the 2020 WHO recommendations include broad suggestions to cut down on sitting time, which is in keeping with the rising attention in the negative health impacts of sedentary behavior.

The release of the 2020 WHO recommendations comes after the recent introduction of significant physical activity recommendations in the USA and UK.

Similar recommendations are included in these guidelines for the kinds, levels, amounts, and durations of physical exercise for both general and target groups. While this is happening, the new Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults,

released in October 2020, took a different tack by include advice on sleep, sedentary behavior, and various levels of physical exercise. Guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep for children under the age of five have also used this 24-hour activity spectrum approach, which aims to account for the connections across various behaviors. These guidelines have been used by the WHO and nations like Australia and Canada.

The creation of physical activity guidelines is still a topic of discussion. Despite the fact that some experts believe the research currently available is insufficient to justify quantitative recommendations for sitting time,

Others argue that recommendations should be created despite a lack of high-quality data.

Additionally, some researchers suggest including the full 24-hour day in integrated movement guidelines, but others express concerns about communication difficulties and a lack of 24-hour compositional evidence. Despite these variances, modern physical activity recommendations have a lot in common, including a focus on participation, a specified public health context, and a socially inclusive strategy for reaching the entire community.

Current recommendations for physical exercise are the result of years of evidence collection, synthesis, and modifications (figure). Early physical activity recommendations prioritized prolonged, intense aerobic exercise, primarily for heart rehabilitation or performance enhancement.

Guidelines changed to become more public health focused and the focus switched from exercise, which is planned and scheduled, to physical activity, which may be part of daily living since there was growing evidence of the health benefits of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking.

The amount of physical activity associated with health benefits has been further characterized in recent decades by evidence incorporating device-based measurements and sophisticated analytical approaches, such as the curvilinear relationship between physical activity and health outcomes, the value of any duration of physical activity, and the advantages of light-intensity physical activity as a replacement for sedentary time.

Due to these advancements, the emphasis on engaging in any physical exercise for any amount of time is now part of the recommended practices. Overall, the emphasis on active living has replaced exercise training in recommendations for physical activity. Guidelines for Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior issued by WHO in 2020

Give advice on the types and amounts of physical exercise for different age groups, expectant and postpartum women, and those with impairments or chronic diseases. Compared to the 2010 guidelines, the 2020 WHO recommendations are based on a substantially greater body of research.

and incorporate some significant changes. First, evidence for additional health benefits beyond those mentioned in the 2010 WHO guidelines — namely, cancer, cardiorespiratory, metabolic, musculoskeletal, and functional health — is reported. These additional benefits include improved cognitive health, health-related quality of life, mental health, and sleep. This change reflects the advancement of physical activity research as well as the rising acceptance of the WHO definition of health as a condition of whole physical, mental, and social wellbeing.

Second, the 2020 WHO guidelines demonstrate the growing specificity and applicability of physical activity recommendations to various populations by including detailed recommendations for pregnant and postpartum women, as well as for those with chronic illnesses or impairments. Thirdly, new recommendations have changed how aerobic physical activity should be collected; for instance, the former criterion for a minimum of 10 minutes of continuous exercise has been deleted, and "any physical activity is better than none." Last but not least, the 2020 WHO recommendations include broad suggestions to cut down on sitting time, which is in keeping with the rising attention in the negative health impacts of sedentary behavior.

The release of the 2020 WHO recommendations comes after the recent introduction of significant physical activity recommendations in the USA and UK. Similar recommendations are included in these guidelines for the kinds, levels, amounts, and durations of physical exercise for both general and target groups. While this is happening, the new Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults,

released in October 2020, took a different tack by include advice on sleep, sedentary behavior, and various levels of physical exercise. Such a 24-hour activity spectrum approach, which aims to account for the connections between various behaviors, has also been used in the WHO's and other nations' recommendations on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep for kids under the age of five, including Australia and Canada. The creation of physical activity guidelines is still a topic of discussion. Although some experts believe that the evidence currently available is insufficient to support quantitative recommendations for sitting time, others support the development of guidelines despite the lack of sufficient and high-quality evidence. Additionally, some researchers suggest that integrated movement guidelines encompass the entire 24 hour day.

Others, however, voice concerns about communication difficulties and a lack of 24-hour compositional evidence.

Despite these variances, modern physical activity recommendations have a lot in common, including a focus on participation, a specified public health context, and a socially inclusive strategy for reaching the entire community.

Current recommendations for physical exercise are the result of years of evidence collection, synthesis, and modifications (figure). Early physical activity recommendations prioritized prolonged, intense aerobic exercise, primarily for heart rehabilitation or performance enhancement. Guidelines changed to become more public health focused and the focus switched from exercise, which is planned and scheduled, to physical activity, which may be part of daily living since there was growing evidence of the health benefits of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking.

The amount of physical activity associated with health benefits has been further characterized in recent decades by evidence that uses device-based measurements and sophisticated analytical techniques. Examples include the curvilinear relationship between physical activity and health outcomes, the value of any duration of physical activity, and the advantages of light-intensity physical activity as a substitute for sedentary time.

Due to these advancements, the emphasis on engaging in any physical exercise for any amount of time is now part of the recommended practices.

Overall, the emphasis on active living has replaced exercise training in recommendations for physical activity.