New WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity

Addressing Sedentary Lifestyle Health Risks

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidelines aimed at mitigating the health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Regular physical activity is widely recognized for its numerous health benefits, including improved heart health, muscle development, enhanced bone density, and maintenance of a healthy body weight.

Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

In addition to physical advantages, emerging research highlights the mental health benefits of exercise. Regular physical activity may alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression, reduce stress, and improve self-esteem. Moreover, exercise encourages the release of endorphins, natural compounds that help diminish pain and enhance feelings of happiness.

The Rise of Sedentary Lifestyles

Despite the known benefits of physical activity, many individuals in Western society are increasingly leading sedentary lives. Factors contributing to this trend include prolonged sitting, limited exercise time, and jobs that require minimal physical activity. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, only one-third of American adults meet the recommended levels of weekly physical activity, resulting in missed health benefits.

WHO’s New Guidelines

To address the impact of sedentary behavior on health, the WHO developed new guidelines based on various recent studies, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. These guidelines explore whether the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle can be reversed through regular physical activity.

The guidelines recommend varying intensities of exercise:
– Light intensity activities, such as walking
– Moderate intensity exercises, like brisk walking and lawn work
– Vigorous intensity activities, including running, swimming, or playing sports

For adults, the WHO advises engaging in 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise each week. Additionally, muscle-strengthening activities, including resistance training, should be performed at least twice a week, with older adults advised to incorporate moderate strength training three times weekly to prevent injuries. The guidelines also emphasize the importance of minimizing sedentary activities.

Impact of Increased Physical Activity

The guidelines suggest that increasing physical activity may reduce the adverse health effects associated with inactivity. This marks the first time a large-scale set of guidelines has made this claim, based on a study involving over 44,000 participants. The study indicated that sedentary adults face an elevated risk of mortality; however, those who engaged in regular physical activity significantly lowered their mortality risk.

The findings suggest that adopting a routine of regular exercise could potentially mitigate the heightened mortality risk linked to a sedentary lifestyle. Further research is needed to clarify the strength of this association and its underlying mechanisms. Following the WHO guidelines and integrating physical activity into daily routines may yield significant health benefits.

References

Bull, F.C., Al-Ansari, S.S., Biddle, S., et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine 54(24). Doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955

EurekAlert! (November 25, 2020). American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved December 1, 2020, from https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-11/b-ate112320.php

Sharma, A., Madaan, V., Petty, F.D. (2006). Exercise for Mental Health. The Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 8(2):106. Doi: 10.4088/pcc.v08n0208a

Sampson, S. (July 11, 2017). Healthline Media. Retrieved December 1, 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/endorphins

United States Department of Health and Human Services, (January 26, 2017). President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition. Retrieved December 1, 2020, from https://www.hhs.gov/fitness/resource-center/facts-and-statistics/index.html