badbobby Loc: texas

CHICAGO — After a decade, Americans have new physical activity guidelines to aim for — and officials hope the changes will get more people encouraged to get moving.

That's because the new guidelines, released today (Nov. 12) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), say that any exercise is better than none. In other words, even as little as a few minutes of exercise will count towards your daily exercise goal.

That's a change from the older guidelines, which said that in order to get the full health benefits of exercise, you needed to perform an activity for at least 10 minutes at a time. But "we now know that any amount of physical activity has some health benefits," Dr. Brett Giroir, the Assistant Secretary for Health at HHS, said here today at a talk on the new guidelines at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions annual meeting. [The 4 Types of Exercise You Need to Be Healthy]

Otherwise, the basic guidelines stayed largely the same: Adults need 150 to 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity each week — which translates to around 7,000 to 9,000 steps each day. Muscle-strengthening activities, such as pushups, sit-ups or weight lifting, are recommended at least twice a week.

For children and adolescents ages of 6 to 17, the guidelines also stayed the same. They recommend at least an hour of moderate to vigorous activity each day.

Another change is that the new guidelines now include a new group: young children. Kids ages 3 to 5 should be getting at least 3 hours of activity a day, in order to promote growth and development, especially for their bones, Giroir said.

But currently, only about 26 percent of men, 19 percent of women and 20 percent of adolescents in the U.S. meet the physical activity guidelines, Giroir said. And though trends and studies show that adults are becoming more active, activity rates among adolescents are declining.

Physical activity as a 'wonder drug'
Inactivity contributes to 10 percent of all early deaths in the U.S., Giroir said. So "if we can get just 25 percent of inactive people to be active and meet the recommendations, almost 75,000 deaths would be prevented in the United States," Giroir said.

Physical activity is sometimes called "the wonder drug," Janet Fulton, chief of the Physical Activity and Health Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said at today's presentation. In fact, some doctors are now using prescription pads to prescribe physical activity to patients, she said.

Physical activity not only decreases the risk of early death, but also has many short-term and long-term benefits, according to the new guidelines. Some of the benefits of exercise are immediate — it reducesanxiety and blood pressure, improves sleep and improves insulin sensitivity (which can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes).

In the long-term, physical activity has been shown to improve brain health and cognition, reduce the risk of falls for older adults (by strengthening bones or improving balance), slow the progression of hypertension and type 2 diabetes, decrease pain for those with osteoarthritis, reduces the risk of postpartum depression, and some research has shown that it may reduce the risk of developing dementia.

Physical activity has also been shown to help reduce the risk of certain cancers. In the first edition of the guidelines, only two cancers were listed: breast and colon cancer. The updated edition adds that physical activity could also reduce the risk of bladder, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, stomach and lung cancer.

Girior summed up the recommendations in a few words: "Move more and sit less."

Originally published on Live Science.

come on OPPers get some exercise
it ain't gonna hurt you none

bahmer

How many hours of fishing per day are recommended for 92 year old males?

Take that answer to mama and you will be set for quite some time until she finds out its a scam.

badbobby Loc: texas

the only exercise you get from fishin
is settin the hook
I walk at least a mile three times a week
then work with my irons at least twice a week
I know that ain't much
but I'm old

archie bunker Loc: Texas

I've always gotten my exorcise from work. Well, except for all of those years I spent holding a steering wheel, looking through a piece of glass. I'm in a lot better shape now that I've started pounding a freight dock again. I had an app on my phone that kept up with how much I walk in a day, and before I deleted it, I was prolly averaging between 9, and 11 miles a day. Sometimes more. There is lifting, and other stuff too.
Mrs. B. makes sure I get my cardio in at least once a week to boot. And believe me when I say that is one intense minute, and a half! Gets my blood to flowing for sure!

bahmer

I was just trying to get you more fishin time is all.

pafret Loc: Northeast

Bobby gave up fishing when he hooked into Moby Dick the last time out. Monster Bass is one thing but fish that can eat you is where he draws the line.

bahmer

Yup that would cause me to quit as well.

badbobby Loc: texas

only until it warms up a lil Paf

badbobby Loc: texas

cardio jus once a week?
I'm disappointed in you Arch

4430 Loc: Little Egypt ** Southern Illinory

Having ran a seed business for 45 yrs plus farm 1000 acres I have been very active but I still developed Bladder Cancer 13 yrs ago so I'm not so sure being active can be considered a risk of getting that type of cancer !

badbobby Loc: texas

prolly being active helped you overcome it
at least I hope you did
I had prostate cancer 10 years ago
had radioactive seeds implanted in my prostate
cleared it up
my dr said being active and otherwise healthy helped a lot

4430 Loc: Little Egypt ** Southern Illinory

Yes I did overcome the cancer now 13 yrs cancer free !

My cousin's husband had prostate cancer as well and had the radioactive seeds implanted as well and has done very well and his was brought on with AO while in Vietnam !

archie bunker Loc: Texas

Good for you!! I'm glad you're still here!💪💪👍👍

4430 Loc: Little Egypt ** Southern Illinory

Thanks Arch you know we still need to go fishing sometime !

My deer hunters from AR and TX and I had grilled Red Snapper last night Mmmmm Good !

archie bunker Loc: Texas

We sure do!!

And you out did me last night. I had a sandwich made with a pork blend filet, custom sliced, extra sharp cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on whole wheat bread with some delicious thin sliced, fried potato wafers.